Model, drawing, material, quantity, finish and required delivery date. A concept is enough to start.
Geometry, tolerance and finish are checked before a price is given, so the quote matches the part that will be made.
You get a price with the assumptions stated, plus any change that would reduce it.
On a new part, the first article is inspected against the drawing before volume starts.
What to send for an accurate quote
A quote is only as good as the information behind it. The list below is what removes the follow-up questions that otherwise delay a price by a day or more.
- A 3D model - STEP, IGES or native CAD
- A drawing with tolerances, datums and the revision
- Material grade, and the finish the part needs
- Quantity, and whether a repeat is likely
- Required delivery date and shipping destination
- Which dimensions are functionally critical
How the price is built
It helps to know where the money goes, because it shows which decisions are worth revisiting. A machining price is normally made up of five parts, and only one of them is machine time.
- Programming and setup, spread across the quantity
- Material, including any certificate requirement
- Machine time, which tolerance and geometry drive
- Finishing, including deburring and any masking
- Inspection, scaled to how many features are measured
The largest lever is usually the tolerance scheme, followed by quantity and the number of setups. Material and finishing are mostly fixed once the specification is chosen, and inspection cost scales with how many features have to be measured.
If the design changes after quoting
Say so early. A change caught before the first cut usually means a revised price; a change caught after fixturing or a first article means repeating work. Where a design is still moving, ask for the part to be quoted at two quantities, so a small first run can validate the design before committing to a larger order.
What you get back
Along with the price, the quote states the assumptions it was built on: material grade, general tolerance, finish, inspection level and the lead time expected. Where a design change would reduce the price substantially, that is offered as an option rather than left for you to guess.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
No. Single prototypes and production batches run on the same processes, so there is no separate prototype route to qualify. Setup cost is what makes a single part expensive, not a minimum charge.
How quickly are quotes returned?
Normally within one business day for a complete data package - model, drawing, material, quantity and finish. A part with unusual tolerances or a special material may take longer because the route has to be checked first.
Can I send a concept rather than a finished drawing?
Yes, and it is usually worth doing. Feeding manufacturability back into a concept is cheap; feeding it back into a released drawing is not.
What if I do not know which process I need?
Say so in the form. The route is recommended as part of the quote, with the reason stated, so you can check the logic instead of taking it on trust.