Buyer Resource
Aluminum Casting RFQ Checklist
What should I send before asking for an aluminum casting quote? This checklist covers the drawing files, part details, quantity range, material notes, and sourcing context that help a supplier review your project and prepare a useful response.
Drawing Package
Drawing files and revision notes
The most useful RFQ package starts with a 2D drawing and a 3D model. PDF format works well for 2D drawings. STEP or IGES files are preferred for 3D geometry. If only a 2D drawing is available, that is still a workable starting point for a process discussion.
Include the drawing revision number and date. If the drawing is marked preliminary or for-review, note it clearly. Suppliers need to know whether the geometry and tolerances are locked or still subject to change before tooling decisions are made.
Highlight any critical dimensions, GD&T callouts, sealing surfaces, datum scheme, and thread or port features. These directly affect tooling design, secondary operations setup, and quality review planning. The more clearly these are marked on the drawing, the less back-and-forth is needed before quoting.
Part Context
Part function and operating context
A brief description of what the part does and where it fits in the assembly helps the supplier ask better questions and flag risks early. A housing that carries fluid under operating load has different review priorities than a structural bracket or enclosure casting.
If the part replaces an existing design from another supplier, note whether the interface dimensions are fixed or whether the new supplier has design freedom. Second-source and replacement projects often benefit from sharing a sample or reference casting alongside the drawing package.
Volume and Project Stage
Target quantity range and project stage
Annual volume and project stage are two of the most useful pieces of context in an RFQ. They affect process route selection, tooling type, and pricing structure. A range is enough — an exact forecast is not required.
- →Prototype or first-article: state that tooling budget is part of the discussion and early samples are the priority.
- →Annual production: include a low/mid/high range (e.g., 500–2,000 pieces per year) so the supplier can select a tooling and cycle approach that fits the volume.
- →Launch-stage or ramp program: describe the timeline and whether supplier qualification or first-article approval is required before production release.
Material Notes
Material preference or open material review
If the alloy is fixed by engineering requirement, state it in the RFQ message. If the alloy is open for discussion, describe the mechanical requirements instead — tensile strength range, elongation requirement, or hardness target — so the supplier can suggest a suitable option with process context.
Heat treatment requirement should also be noted. T5 and T6 heat treatment changes the mechanical outcome and affects cycle time. If heat treatment is required for the application, include it in the RFQ scope even if the exact specification is not yet finalized.
Finished-Part Scope
Machining and finished-part scope
Make the quotation boundary explicit: raw casting, semi-machined casting, or finished part. Two suppliers cannot be compared fairly when one prices only the casting blank and another includes CNC machining, deburring, treatment, inspection, and export packing.
Mark the machining datums and functional features on the controlled drawing. Call out bores, ports, threads, bearing seats, gasket faces, O-ring grooves, sealing lands, and any surface-finish requirement that controls fixture design or machining order.
- Casting and CNC fixture scope, including who owns each tool or fixture
- Machining stock and which dimensions are inspected before and after CNC
- Heat treatment, impregnation, coating, assembly, or cleaning included in the quote
- Packing, labeling, Incoterm, and destination assumptions for the finished part
Quality Evidence
Inspection and validation requirements
Do not write only “inspection report required.” Name the risk, method, acceptance basis, sampling expectation, and record the buyer needs. The drawing and customer specification remain the authority; the RFQ makes their commercial and scheduling impact visible before quotation.
| Requirement | What the buyer should define |
|---|---|
| Material evidence | Alloy and temper standard, heat or lot traceability, and required material certificate or test record. |
| CMM / dimensional report | Drawing revision, datum scheme, critical features, report format, sampling point, and first-article versus serial scope. |
| Radiography / X-ray | Inspection zones, governing acceptance criteria, technique or sensitivity requirement, sampling frequency, and disposition rule. |
| Leak or pressure test | Test medium, pressure or vacuum basis, hold or cycle definition, leakage acceptance, test stage, and required record. |
| FAI / PPAP | Submission type or PPAP level, customer templates, approval owner, sample quantity, and records required before production release. |
| Surface and visual acceptance | Functional and cosmetic zones, defect limits, comparison sample or visual standard, coating checks, and packaging protection. |
Surface and Assembly
Surface, assembly, and packaging notes
Surface finish requirements, coating or treatment scope, and packaging needs are often left out of the first RFQ message and added later. Including them upfront avoids a secondary quote round after tooling discussions have started.
For export shipments, note whether the parts need individual part protection, bulk packing, or export crating. Incoterm preference (FOB Ningbo, CIF destination, or other) can also be noted at this stage so freight and documentation assumptions are visible from the start.
Optional but Helpful
Existing part photos or samples when available
Photos of existing parts, competitor samples, or reference castings are useful when the drawing does not fully communicate the surface quality expectation or geometry intent. If you have a sample that represents the acceptable standard, note that in the RFQ message and include photos if possible.
Contact and Response
Contact information and preferred response path
Include a direct contact name and email for the person handling the sourcing decision. Specify whether you want a quote response, a process recommendation, a DFM review, or a combination. Setting this expectation at the start reduces the number of clarification rounds before the supplier can deliver a useful response.
Schedule Control
RFQ schedule and approval milestones
A requested delivery date is not a complete launch plan. Ask the supplier to return a milestone schedule that names the buyer input, supplier output, approval owner, and dependency at each gate.
- 1Quotation deadline and open-question closure
- 2Drawing, process, and tooling-design approval
- 3Tooling kickoff and progress review
- 4First-sample submission with agreed records
- 5Correction, resubmission, and validation approval
- 6Pilot or production release, packaging, and shipment readiness
Avoidable RFQ Gaps
Common RFQ mistakes to avoid
- No volume or project stage: tooling, process, MOQ, and production assumptions cannot be aligned.
- Ambiguous alloy or temper: “aluminum casting” does not tell the supplier whether material is fixed or open for recommendation.
- Only a 3D model: revision, tolerances, GD&T, inspection notes, and acceptance criteria may be missing.
- Every dimension marked critical: the supplier cannot distinguish functional risk from general drawing dimensions.
- Application withheld: pressure, structural, cosmetic, thermal, or assembly risks remain invisible.
- Finished-part scope left open: casting-only and cast-plus-machined quotes appear comparable when they are not.
Start a drawing-based RFQ review
Submit the sourcing context through the RFQ form, then email drawings and models to linda@ningbobohua.com for Bohua review.
FAQ
Buyer questions about aluminum casting RFQ preparation
What files should I send with an aluminum casting RFQ?
Send 2D drawings (PDF) and 3D models (STEP preferred) along with your alloy preference or mechanical requirement, annual volume estimate, secondary operation notes, and surface finish notes. A complete drawing package allows the supplier to review geometry, process fit, and tooling approach before quoting.
Can I request a review before the drawing is final?
Yes. Early-stage drawings or concept sketches can still support a process discussion. Mark the drawing as preliminary and note which dimensions or features are still under review. Suppliers can give useful feedback on wall sections, draft, and alloy choice even before the drawing is locked.
What if I am unsure which casting process fits the part?
Include part weight, envelope size, wall section range, mechanical requirements, and target volume. The supplier can suggest a process option and explain the fit. See the casting process selection guide for a discussion of common casting approaches.
Should I include quantity range and project stage?
Yes. Annual volume and project stage (prototype, pilot, or production) affect tooling type, process route, and pricing structure. A quantity range is enough — an exact forecast is not required at the RFQ stage.
Can photos or existing samples help the review?
Photos and sample castings are useful when drawings are incomplete or when replacing an existing part from another supplier. They help the supplier understand geometry intent, surface finish expectations, and any features that are difficult to communicate in 2D.
How should machining and inspection be defined in the RFQ?
State whether the supplier is quoting a raw casting, a semi-machined part, or a finished part. Mark machining datums and critical features, then name each required record or test—such as a material certificate, CMM report, radiography scope, leak test, first-article report, or PPAP submission—instead of asking for generic quality documentation.
Which schedule milestones belong in an aluminum casting RFQ?
Include the quotation deadline, drawing or tooling approval gate, target first-sample review, correction and resubmission path, validation approval, and production-release target. Ask the supplier to identify dependencies and owners rather than promising one undivided lead-time number.