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zh How to Submit an RFQ to a Chinese Casting Company: A Buyer's Step-by-Step Guide
2026-07-30 02:15:47 hits：0
The quote you get is only as good as the RFQ you send. Most buyers know this in theory and skip it in practice: they attach a drawing, type "please quote," and wonder why three suppliers return prices that can't be compared and a lead time that slips by weeks. Before you send anything, you need a shortlist — our guide on how to find reliable casting suppliers in China covers the screening steps.
This guide covers what a casting RFQ must include, a copy-ready template you can use today, the mistakes that quietly add cost, and what actually happens after you hit send.
1. Why Your RFQ Quality Decides the Quote Quality
A casting quote is a response to a question. Ask a vague question, get a vague — and often unsafe — answer. When a supplier has to guess your material grade, tolerance, or inspection level, they price for the version that protects them, not the version you need.
The cost shows up three ways. A quote that looks cheap but excludes the testing you later require. A lead time estimate that blows up when the supplier discovers your drawing needs tooling they didn't plan for. And replies that aren't comparable, forcing you to restart the whole comparison from scratch.
A tight RFQ removes all three. It tells the supplier exactly what "done" looks like, so the number they return is a real number — and you can line up three of them and actually choose.
2. What Every Casting RFQ Must Include
These six items separate a quote you can act on from a quote you have to renegotiate.
| Item | Why it matters | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing (2D PDF + 3D STEP) | The supplier prices from geometry, not your description | Attach both; flag critical features |
| Material grade & standard | Drives cost 15–40%; "cast iron" is not a spec | EN-GJL-250, ASTM A536 65-45-12, etc. |
| Quantity & volume | Tooling amortization changes unit price | MOQ + annual estimate |
| Tolerances (ISO 8062) | Tight tolerances cost more; state the grade | CT grade, ISO 8062-1 |
| Surface & heat treatment | Affects process route and price | Ra value, anneal / normalize / quench+temper |
| Inspection & certificates | Defines acceptance; EN 10204 type | 3.1 or 3.2, NDT method if required |
A design-for-manufacturability review before you send the RFQ catches tolerance conflicts that would otherwise surface as change orders mid-production. The material grade is the single biggest swing factor — naming it precisely (not "your standard cast iron") can move a quote by 15–40% and stops a supplier from defaulting to the cheapest grade they happen to stock.
Not sure how to specify tolerances or inspection levels? Contact us at tieguexport.com →
3. A Copy-Ready Casting RFQ Template
Drop this structure into your inquiry. Fill every line — a blank line is an assumption the supplier will make for you.
1. Company & contact: name, country, email
2. Part name & application: what it does, operating environment
3. Drawing: 2D PDF + 3D STEP; note critical surfaces
4. Material grade & standard: e.g., EN-GJS-500-7 (EN 1563)
5. Quantity & volume: MOQ + estimated annual volume
6. Tolerances: ISO 8062 CT grade; critical dimensions called out
7. Surface finish & coating: Ra value, plating/paint spec
8. Heat treatment: anneal / normalize / quench+temper, if required
9. Inspection & certificates: EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2; NDT method
10. Target price (optional): your budget or reference price
11. Incoterms & destination: FOB Qingdao / CIF Rotterdam, etc.
12. Required delivery date: firm date or window
Keep it to one part per RFQ. If you have a family of similar parts, group them only when they share material, process, and tooling — otherwise you'll get a blended price that hides which part is driving the cost.
4. Common RFQ Mistakes That Cost Buyers Money
Leaving the material grade open. "Use your standard cast iron" invites the supplier to pick the grade that's cheapest to make, not the one your application needs. Name the grade and standard.
Skipping tolerances. "As per drawing" means nothing if the drawing has no tolerance callouts. State the ISO 8062 CT grade; otherwise the supplier prices to their in-house default, which may be tighter — and pricier — than you required.
No inspection plan. "Just make it good" is not a specification. State the EN 10204 type and any NDT. Without it, you can't reject a substandard lot on paper, and the supplier has no incentive to test.
Mixing prototype and production. One RFQ asking for "5 pieces now and 5,000 later" returns a price that fits neither. Tooling cost dominates low volumes and vanishes at scale; separate the two requests so each quote is honest.
Comparing a trader and a foundry as equals. A trading company and a foundry quote different things — one resells, one makes. Comparing their numbers side by side without noting the difference is how buyers pick the wrong partner. Verifying a supplier's production capability before you compare closes this gap.
5. What Happens After You Send the RFQ
Expect a quote turnaround of 2–7 business days for standard parts, longer for complex geometry or special materials. A reputable supplier will come back with clarifying questions before quoting, not after — that questions round is a quality signal in itself.
Once quotes arrive, the work is comparison, not just ranking by price. Two quotes at different numbers are only comparable if they describe the same part under the same conditions. Our guide on why casting suppliers quote different prices explains what to normalize first, and what a complete casting quotation should contain shows what to expect back before you commit.
From there the path is sample or first-article inspection, then the purchase order. A clean RFQ makes every later step shorter — because the assumptions were settled before anyone started cutting metal.
FAQ
1. How detailed does my drawing need to be to get an accurate casting quote?
A 2D PDF with dimensions and a 3D STEP file is the minimum. The supplier prices from geometry, so missing views or undefined critical surfaces force them to assume — and assumptions become cost. Call out the features that matter for fit or function, and state the tolerance grade rather than leaving it implied.
2. Should I send an RFQ to a trading company or a foundry directly?
Both can work. A foundry gives you direct control over process and price but requires you to manage technical communication and quality yourself. A trading company handles coordination and export but adds a margin and may not own the production. Send to both if you like, but compare them on what they actually deliver — not on the headline number — and verify each one's capability first.
3. How long does a Chinese casting supplier take to quote?
Typically 2–7 business days for standard parts with a clear RFQ. Complex geometry, special alloys, or requests for tooling quotes extend that to two or three weeks. If a supplier quotes back in a few hours on a complex part, treat the speed as a flag — they may have skipped the engineering review that protects your spec.
4. What information reduces the back-and-forth after I submit an RFQ?
A complete drawing, a named material grade and standard, an ISO 8062 tolerance grade, an inspection plan with the EN 10204 type, and your Incoterms plus destination. Suppliers ask clarifying questions when those are missing; fill them in up front and you'll get a usable quote on the first round instead of the fourth.
Tiegu is a China-based casting supplier serving international buyers through a vetted network of qualified Chinese foundries. We supply castings under a single commercial contract, managing supplier selection, technical confirmation, quality inspection, and export delivery from order to shipment.
