Buyer’s Guide / Northern Kentucky & Greater Cincinnati
What to Include in a Metal Fabrication RFQ
A complete metal fabrication RFQ includes 2D drawings plus a 3D model file, exact material grade, quantity (and order pattern if recurring), tolerance callouts, required finish, welding or tapped-hole notes, application context, and a needed-by date. A thorough package gets you a quote within 24 hours. An incomplete one can add three to five days of back-and-forth.
What Is a Metal Fabrication RFQ?
An RFQ (Request for Quotation) is the formal package a buyer sends to a fabrication shop asking for a price on a specific part or assembly. It’s the starting point for every custom fabrication job. The quality of information in your RFQ directly determines how fast you get a price, how accurate that price is, and whether the first parts off the machine match what you need.
A weak RFQ forces the shop to guess at material grade, tolerances, or finish. That guessing introduces risk for both sides. The shop may quote on the wrong assumptions and reprice later, or parts may arrive that don’t fit the application. Either outcome costs time and money you don’t want to spend.
A strong RFQ does two things: it tells the shop exactly what to build, and it tells them enough about the application context that they can flag design issues before cutting metal. Shops like Paragon routinely catch problems in RFQ review, things like a bend radius that’s too tight for the specified material, or a tolerance that’s tighter than the process can hold on that feature, that would have caused rejected parts if caught after the fact.
The good news is that assembling a thorough RFQ isn’t complicated. It comes down to a consistent set of items covered below. Get these right and you give yourself the fastest possible quote turnaround and the fewest surprises when parts arrive.
The Essential RFQ Elements
Every metal fabrication RFQ needs: a 2D drawing (PDF), a 3D model (STEP or DXF), the exact material and grade, quantity and order frequency, general tolerance with tight-only callouts on critical features, surface finish specification, welding or tapped-hole notes, what the part does, and the required delivery date. Missing any one of these adds delay.
Drawings and model files. A dimensioned 2D PDF drawing is the minimum. It should show all views, dimensions, GD&T callouts, and notes. The 3D model (STEP or IGES format) supplements the drawing and lets the shop program CNC operations and check for interference or bend feasibility directly from the geometry. If you only have one, prioritize the 2D drawing with a clear bill of dimensions. If you have both, send both.
Material and grade. “Steel” isn’t specific enough. “1018 mild steel” or “304 stainless” or “6061-T6 aluminum” is. The grade affects pricing (material cost), machinability, weldability, bend radius requirements, and finish options. Specifying the wrong grade or leaving it to the shop’s discretion often results in a part that meets your print but not your application.
Quantity and order pattern. State the quantity for this order and whether it’s a one-time prototype, a first-article run before production, or an ongoing blanket release. A shop may price tooling differently for a one-off versus a recurring 500-piece monthly release. Annual volume context also helps the shop match the right process (for example, hard tooling versus soft tooling for forming).
Finish. Specify whether you need raw (deburr and break edges only), zinc/chromate, primer, paint, or powder coat. If powder coat, specify the color (RAL or Pantone code), gloss level, and any masking requirements for threaded holes or mating surfaces. If a surface needs to mate with a gasket or seal, say so. Finish can represent 10 to 30 percent of a part’s cost, so leaving it vague leads to apples-to-oranges quotes.
Required date. Tell us when you need parts in hand, not when you want to place the order. “Needed by June 20” is actionable. The shop can tell you whether that date is achievable and what it takes to hit it (such as stocked material versus a mill run, or expedited processing).
Why a 3D Model Speeds Up Your Quote
A STEP or DXF 3D model lets the shop import your geometry directly into CAM programming, check wall thickness and bend feasibility, and generate nesting layouts for laser cutting, all without re-drawing from a 2D print. This eliminates a significant manual step, reduces transcription errors, and often shortens quote-to-first-article time by one to three days on complex parts.
For sheet metal parts with multiple bends, a 3D model also allows the shop’s estimating software to unfold the part and calculate the precise flat blank dimensions. Without a model, the estimator has to work through the flat-blank calculation manually from the drawing, which is slower and introduces one more place where errors can creep in.
If you designed your part in SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar CAD, export a STEP file along with your PDF drawing. DXF files work well for flat laser-cut profiles. For tube laser or plate-cut-and-welded assemblies, a STEP of the full assembly helps the shop visualize the finished product and ask better questions during quoting.
If you don’t have a 3D model available because the part was designed years ago and only paper drawings survive, say so in your RFQ. The shop may be able to work from a detailed 2D print, but knowing upfront avoids wasted back-and-forth asking for a file that doesn’t exist.
Tolerances Done Right
Specify a blanket general tolerance (for example, plus or minus 0.005 inch on all linear dimensions unless noted) and then call out tight tolerances only on features that actually require them for fit or function. Calling everything to a tight tolerance across the whole part inflates cost significantly. Reserve tight callouts for the dimensions that matter for how the part works or assembles.
General tolerances for laser-cut sheet metal parts are typically in the range of plus or minus 0.005 to 0.010 inch for linear dimensions, and plus or minus one degree for bend angles. Many functional parts are fully usable at these tolerances. If a hole has to align with a mating pattern to within plus or minus 0.003 inch, call that feature out specifically. If a bolt hole just needs to clear a fastener, a general tolerance is fine.
Over-tolerancing is one of the most common ways buyers unintentionally inflate fabrication cost. Every tight tolerance on a drawing requires additional setup, inspection, and sometimes secondary machining. If a feature doesn’t actually need tight tolerance for the part to function, liberalizing it doesn’t reduce quality. It reduces unnecessary cost.
Conversely, under-tolerancing (leaving tolerances off the drawing entirely) forces the shop to assume standard tolerances. If your application needs tighter than standard, an undimensioned print will produce parts that don’t fit. Be explicit, but be targeted. If you’re not sure what tolerances the process can hold, ask your fabricator before finalizing the drawing. We’d rather answer that question upfront than reprice a job after a first article fails inspection.
Prototype vs Production: What Changes
Prototype RFQs focus on speed and design validation: you need one to five parts fast, you may still be iterating on the design, and hard tooling investment isn’t justified yet. Production RFQs focus on per-part cost, repeat consistency, and supply chain planning. Telling the shop which mode you’re in changes how they quote, what process they select, and how they structure lead time.
For prototypes, shops may use soft tooling, off-the-shelf standard tooling, or flexible processes that are faster to set up but cost more per part. The goal is confirmation that the part works before committing to production-scale investment. A good prototype RFQ explicitly says “first article for design validation” so the shop doesn’t optimize for production cost when you need speed and flexibility.
For production runs, cost and repeatability take over. The shop may invest in custom punch and die tooling, program nested nesting layouts for maximum material yield, or set up dedicated fixtures for welded assemblies. None of this investment is worthwhile for a one-off, but it pays back quickly on a run of 200 or 2,000 pieces.
If you’re moving from prototype to production, share that context with your RFQ. The shop that built your prototype may be able to offer a better production price if they know the volume commitment ahead of time, and they’ll already have the institutional knowledge of your part’s quirks from the first article run.
The RFQ Completeness Checklist
An incomplete RFQ typically adds three to five business days to your quote timeline as the shop works through clarification questions one by one. A complete RFQ covering all the items below can often be quoted within 24 hours. Use this checklist before hitting send to verify your package covers everything needed for a fast, accurate quote.
- 2D dimensioned drawing (PDF) All views, dimensions, GD&T callouts, revision number, and any special notes.
- 3D model file (STEP or DXF) Exact CAD geometry for programming and flat-blank unfolding. Include assembly STEP if multiple parts mate together.
- Material and grade Full specification: for example, 304 stainless steel, 16 gauge; or 1018 CRS, 0.125 inch; or 6061-T6 aluminum, 0.090 inch.
- Quantity and order pattern Order quantity plus prototype / first article / production run designation. Include blanket order annual volume if applicable.
- General tolerance Blanket tolerance for all undimensioned features; for example, plus or minus 0.005 inch linear, plus or minus 1 degree angular.
- Critical feature tolerances Tight callouts on only the features that require them for fit or function. Identify them by feature number or dimension label.
- Surface finish Raw deburr, zinc plate, primer, powder coat with color code, or other. Note masking requirements for threads and mating surfaces.
- Welding and hardware callouts Weld symbols on the drawing, or a separate welding note. Tapped-hole callouts with thread size and depth. Inserts or PEM hardware if applicable.
- Application context One or two sentences on what the part does and what it mounts to or mates with. Helps the shop catch design issues before parts are made.
- Required delivery date When you need parts in hand. Flag if expedite is needed so the shop can confirm feasibility and advise on cost impact.
For guidance on selecting the right fabrication partner to send your RFQ to, see our page on how to choose a metal fabrication shop. And once you’re ready to understand typical timelines, our metal fabrication lead times guide covers prototype and production schedules in detail.
If your part will be laser cut, consider reviewing our design for laser cutting DFM guide before finalizing your drawings. A few small design adjustments can shave real cost off a quote without changing how the part functions.
You can send your RFQ package to our full-service fabrication team at Paragon. We quote laser cutting, tube laser, waterjet, forming, rolling, welding, and powder coating, often all in the same part run.
Send Your RFQ to Paragon
We’ve been quoting and building custom metal parts for manufacturers across Northern Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati, and the tri-state region for 40+ years. Attach your drawings and model files, fill us in on the application, and we’ll come back to you fast with a real number.
Frequently Asked Questions
What files should I send with my RFQ?
Send a dimensioned 2D PDF drawing plus a 3D model file in STEP or DXF format. The PDF gives the fabricator all dimensions, tolerances, and notes. The STEP or DXF allows direct CAM programming and flat-blank calculation without redrawing. If you only have one format, the 2D PDF is the minimum. If you have both, always send both for the fastest turnaround.
How do I specify tolerances in a fabrication RFQ?
State a blanket general tolerance in the drawing title block or a general notes section, for example plus or minus 0.005 inch on all linear dimensions unless otherwise specified. Then call out tighter tolerances only on features that require precision for fit or function. Over-tolerancing every feature inflates cost. Under-tolerancing leaves the shop guessing and risks parts that don’t fit your application.
How fast can I get a quote from a metal fabrication shop?
A complete, well-prepared RFQ package can often be quoted within 24 hours at a responsive fabrication shop. Incomplete packages that require back-and-forth clarification typically add three to five business days to the process. Sending your 2D drawing, 3D model, material spec, quantities, tolerances, and required date in the first message is the single biggest thing you can do to speed up your quote.
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