The quality of a custom carbide wear-part quote is decided before you send it: a request with a drawing, a failure history, and a quantity produces a usable quote, while a request with a name and a hope produces a guess that fails exactly like the part it replaces. This page is the RFQ checklist — the fields that change the quote, how to read a worn part, and how to agree acceptance criteria before the first batch ships.
The RFQ Checklist
| RFQ field | Minimum information | Why it changes the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Part geometry | Drawing, dimensioned sketch, or sample | Determines tooling, machining, and material volume |
| Mounting | Hole pattern, bolt spec, mating surface | Prevents fit failure and bolt shear |
| Failure history | Worn part photos and operating conditions | Guides carbide grade and part geometry |
| Material requirement | Known grade, or target performance | Defines the carbide and binder selection |
| Quantity | Trial batch and annual forecast | Sets unit cost, MOQ, and production method |
| Acceptance criteria | Tolerances, inspection points, field trial | Reduces first-batch risk and disputes |
A quote that does not state what is included for each field is a placeholder, not a price.
Reading a Worn Part: Failure History Is the Fastest Spec
The worn part is the most informative document a buyer can send. Each failure mode points to a different fix:
- Worn away evenly → the part needs more wear volume or a harder grade
- Cracked or chipped → the part needs a tougher grade or different geometry
- Broken at the hole → a mounting or load-path problem, not a material problem
- Corroded → environment problem; binder and coating should be reconsidered
One example shows why this matters. A fleet kept replacing a custom edge that cracked at the mounting holes, and assumed the carbide grade was too brittle. The worn parts showed the cracks started at the outer holes under an overhanging mount — a load-path problem. Moving the mounting points and adding a support rib fixed the part; a harder grade would have made it worse. Include operating conditions with the photos: material handled, temperature, impact exposure, and duty cycle.
Tolerances and Acceptance: First-Article Inspection
Custom parts fail at the interface between drawing and reality. Agree on the acceptance criteria before production:
- Dimensional tolerances: length, thickness, hole position, and hole diameter
- Flatness and surface condition of the mating face
- Carbide grade, grain, and binder confirmation
- First-article inspection (FAI): the first batch is measured against the drawing and approved before full production
- Pre-production sample approval with a version number on the drawing
Use the phrase “first-article inspection” with your supplier — it signals that acceptance is a documented step, not an assumption. A pre-production sample that is approved and archived becomes the golden sample for the whole order.
Quantity, Timing, and Sample Terms
Custom parts are produced in batches, so the quantity changes the economics. State the trial quantity, the annual forecast, and the seasonal timing — a snow-plow fleet ordering custom edges in August gets a very different answer than the same fleet calling in January.
Ask whether a trial batch is available before full production. A supplier that can produce and validate a small run is worth more than one that only quotes large volumes, because the trial is where fit and grade errors are caught cheaply.
What a Serious Manufacturer Does With Your RFQ
A serious manufacturer confirms the drawing back to you before production, asks about your failure history and duty rather than quoting from a name, and proposes inspection criteria. SENTHAI engineers custom carbide wear parts from drawings, samples, and failure photos at its factory in Rayong, Thailand, and treats first-article approval as part of the order. If a supplier quotes without asking a single question about how the part fails, the quote is a starting point — not a decision.
For the supplier-qualification side of this process, including factory audits and import checks, see how to qualify a carbide manufacturer in Thailand. For the parts-family picture, the fleet wear-parts overview maps where each custom part fits.
To request a drawing-based quote, send SENTHAI your drawing, sample, or worn part with the operating conditions — the engineering review starts from the part, not from a catalog.
FAQ
Do I need a formal drawing, or is a sketch enough?
A dimensioned sketch starts the conversation; the manufacturer returns a drawing for confirmation. What matters is that someone verifies the dimensions before production, not that your first draft is perfect.
Can custom carbide parts be made in small quantities?
Often yes, but unit price rises and some geometries need production tooling. Ask for a trial-batch quote alongside the volume quote so you can compare.
What if I don’t know the carbide grade I need?
That is normal — most buyers do not. Describe the failure and the duty, and let the manufacturer recommend a grade. The RFQ fields above are what you must know; the grade is what the engineer should determine.
Related
- How to Qualify a Carbide Manufacturer in Thailand — factory audit and import checks
- Winter Road Maintenance Wear Parts — the fleet-level parts map
- Carbide Inserts — insert shapes and sizes for wear parts
Sources
- SENTHAI – Carbide Inserts
- SENTHAI – Custom JOMA-Style Snow Plow Blades
- ISO – Standards for Cemented Carbides
- ASTM International – Wear Testing of Cemented Carbides
- NIOSH – Grinding and Cutting Safety