1. Identify the controlling files
Send the current finished-part drawing and, where available, the 3D model and casting drawing. Record their revisions and tell the supplier which document governs if information differs. Do not silently combine dimensions from a previous revision with a newer model. Highlight unresolved differences so the quotation can list its assumptions.
No 3D model? Start with the 2D drawing
Send the latest readable 2D drawing even if a 3D model is unavailable. JK Casting can start reviewing a casting order from that drawing. Whether it supports a firm quotation depends on the geometry, material, delivery condition and acceptance requirements shown.
- State what is available. Record the drawing number and revision, and mark the 3D model as unavailable if it cannot be supplied. Include all drawing sheets, sections and notes. There is no need to list an unavailable model as a file still to be sent.
- Identify the exact information gap. If a bore, internal passage or surface requirement is unclear, refer to its drawing view or feature. Record the missing definition rather than estimating dimensions from a screenshot.
- Define the stage being quoted. A finished drawing may include operations performed after welding or assembly. Identify whether the order is for a raw casting, a partly machined casting or a finished component, and who is responsible for later operations and their inspection.
- Agree any model preparation separately. If a model is needed for tooling or process planning, identify who will prepare it, the drawing revision it follows, any assumptions requiring engineering review and any separately quoted cost. A reconstructed model does not resolve an undefined feature by itself.
For an initial enquiry, send the available drawing, material specification, quantity and required delivery condition. Open questions should identify the feature or operation that prevents a firm quotation.
2. Mark functional interfaces
For a flanged hub or bearing housing, separate the bore and its shoulder, the mounting face, and the hole pattern. Identify what mates with each feature and retain the sizes, fits, datum scheme and geometric requirements defined by the designer. A diameter alone does not describe how the bore is located relative to the mounting face. If purchasing only has an assembly model, obtain the component acceptance definition from engineering. A reference photograph helps identify features; it does not supply missing requirements.
3. Define the machining and finishing boundary
State which surfaces are to be machined and which remain as cast. Include threads, inserts, plugs and other supplied items where applicable. Identify the required finish and any protected interfaces. If the buyer will perform further machining, describe the delivery condition and the requirements for that intermediate stage.
4. Specify what the inspection record must show
Connect each reported feature to its drawing reference and the identified sample or batch. For a stepped bore, list the relevant bore and shoulder requirements separately; for a flange, identify the hole pattern and mating-face requirements. Agree the inspection approach with the responsible quality team, especially for relationships between features. Keep an unmeasured feature marked as not checked. A report titled dimensional inspection does not, by itself, confirm that every functional interface has been checked.
5. Compare equivalent quantities and delivery scope
Request separate visibility of tooling, sample work and repeat-production pricing. Give the number of different part numbers, the quantity per part number and the expected ordering pattern. A family of similar housings should have its differences recorded; do not assume that a price for one geometry applies to every variant.
Example enquiry for a finished housing
Please quote the flanged housing to drawing [number / revision] and model [revision / unavailable]. Controlling document: [file]. Bore and shoulder: [feature references]. Mounting face and hole pattern: [feature references]. Delivery: [raw / partly machined / finished], including [finish / inserts / reports]. Quantity: [per part number]; annual forecast: [non-binding quantity]. Please identify open interface questions and separate tooling, samples and production costs. This is an editable enquiry example, not a specification for the photographed component.
Information to collect
- Finished-part drawing revision; model and casting drawing revisions where available
- If no 3D model is available: unresolved drawing features, model-preparation scope and responsibility for later operations
- Controlling document and unresolved conflicts
- Bore / shoulder / mating face / hole pattern: feature and datum references
- Raw / partly machined / finished condition; inserts and mating hardware included or excluded
- Material specification and required records
- Feature-level inspection: drawing reference, sample ID, result and acceptance basis
- Part numbers, quantities, variants and non-binding annual forecast
- Tooling ownership requirements and delivery destination
Put the information to work
Send the available files and identify open questions. Keep confidential customer information out of public posts; share authorised project files directly for review.
Flanged hub and connection component examples · Email Kai your requirements
Further reading: SFSA information for steel-casting buyers. This JK Casting worksheet organises purchasing information; application-specific design and acceptance requirements must come from the approved project documents.