OEM Fabrication & Machining RFQ / Supplier Information

Iron Ax welcomes build-to-print fabrication and machining RFQs from OEMs, equipment manufacturers, and industrial customers. The more complete the information supplied with an RFQ, the more accurately we can evaluate the project, determine whether it fits our capabilities, and prepare a meaningful quotation.

Whether your project involves a fabricated assembly, machined component, equipment frame, welded structure, shaft, pin, bushing, hopper, trough, skid, conveyor component, or other industrial part, Iron Ax can review customer-supplied drawings and specifications to determine whether the work is a good fit for our manufacturing operation.

This page outlines the information that is most helpful when submitting a fabrication or machining project for quotation.

What to Include With Your RFQ

Not every project requires every item listed below, but providing as much applicable information as possible helps reduce questions and improves the accuracy of the quotation.

Fabrication Drawings

Fabrication drawings should provide the dimensions, materials, component relationships, weld locations, assembly information, and other details necessary to manufacture the project.

For welded assemblies, drawings should clearly identify the required parts, material thicknesses, dimensions, weld details, locations, and any dimensional requirements that must be maintained after fabrication.

If a project includes multiple assemblies or subassemblies, clearly identified drawing numbers and revision levels can help prevent confusion during quotation and manufacturing.

Machining Drawings

Machined components should include complete dimensional information, tolerances, materials, threads, bores, keyways, surface requirements, and any other features necessary to manufacture the part correctly.

Examples of components Iron Ax may evaluate include shafts, pins, bushings, sleeves, hubs, spacers, rollers, clevises, mounting components, and machined weldments.

When machining is required after fabrication, the drawings should identify the machined features and their relationship to the completed weldment.

Learn more about our OEM Contract Machining & Build-to-Print Machine Shop capabilities.

Bill of Materials

A bill of materials can be extremely helpful for projects involving multiple components, materials, purchased items, or assemblies.

When available, the bill of materials should identify the material type, grade, size, quantity, customer part number, drawing number, and other applicable information for each component.

For larger fabrication packages, a clear bill of materials can significantly improve the efficiency of material review and quotation.

Material Specifications

Please identify the required material for each component as clearly as possible.

Depending on the project, materials may include carbon steel, stainless steel, round bar, tubing, plate, structural shapes, chrome rod, hydraulic cylinder tubing, bronze, or other industrial materials.

If a specific ASTM, AISI, SAE, or other material specification is required, include that requirement with the RFQ.

Stainless Steel Requirements

For projects involving stainless steel, customers should clearly identify the required grade and any special fabrication, welding, finishing, inspection, cleaning, or documentation requirements.

Stainless steel projects are reviewed individually to determine whether the requirements are a good fit for Iron Ax’s current manufacturing capabilities.

Providing the complete stainless steel specification during the RFQ stage helps us evaluate the project correctly before quotation.

Water and wastewater equipment manufacturers can learn more about our Contract Fabrication for Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers services.

Welding Requirements

If the project has specific welding requirements, those requirements should be included with the RFQ package.

This may include weld symbols, weld size, weld type, applicable welding procedures, code requirements, inspection requirements, filler requirements, joint preparation, or other customer-specific standards.

Projects requiring specialized certifications, procedures, inspections, or documentation should identify those requirements before quotation so Iron Ax can determine whether the project fits our capabilities.

Dimensional Tolerances

Dimensional tolerances can significantly affect the manufacturing process, machining requirements, inspection requirements, and cost of a project.

Please identify all critical tolerances clearly on the applicable drawings.

If only certain dimensions are critical, identifying those dimensions can help Iron Ax understand where additional manufacturing controls or inspection may be required.

Surface Finish and Coating Requirements

If the finished component requires a specific surface condition, coating, paint system, machining finish, preparation method, or other treatment, include those requirements with the RFQ.

Examples may include machined surface-finish requirements, painted finishes, primer requirements, stainless steel finish requirements, or other customer-specified treatments.

If an outside finishing process will be required, identifying that requirement early helps ensure it is considered during quotation and production planning.

Inspection Requirements

Please identify any required inspection or quality documentation when submitting the RFQ.

Depending on the project, requirements may include dimensional inspection, material verification, customer hold points, weld inspection, first-article inspection, or other project-specific requirements.

Inspection requirements can affect both production planning and project cost, so they should be identified before the quotation is completed whenever possible.

Material Certification and Documentation Requirements

If your project requires material certifications, mill test reports, traceability, inspection records, certificates of conformance, or other documentation, include those requirements with the RFQ.

Documentation requirements can vary significantly between industries and customers. Providing them at the beginning of the project allows Iron Ax to evaluate whether the required documentation can be supplied.

Quantities

Clearly identify the quantity required for each part or assembly.

Pricing for a one-time component can be very different from pricing for repeat production or multiple identical assemblies. Providing expected quantities helps us evaluate material purchasing, setup time, production planning, and manufacturing efficiency.

If the initial RFQ is for a prototype with the potential for larger future quantities, let us know. That information can be useful when evaluating the manufacturing approach.

Prototype, One-Off and Repeat Production

Iron Ax can evaluate projects involving prototypes, one-time assemblies, replacement components, short-run production, and repeat OEM manufacturing.

For prototype or first-article projects, provide as much information as possible about potential future quantities or production requirements.

Once a component or assembly has been successfully manufactured, repeat production may be easier to plan and quote based on the established drawings and manufacturing history.

Required Delivery Date

Please identify the requested delivery date or production schedule when submitting the RFQ.

Lead time depends on the size and complexity of the project, material availability, outside processing requirements, current shop capacity, machining requirements, inspection requirements, and quantity.

If the project is time-sensitive or is being submitted because another supplier is overloaded, identify the required schedule so Iron Ax can evaluate available capacity before quoting.

Customer-Supplied or Iron Ax-Supplied Material

Please indicate whether the customer intends to supply any material or whether Iron Ax should include all required material in the quotation.

If customer-supplied material will be used, identify the material, quantities, expected delivery date, and any applicable certifications or traceability information.

If Iron Ax is expected to supply material, all applicable material specifications should be included in the drawing package or bill of materials.

Packaging and Shipping Requirements

For projects that will be shipped, include any special packaging, preservation, labeling, palletizing, crating, or shipping requirements.

Large industrial assemblies may require common-carrier freight, flatbed transportation, dedicated transportation, or other specialized handling.

Knowing the intended destination and delivery requirements during the RFQ process can help us evaluate the complete project.

Drawing Revisions and Part Numbers

Customer drawing numbers, part numbers, and revision levels should be clearly identified.

This is especially important for repeat work where multiple revisions of a component or assembly may exist.

When revised drawings are issued, the applicable revision should be clearly communicated before manufacturing begins.

Confidential and Proprietary Drawings

Iron Ax understands that OEM drawings, product designs, specifications, and manufacturing information may be confidential or proprietary.

Customers that require confidentiality agreements or other documentation before releasing detailed manufacturing information should discuss those requirements with Iron Ax before submitting proprietary documents.

Our objective is to serve as a manufacturing partner while the customer maintains ownership and control of its engineering and product design.

What Happens After We Receive Your RFQ?

Types of RFQs We Are Interested In

Iron Ax is interested in reviewing fabrication and machining packages for a broad range of industrial equipment and components.

Industries We Can Support

Iron Ax can evaluate build-to-print fabrication and machining RFQs for equipment and components used across multiple industrial markets, including:

Why Send Your RFQ to Iron Ax?

Iron Ax is an established industrial equipment manufacturer with approximately 50,000 square feet of manufacturing space and in-house fabrication, machining, plasma cutting, hydraulic cylinder manufacturing, assembly, and heavy material-handling capability.

Our combination of manufacturing disciplines allows us to evaluate projects that may involve both fabricated and machined components rather than requiring customers to automatically divide a project among several suppliers.

You can learn more about the shop itself on our Iron Ax Manufacturing Facility & Capabilities page.

For OEMs and industrial manufacturers looking for additional fabrication capacity, machining capacity, overflow support, or an alternate manufacturing source, Iron Ax is ready to review your next RFQ.