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Writing an RFQ for Inconel Parts That Gets a Fast, Accurate Quote

September 12, 2026

A shop can only quote as fast as the information in front of it. On Inconel, where material grade, spec standard and inspection requirements all change the price, an RFQ missing any of these usually comes back with questions instead of a number. The list below is what lets a shop quote once, correctly.

The information a shop needs to quote without a back-and-forth

Grade and spec standard. Name the Inconel grade, such as 625, 718, 825 or another nickel superalloy, and any spec standard the part must meet, such as an AMS or ASTM callout. “Inconel” alone is not enough: 718 and 625 price differently, and a spec standard can require a specific mill cert format.

A real model, not a photo. Send a STEP or IGES model along with a PDF drawing that calls out tolerances. A shop pricing from a photo or a rough sketch is guessing at geometry, and that guess shows up as either a bloated quote to cover the risk or a quote that changes once the real drawing appears.

Quantity and a realistic annual volume. State the quantity for this order, and if the part repeats, a realistic estimate of annual volume even if it is a range. This changes how a shop prices tooling and fixturing: a one-off prototype and a part with 200 pieces a year behind it are priced differently even at the same first-order quantity.

FAI, mill cert and PMI requirements, stated up front. If you need a first article inspection report, a mill certificate or PMI testing on the material, say so on the RFQ rather than after the quote comes back. Each of these is real work a shop has to plan for and price, and stating it up front avoids a second round of pricing.

NDA needs. If the drawing needs to stay confidential before it goes further, say so and we hold it until an NDA is signed with the matched shop.

Common mistakes that slow a quote down

A vague material callout is the most common one: “Inconel” with no grade forces a shop to guess or ask, and the guess is often wrong given the price difference between grades. Sending only a photo or a dimensioned sketch instead of a model and drawing has the same effect, pushing the shop toward a rough estimate instead of a firm quote. Leaving out quantity, even an estimate, is another: a shop cannot size tooling and fixturing investment against an unknown order size, so it either quotes conservatively high or comes back with a question before it can quote at all. To write the material line correctly, see UNS numbers for nickel alloys.

None of these mistakes are unusual. They are just the gaps that turn a one-round quote into a multi-round one, adding days to something that should take one exchange.

NDA and confidentiality, stated up front

If confidentiality matters for this part, it is worth stating on the RFQ itself rather than assuming it is understood. Tell us if an NDA is needed before your drawing moves further, and we hold your files until an NDA is signed between you and the matched shop. This is a checkbox on the RFQ form for exactly this reason: it is easier to flag before a file moves than to walk it back after.

How the RFQ form on this site is built around this

The RFQ form on this site asks for material and grade, a file upload for your drawing, quantity, target need date and whether FAI, mill cert or PMI is required, because those are the fields a shop actually needs before it can quote. Filling in the optional fields, not just the required ones, is what lets us match your request with shops that already run your grade instead of shops guessing whether they can.

Once submitted, your request goes to up to three matched shops. Filling out the form completely is the single biggest thing you can do to get a real quote back within our stated response time of within 24 business hours.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• How to Qualify a Machine Shop for Inconel Work
• Mill Certs and PMI Testing: Catching a Substitute Alloy Before It Ships