What makes an RFQ technically useful
A useful RFQ lets the supplier understand the process decision before discussing a product code. “Diamond powder” or “lapping paste” identifies a family, but not the operating conditions or acceptance criteria.
Start with the operation and the measured result. Add a current designation or datasheet when available, but do not let an incomplete grade label replace the process description. If a field is unknown, mark it as open rather than guessing.
Which fields belong in the brief
| RFQ field | What to provide | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Operation | Edge finishing, lapping, polishing, removal, suspension preparation or distributor supply. | Establishes the product family and process step to review. |
| Workpiece | Substrate or material, part type and any relevant sensitivity. | Affects abrasive and carrier compatibility. |
| Process sequence | Incoming surface, current step and the following operation. | Prevents a finishing grade being asked to solve an earlier removal problem. |
| Target and inspection | The surface or edge result you inspect and the method used. | Gives the sample and supply discussion a buyer-defined acceptance basis. |
| Current consumable | Grade, datasheet, product form and any known limitation, if available. | Provides a comparison point without assuming another label is identical. |
| Carrier or dispersion | Existing machine fluids, paste carrier preference, suspension chemistry and cleaning route. | Supports compatibility review across application and cleaning. |
| Supply requirement | Estimated order pattern, packaging, labels, batch documents and destination. | Allows feasibility and dispatch requirements to be checked with the partner factory. |
How to describe the result without inventing a specification
Use the acceptance language your own process already uses. Name the inspection method, the feature inspected and the current problem. If you do not have a numeric finish target, describe the required outcome and how it is judged. Do not copy a value from an unrelated product sheet simply to make the RFQ look complete.
For a process change, separate the fixed conditions from the variables you want to test. This helps the sample evaluation show whether the proposed abrasive configuration is responsible for the result.
What happens after the brief is sent
Xintai reviews the information as an independent supply partner and checks it against suitable partner-factory capability. The reply should identify the proposed product form, open technical questions, available documentation and any sample route. Manufacturing and material characterisation are performed or supplied by the selected manufacturing partner, not presented as Xintai’s own facilities or test work.
The quotation is where the final grade, tolerance, carrier, packaging, documentation and dispatch arrangement become order-specific commitments. Availability, minimum order, pricing and lead time are also confirmed there rather than assumed from general website copy.
What to confirm before ordering
- The RFQ revision and any unanswered fields are visible to both sides.
- Product form, exact grade and current partner datasheet are linked.
- Carrier, consistency or dispersion compatibility has been reviewed.
- The sample configuration and acceptance criteria are recorded where sampling is used.
- Quantity, packaging, labels, batch documents and destination are written into the quotation.
- Commercial terms, dispatch timing and any third-party inspection scope are agreed before the order.
Sources and notes
This intake method is based on general industrial specification practice and Xintai’s approved RFQ model. It does not prescribe product values or process settings. Order-specific technical and commercial fields must be supported by the selected partner factory’s current documents and the written quotation.
Last reviewed: 2026-11-06