What Information Should Be Included in a Titanium RFQ?
Quick answer: A useful titanium request for quotation (RFQ) should identify the product form, grade, governing standard, dimensions and tolerances, delivery condition, surface finish, quantity, inspection documents, packaging, destination and required delivery date. Application data should also be included when corrosion, pressure, temperature, fatigue or regulatory requirements affect material selection.
A clear RFQ does more than help a supplier calculate price. It reduces technical assumptions, prevents quotation revisions and makes competing offers easier to compare. The checklist below is suitable for titanium bar, plate, sheet, tube, pipe, wire, forgings, fittings, fasteners and machined components.
Titanium RFQ checklist
| RFQ field | What the buyer should provide | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Product form | Bar, plate, sheet, tube, pipe, wire, fitting, forging, fastener or machined part | The product form determines the manufacturing route and applicable standard. |
| Grade | For example, Grade 2, Grade 5 / Ti-6Al-4V, Grade 7 or Grade 23 / Ti-6Al-4V ELI | Different grades provide different strength, corrosion and interstitial limits. |
| Standard | ASTM, ASME, AMS, ISO, EN, DIN, JIS or a customer specification, including revision when required | A grade name alone does not define all acceptance requirements. |
| Dimensions | Diameter, thickness, width, length, OD, wall thickness, thread or drawing dimensions | Dimensions drive material weight, process route, yield and packing. |
| Tolerances | Dimensional tolerance, flatness, straightness, ovality, surface or machining allowance | Tight tolerances can require grinding, machining or additional inspection. |
| Condition | Annealed, hot rolled, cold rolled, forged, solution treated, aged, stress relieved or drawing-defined | Condition affects mechanical properties and fabrication behavior. |
| Surface | Pickled, mill finish, peeled, turned, ground, polished, sandblasted or protected | Finish affects appearance, contamination control and downstream processing. |
| Quantity | Pieces, kilograms, metres, total area or annual demand | Quantity affects production method, minimum order and pricing. |
| Documents and tests | EN 10204 3.1 MTC, chemistry, tensile results, PMI, UT, eddy-current, hydrostatic or third-party inspection | The inspection scope must be priced and planned before production. |
| Delivery | Required date, destination, Incoterm and partial-shipment rules | These details determine the realistic lead time and logistics cost. |
Match the standard to the product form
One of the most common RFQ errors is specifying a correct titanium grade with the wrong product standard. Common examples include ASTM B265 for strip, sheet and plate; ASTM B348/B348M for bar and billet; ASTM B338 for seamless and welded heat-exchanger tube; ASTM B861 for seamless pipe; ASTM B862 for welded pipe; ASTM B363 for welding fittings; and ASTM B381 for forgings. Aerospace or medical projects may require an AMS, ASTM F, ISO or customer specification instead of a general industrial material standard.
Always state the standard actually required by the design authority. A supplier should not substitute an “equivalent” designation without written buyer approval.
Include operating conditions when material selection is not final
If the buyer wants the supplier to help review the grade, the RFQ should include the application, process medium, concentration, temperature, pressure, flow condition, aeration, contaminants, cleaning chemicals, crevice geometry and expected service life. For a mechanical component, include the loading mode, fatigue requirement, service temperature, fabrication route and whether the material will be welded or machined.
This information is particularly important when comparing Grade 2 with palladium-bearing Grade 7, or conventional Grade 5 with extra-low-interstitial Grade 23. Material selection should be confirmed by the project engineer or design authority.
Specify the inspection package before requesting price
“Certificate required” is not precise enough. State whether the order requires an EN 10204 Type 3.1 inspection certificate, actual heat chemistry, mechanical test results, heat-treatment records, dimensional reports, nondestructive testing or an independent inspector. The markings on the material, packing list and certificate should use a consistent heat or lot identity.
For guidance on document review, see How to Read a Titanium Mill Test Certificate.
Example titanium bar RFQ
Please quote ASTM B348/B348M Grade 5 titanium round bar, annealed, 50 mm diameter × 3,000 mm length, diameter tolerance h9, ground surface, 12 pieces. Supply with EN 10204 3.1 MTC showing heat chemistry and tensile results. Material must be heat-number marked. Quote export wooden-case packing, FCA Shanghai and estimated lead time. No grade or standard substitution without approval.
The same structure can be adapted for plate, tube, pipe, wire or custom parts. Drawings should state units, revision, critical dimensions and inspection points.
Questions buyers frequently ask
Can I request a quotation with only a titanium grade and size?
You can receive a budgetary indication, but a firm quotation normally needs the product standard, condition, tolerance, surface, quantity, certificate scope and delivery destination.
Should an RFQ include the end use?
Yes, especially for corrosion, aerospace, medical, pressure, fatigue or high-temperature service. The end use helps identify missing requirements, but it does not transfer design responsibility to the material supplier.
What is the fastest way to obtain an accurate titanium quotation?
Send one consolidated specification or drawing with all commercial and technical requirements. Identify which requirements are mandatory and which alternatives may be quoted separately.
Request a titanium quotation
SAKY ALLOY supplies titanium bar, plate, sheet, tube, pipe, wire, fittings, forgings, standard parts and custom machining products. Review the available titanium product categories, then send your grade, standard, dimensions, tolerance, quantity, certificate requirement, destination and delivery date to sales@sakyalloy.com.