What to Put on a Custom Fastener RFQ

September 27, 2026

A maker prices a custom fastener from three things: the print, the grade and the volume. Leave any one of them vague and the result is a call back for missing details, or worse, a quote built on an assumption that turns out wrong once tooling has started. This checklist covers what a maker needs to quote a special fastener without guessing.

The part

Fastener type: bolt, screw, stud, nut, washer, pin or rivet.
Dimensions with tolerances on the features that matter: shank diameter, overall length, head height, head diameter and drive recess depth. A dimension with no tolerance forces the maker to guess a class, and a guess in the wrong direction can mean a part that will not assemble.
Head and drive style, named if it matches a standard one, sketched with dimensions if it does not.
Standard reference, if the part is based on one, for example “per ISO 4017 except length” or “per DIN 912, M8 x 45.” Naming the standard and listing only the differences is far faster for a maker to quote than a full custom drawing of a near-standard part.

The thread

Full thread callout, for example M10 x 1.25-6g for metric or 3/8-16 UNC-2A for inch, including the class of fit.
Thread length, measured from a stated reference point, not assumed from the drawing view.
Rolled or cut, and whether that choice matters for fatigue life. A rolled thread on a machined blank keeps most of the fatigue benefit of a headed part.
Left-hand threads or partial threads, called out explicitly. These are easy to miss on a print and expensive to catch after tooling.

Material, grade and heat treatment

Material and grade: a property class to ISO 898-1, an SAE J429 grade, a stainless class to ISO 3506, or a material specification for titanium, brass or aluminum, which are not covered by a property class at all.
Heat treatment condition, if it is not fully implied by the grade, such as an “as rolled” callout on a low carbon part that will not be through-hardened.
Hardness range, if the application needs a window narrower than the standard allows.

Our guide to fastener grades and classes covers what each class means and why the grade also decides which coatings are safe.

Coating and finish

Standard and thickness, for example zinc flake to ISO 10683 at 8 to 10 microns, or electroplated zinc to ISO 4042 with a stated bake time.
Color, if it matters for the assembly, such as clear, black or yellow chromate.
Bake requirement, stated on the print itself for any property class of 10.9, 12.9 or SAE Grade 8 that will be electroplated. Do not leave this to the plater’s default cycle.
Passivation standard, commonly ASTM A967, if a stainless part needs it called out rather than assumed.

Marking, traceability and paperwork

Head marking, both the manufacturer identification mark and the property class mark where the standard requires one.
Lot traceability, back to the wire heat and the heat treatment batch, if your quality system requires it.
Material certificates, for example a mill certificate or a test report to EN 10204, and which type: 2.2 for a standard test report, or 3.1 where the certificate has to be issued and validated independently of production.
First article or PPAP, if the part needs a formal first sample approval before full production release.

Volume and minimum order quantity

Two numbers decide which manufacturing route makes sense, and buyers often blur them together.

Annual volume is the total you expect to buy in a year. It tells a maker whether building dies for cold heading is worth it at all.
Release size is how many you order at once. It tells a maker how often they set up the job and how much wire or bar they buy each time.

Minimum order quantity follows from the route, not from the maker being difficult. A cold heading plant runs coils of wire through dedicated dies, so their minimum reflects what it costs to set up a run, often tens of thousands of pieces. A CNC machine shop sets up with a program and a bar, so their minimum can be a few hundred pieces or fewer. Hot forging usually sits in between.

Route	Typical minimum release
Cold heading	Tens of thousands of pieces
Hot forging	Hundreds to a few thousand
CNC machining	A few pieces to a few hundred

If your first release is small but the yearly volume is large, say both numbers. Many makers will quote a machined first lot to get you moving, then move production to a headed process once the volume proves out.

Packaging and delivery

Packaging format: bulk, boxed or banded, and the count per container.
Labeling: part number, lot number, quantity and date on each container.
Delivery schedule: a single shipment, or a blanket order released against a schedule.
Incoterm and region, since freight and duty can change which region is cheapest landed, and a preferred region helps match makers who already ship where you assemble.

Sample RFQ, filled in

An RFQ that gives a maker everything above looks something like this.

Field	Example
Type	Hex flange bolt
Dimensions	M10 x 1.25 x 45 mm, per ISO 4162 except length
Thread	Metric, 6g, rolled full length
Material and grade	Alloy steel, property class 10.9 to ISO 898-1
Heat treatment	Quenched and tempered per class
Coating	Zinc flake, ISO 10683, 8 to 10 microns, silver
Marking	Manufacturer mark and 10.9, as required by ISO 898-1
Traceability	Heat lot traceability, material test report to EN 10204 2.2
Annual volume	150,000 pieces per year, 25,000 per release
Region	North America
Needed by	10 weeks for first article, quarterly releases after

Every field on that list answers a question a maker would otherwise have to ask. That is the difference between a quote in days and a quote after a round of emails.

The short version

Dimensions with tolerances, head and drive, and a standard reference if one applies.
A full thread callout with length and class of fit.
Material, grade and heat treatment condition.
Coating standard, thickness and bake requirement on high-strength grades.
Marking, traceability and certificate requirements.
Annual volume and release size, given honestly.
Packaging, labeling and delivery schedule.

For a wider look at picking the right kind of maker before the RFQ goes out, see how to source custom fasteners and cold heading vs machining vs hot forging.

Once the quotes arrive, line them up with how to compare fastener quotes.

When the print is ready, send your RFQ and we match you with up to three makers whose route and size range fit the part.

Frequently asked questions

What if I do not know the tolerance for a critical dimension?

Say which dimension matters and how the part is used, and ask the maker to propose a tolerance. A maker who builds fasteners for a living usually knows what a given feature needs. Leaving every dimension open, though, forces a guess on every feature instead of just the one that is genuinely undecided.

Does a maker need a 3D model or is a 2D print enough?

A 2D print with dimensions, tolerances and a thread callout is normally enough to quote. A 3D model such as a STEP file helps on complex heads or unusual shapes and can speed up the quote, but it does not replace the toleranced print.

How exact does my annual volume estimate need to be?

A reasonable range is fine. What matters is that it is honest. A number picked to keep the first order small, or one inflated to chase a lower price, both lead to a quote built for the wrong process.

Can I send an RFQ before the coating is decided?

Yes. Give the grade and flag that the coating is still open. A maker who understands embrittlement risk on high-strength grades will tell you which coatings are safe before you commit to one.

Need this fastener made?

Send the print with the grade and annual volume. We match you with up to 3 makers that run the right route and reply within 24 business hours.

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