Resources

Sheet Metal Sourcing Guides for Procurement Teams

Practical RFQ guidance for procurement teams. Clear preparation reduces quoting delays and gives the engineer enough information to review manufacturability.

Published guide

Start with the Supplier Checklist

Rows of white metal frames on caster wheels in a workshop

Sourcing Sheet Metal from China: A Buyer's Checklist

Questions to ask about supplier identity, equipment, drawing review, quotation scope and project ownership.

Read the guide

What a Top 10 Sheet Metal Factory List Compares

The comparison points published lists repeat. This page does not rank factories.

Sheet Metal Fabrication Cost

The lines a quotation has to share. This page does not publish a price.

RFQ preparation

What to send for a useful DFM review

If some details are not decided, mark them for engineering advice instead of guessing.

STEP or IGES model when available

PDF or DWG drawing with critical dimensions

Material and surface-finish requirements

Sample and expected production quantities

Target schedule and packaging requirements

Supplier evaluation

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Supplier

A drawing-based quote is only as good as the equipment and process behind it. These are the questions a procurement team should get straight answers to.

What equipment does the supplier actually operate?

Ask for a specific equipment list — machine types and quantities — rather than a general claim of "full capability." Steadfab publishes its confirmed list on the Capabilities page.

Who reviews the drawing before quoting?

A DFM review by an engineer, not a sales quote generated from the drawing alone, catches manufacturability issues before production.

Can I order a sample before committing to a production quantity?

Steadfab accepts sample orders from 1 piece so you can validate the part before deciding on a production run.

How is quality documentation handled?

Ask for the current copy of any referenced certificate (for example, an ISO 9001:2015 record) and verify the holder, scope and validity against your own supplier-approval process.

The Suzhou manufacturing team's confirmed equipment list — two laser cutting machines, one laser tube-cutting machine, three CNC press brakes rated 3,100 mm × 150 tons, welding platforms and welding machines, and an in-house gantry machining center — is published on the Capabilities page.

Have a drawing ready?

Receive engineer-reviewed DFM feedback and a quotation within 2 business days.

Start RFQ