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What we need to quote a casting
To quote a casting we need six things: a drawing, the grade or the service conditions, the quantity, the finish and machining, the inspection and tests, and the documents you need with the delivery. If you have no drawing, photos of the old part with a tape measure in shot and a few key dimensions are enough to start.
Published · Updated · Ni-Chrome Alloy Castings
Most of the back-and-forth on a casting enquiry comes from one missing line, often the grade or the test list. Send what is below and we can price it properly the first time.
What should a casting enquiry include?
A complete enquiry answers six questions: what the part looks like, what it is made of, how many you need, how it is finished, how it is tested and what paperwork comes with it. Each one changes the price, so a quote built on guesses will change later.
| Item | What to send | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Drawing | Any format: PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP, a scan or a hand sketch with dimensions | Sets the pattern, the casting route and the weight |
| 2. Grade | The grade and standard, for example ASTM A351 HK40 or EN 1.4852. If unknown, the service conditions | Alloy content drives much of the cost of a heat-resistant casting |
| 3. Quantity | Pieces per order, and whether it repeats | Pattern cost is spread over the quantity |
| 4. Finish and machining | As-cast, rough machined or finish machined; surfaces, bores and tolerances | Machining can be a large part of the price |
| 5. Inspection and tests | Radiography (RT), dye penetrant (DPT), PMI, hardness, mechanical tests, third-party inspection | Each test adds cost and must be planned before pouring |
| 6. Documents | Mill test certificates (for example EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2), test reports, inspection and test plan, any vendor approval | Some must be agreed before production starts |
What if I only know the service conditions, not the grade?
Tell us the working temperature, the atmosphere (air, flue gas, carburizing, sulphur-bearing or molten metal), any load or pressure, and whether the part cycles hot and cold. We will propose a grade from the published standards and explain why. If the part already exists, the grade on the old drawing, or a PMI reading of the old part, is the best start. Our HK40 vs HP-Nb guide shows how that choice is made for furnace parts.
Which inspection and tests should I ask for?
Ask for what your specification or end user requires, and say so in the enquiry. Common requests are radiography to ASTM E446 severity levels, dye penetrant to ASTM E165, PMI to confirm the alloy, chemistry and tensile certificates, and inspection by a named third-party agency. If you are unsure, send the purchase specification and we will list what it calls for.
What should I send if there is no drawing?
Send photos of the worn or broken part with a tape measure visible in each shot, plus the key dimensions written down. If you can, send the old part itself. From those we work out the dimensions with you and agree a drawing before the pattern is made.
- Photos: every face, square on, with a tape or rule laid against the part so the scale reads.
- Dimensions: overall length, width and height, wall thickness, bores, hole centres, and anything that mates with another part.
- Wear notes: mark which surfaces are worn, so we size from the unworn ones.
- Markings: any cast-in grade, heat number or maker's mark. It often identifies the alloy.
- The old part: if it can be spared, send it. It gives us exact dimensions and can be checked for grade.
What happens after you send an enquiry?
Our team reads the enquiry and checks it against the six items above. If something is missing, we ask for it together rather than piecemeal. We then confirm the grade and casting route, work out pattern, casting, machining and testing, and send a written quotation with the scope stated line by line.
Once you accept, we agree the drawing, the inspection and test plan and any hold points for your inspector before production starts. How long each step takes depends on the part, the quantity and the tests, and we state it in the quotation for each job.
Quote questions
Do you quote from a sketch?
Yes. A dimensioned sketch is enough to quote. We agree a full drawing with you before the pattern is made.
Do you quote a single piece?
Yes. Say the quantity, and whether more will follow, because the pattern cost is spread differently for one piece and for a repeat order.
Is my drawing kept confidential?
Yes. Drawings are used only to quote and make your part. If you need an NDA signed first, say so and send it with the enquiry.