QuotedPartAnswers · Updated 2026-10-30
What should a machine shop quote include?
Price one of your own parts: Drop a STEP model or PDF drawing — about 90 seconds, no account.
Your part priced in about 90 seconds, no account.
A machine-shop quote should identify the exact part and revision, quantities, unit and lot prices, material and finish, included operations, lead time, validity, freight, payment terms, assumptions and exclusions. Worked example: a 10-piece quote lists $42 material, $180 setup/programming, $650 machining, $90 inspection and $125 anodize for a $1,087 lot total, with ship in 12 business days after an approved PO and complete files. The arithmetic is illustrative; the checklist is reusable.
See how QuotedPart connects to your workflow with its API, MCP server, autonomous quoting and shop-specific learning.
Identify what the buyer is buying
Put quote number and date, customer, part number, drawing revision, model revision, quantity, unit of measure and currency at the top. State whether the offer covers one line or an assembly. If the RFQ contained multiple revisions, name the one you used and attach or reference the controlled file.
List material grade and temper, finish or coating, inspection report, certifications, marking, packaging and any customer-supplied material assumption. A “steel bracket” is not enough when 4140, 17-4 and mild steel have different cost and lead time.
| Section | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Identity | Part BR-104, drawing rev C, model rev C |
| Quantity | 10 pieces |
| Price | $108.70 each; $1,087 lot |
| Scope | 6061-T6, mill, deburr, inspect, Type II anodize |
| Delivery | 12 business days after complete PO and approved files |
| Validity | 30 days; subject to material availability |
| Terms | Net 30; freight prepaid and added |
| Exclusions | CMM report and customer-supplied tooling |
Show one-time work and quantity breaks clearly
The example’s $1,087 lot is $42 material + $180 setup/programming + $650 machining + $90 inspection + $125 anodize. At 10 pieces, $180 setup is $18 per part; do not multiply setup by quantity. If you offer 1, 10 and 100 pieces, calculate each release and show the lot total so the buyer can compare.
Name lot minimums for outside services and freight. A $125 anodize minimum can dominate a one-piece order; hiding it in a generic “processing” line creates surprise when the buyer changes quantity.
State the promise and the boundary
Lead time should say when the clock starts and what can pause it: approved drawing revision, matching PO, material receipt, customer-supplied tooling or outside finish. Quote validity should cover supplier prices and capacity, not create fake scarcity. If a customer needs a date you have not checked, ask before promising.
List taxes, freight, duties, payment terms, cancellation, changes and inspection acceptance in plain language. Have the responsible person review special contract clauses, especially controlled data, government terms and flowdowns.
What to do next
Turn the checklist into a quote template and make every field required or explicitly “not included.” Before sending, read it as a buyer: can they identify the exact revision, total, delivery trigger, validity and exclusions without opening your estimating file?
Illustrative quote lines
- • 10 pieces; material $42/lot; setup/programming $180/lot; machining $650/lot; inspection $90/lot; anodize $125 lot minimum.
- • Freight and taxes excluded from the illustrative total.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Material | $42 |
| Setup/programming | $180 |
| Machining | $650 |
| Inspection | $90 |
| Anodize | $125 |
| Lot total | $1,087 |
| Unit price | $108.70 |
Price one of your own parts
Drop a PDF drawing or a STEP file. QuotedPart reads the print, measures the model and prices it in seconds, on default shop rates you can change.
Your STEP file or PDF drawingDrop a PDF drawing, a STEP file or both
Free. No account, no email. Priced at our default US rates until you set yours.
Related QuotedPart guides
Answers
How fast should a machine shop respond to an RFQ?
Set a response promise from the RFQ’s complexity and your estimating capacity, then show the arithmetic behind the queue.
Answers
A customer compares your quote to Xometry's: how do you compete?
How to compare your price with a marketplace quote on the same basis, which jobs to stop chasing, and what a local shop can offer that an instant quote doesn't. With a priced 6061 bracket.
Answers
Anodize, plating and heat treat in a machining quote: lot charges, lead time, markup and freight
How to price outside processing: the finisher's lot minimum, per-piece price, invoice fees, days added to lead time, freight both ways and the markup that covers rework. Ten 6061 housings anodized: $125 lot charge on a $1,341 order.
Answers
Can ChatGPT quote machined parts? What it can and cannot know
ChatGPT can organize a quote and explain a drawing, but it does not know your machine rates or proven cycle times unless you supply and check them.