What Details to Include in your Custom Casting Bid

 

Important considerations when selecting a foundry to provide a bid for your cast iron or steel casting project

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We often encounter clients looking for custom casting capibilities for precision parts that must measure up and perform exactly to detailed specifications and designs. These clients often ask, “How do I choose a steel foundry to work with on my casting project? What details do I need to include to get a bid from a foundry?”

In our 70+ years of experience in both standard and custom casting work, we have seen a lot of quotes and bids in many formats. We’ve compiled some best-practices, tips, relevant information, and things to keep in mind when requesting a bid and selecting a foundry to provide your custom or precision casting needs.

Custom castings: tips and information for selecting a foundry to provide precision casting work

Take the Time Upfront

When your project requires precision parts, your most important investment is taking the time upfront to be sure your bidders are well qualified to produce what you need. If a foundry is not willing to take the time to ensure they are fully qualified to produce your castings, keep looking to find a foundry that can guarantee compliance with the specifications for your casting product. As you seek out companies to provide bids on the custom casting project, you will soon get an idea of the attention to detail each provides. This often narrows down the process for you as to who would be the best to work with in the long term.

Communication is Key

Complete and open communication will make all the difference as to whether you will be successful and satisfied with the result. You must ensure that you provide all of your requirements to the bidder; don’t assume anything, and when you receive a written bid for the casting you requested, ensure that it is thorough. If a step or process is not detailed or referenced in the bid, it is not going to be done!

Provide Drawings

Although foundries will provide the best estimates possible without complete specs, it is to your advantage to provide as much information as possible. Include any drawings, models, images, specifications, samples, etc. to help in obtaining the strongest, most complete bid possible. Remember, the vision for the project and the requirements exists in your mind — and you must communicate your ideas clearly to the foundry for that custom casting to become reality. In order to make that happen, it is up to you to double check that the supplier is clear on your needs.

When providing drawings, give separate machined drawing and casting drawings whenever possible, or at the very least ensure that your drawings and details specifically address the condition that you want the supplier to provide parts in. Drawings or sketches are mandatory if samples or patterns are not available, and the drawings should include dimensional tolerances, indications of critical areas and surfaces to be machined. You should also include the desired location of any numbers or lettering to be cast onto the surface, c/w indiciations of whether this lettering should be recessed or raised.

Materials and Volume Considerations

Advanced or specialized materials may be required for your custom castings. Many companies have minimum volumes, varying by the product, to provide custom casting materials at affordable prices. Your bid should include quantity information — both the total volume required or projected, plus short- and long-term predicted volume and ordering schedules. If actual weights cannot be determined in advance, the bid may be subject to change based on weight determined after actual production of the initial units. Include any special finish requirements such as paint, galvanize, etc.

It is helpful for the foundry to be aware of any dimensionally critical areas, or areas on the product that may be subject to unusual stress. Be sure to note these on your drawings.

Include Pattern Information

In casting, a pattern is a replica of the object to be cast and is used to prepare the cavity into which molten material will be poured during the casting process. Creating or providing suitable and high quality pattern equipment is the first necessary step in attaining a suitable and high quality casting. The request for quotation should include a request for details about the pattern type and cost required. Often confusion and misunderstanding between the customer and the foundry comes from poor upfront communication as it pertains to the patterning of the objects.

Before the order is placed, the customer and foundry must agree, in writing, on the condition and needs for pattern equipment. There are many things that affect the cost of casting patterns, so they need to be included in the information you send to the foundry when you request a bid. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is constructing new pattern required or is existing equipment available?
  • Is a split-core box or full-core box pattern to be used?
  • What is the material for the pattern?
  • Will the pattern be mounted or loose? How many parts will be produced with each mold?
  • What is the expected life-cycle of the pattern?
  • Where will the pattern be stored when it is not is use?
  • Who is responsible for the cost of maintaining and insuring your pattern equipment

Quality Control

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards are often used for material specifications, inspection specs. and testing requirements. If something other than ASTM standards are used, be sure to clarify. Ensure that the foundry has included the costs of any NDT (non-destructive testing) requirements in their bid, and be sure to clarify if such tests are to be applied to each product or each product batch. Are both parties clear about the conditions of acceptance of the final product? What are the terms surrounding inspection acceptance?

Casting identification and/or isolation from other products must be clarified. Are product batch inspections and qualifications acceptable, or are you going to require individual product identification, qualification, and documentation?

Production Schedule, Delivery, and Terms

In addition to providing complete details about the project, you want to include and receive back specific details surrounding the production schedule and delivery. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Has the foundry provided a reasonable and detailed schedule for pattern construction, sampling, production and/or finishing?
  • Are there expediting procedures available if the initial sampling schedule goes off track due to non-compliance of the initial parts?
  • What are the foundry’s warranty terms? Do these terms meet your expectations, or are further written clarifications required?
  • What is the casting return policy if parts are rejected after further inspection and/or processing at the customer’s site?
  • What is the back charge policy for non-complying parts? Who is responsible for the costs of processing parts which are subsequently rejected due to non-compliance (after further processing is underway or finished)?

Evaluating Bids for Custom Castings

When evaluating quotes for custom castings be sure you require, understand, and consider all provisions of the quotation, including asking the following:

  • Does the bid respond to all of the items in your request for bids?
  • Do you understand all elements of the pricing?
  • Did the foundry detail any exceptions taken to drawings, specifications, and processing requirements that would render the supplied parts unnacceptable?
  • Does the bid provide for a systematic sampling processes?
  • Does the foundry quote abide by your tooling requirements, tolerances, tolerance recommendations and finish allowances?

Finally, we suggest you obtain information on the bidding foundry’s experience. Through the cast bidding process, you will probably already have a good idea of what it would be like to work with this company. However, if a couple of companies are neck-and-neck in terms of what they offer, get a referral. At this point, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do they offer testimonials?
  • Have they done a project similar to yours before?
  • Can you speak to previous clients if necessary to get a referral?

Having a great experience working with a foundry for custom casting work is mostly related to establishing clear communications, and to providing as much detail as possible to the foundries to enable them to present you with an accurate price quote.

Review the article “Ordering Castings” for more detailed explanations of the steps required to find the best foundry source for your castings.

About Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd.

Reliance Foundry has been a family-owned business since 1927. Investment castings are one of its main product lines, along with industrial wheels, bike parking products and bollards. Reliance sources products globally and offers quick and convenient delivery in the United States and Canada from its Vancouver location.