Guides / Quoting
How to Get a 5-Axis Prototype Quoted Fast, and Quoted Right
October 2, 2026
The slowest part of most prototype projects is not machining. It is the back and forth before anyone agrees on a price. A shop that has to guess at quantity, tolerance or material either asks questions or prices in the risk. Both cost you time. This guide lists what to send so a 5-axis shop can quote on the first read.
The short version: STEP plus PDF, critical features marked, quantity per revision, exact material, a real date. The rest of this page explains each item and what happens when it is missing. For what happens after the quote arrives, see our guide to CNC prototype cost.
1. Send STEP plus PDF
The STEP file gives exact geometry. The PDF drawing gives what the model cannot: tolerances, threads, surface finish, material, heat treatment and notes.
- STEP or Parasolid for geometry. Avoid STL or other mesh formats. Mesh surfaces cannot be machined accurately and slow the quote.
- PDF drawing with the critical dimensions toleranced. A model-only RFQ forces the shop to assume a general tolerance and ask about the rest.
If you do not have a full drawing yet, a simple PDF that marks the five or six dimensions that matter is better than nothing.
Which file formats work
| Format | Role in the quote | Note |
|---|---|---|
| STEP (.step, .stp) | Best source for geometry | Neutral format defined by ISO 10303, opens in any CAM system |
| PDF drawing | Tolerances, threads, material, finish | Revision letter must match the model |
| IGES (.igs, .iges) | Accepted | Older surface format; surfaces can arrive with gaps, so STEP is preferred |
| DWG or DXF | Accepted for 2D | Fine for drawings and flat profiles, not enough alone for 5-axis geometry |
| STL or other mesh | Avoid | Faceted surfaces must be rebuilt before anyone can program them |
2. Mark what matters, and only that
Shops price tolerance. If every dimension says ±0.01 mm, the quote assumes slow finishing passes and full inspection of everything. If only the bearing bore and two locating faces are tight, the shop knows where to spend time.
Add a general tolerance note, for example ISO 2768-m, for everything that is not called out. If you are unsure what is realistic on a 5-axis part, the materials table on the home page lists typical tolerances by material.
3. Say how many pieces per revision
“Quantity: 10” can mean ten of one design or two pieces of five designs. The cost is very different. Tell the shop:
- how many pieces of this revision you need now
- whether you expect a Rev B, and roughly how many after testing
- the likely production quantity, if you know it
A shop that sees a path from 2 prototypes to 50 pilot parts will often price the first order more sharply.
4. Name the stage
A proof-of-concept part and a pilot batch need different things. For proof of concept, speed and fit matter and cosmetic finish does not. For a pilot batch, repeatability, first article inspection and a program that carries forward matter.
Saying which stage you are in lets the shop skip what you do not need. Our stage table on the home page gives typical lead times for each.
5. Say whether it needs simultaneous 5-axis
If you know the part has blades, blended ports or freeform surfaces, say “simultaneous 5-axis required”. If it has angled holes and faces but no twisting surfaces, “3+2 is fine” widens the list of shops that can quote. If you are unsure, say so. A good match starts with the right machine type.
Not sure which one your part needs? The simultaneous vs 3+2 self-check on the home page walks through the common cases in a minute.
6. Material, certs and finish
State the exact grade: 7075-T6, 316L, Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5. “Aluminum” or “stainless” forces a question.
List what paperwork you need: material certs, first article inspection report, CMM report or a certificate of conformity. Each adds cost, and some shops cannot provide them.
Add finishing only where it is needed: anodize type and color, passivation, bead blast. Say if the prototype can ship raw.
7. Give a real deadline
Tell the shop the date you need parts in hand, not a buffer date two weeks earlier. An honest date lets the shop tell you plainly whether it can make it. If the date is fixed because of a test or a trade show, say so.
8. Ask for an NDA up front if you need one
If the design is sensitive, ask for an NDA before files are shared. It is normal and a serious shop will sign. Sending the RFQ first with a preview of material, size, quantity and tolerance lets the shop confirm interest before paperwork.
9. Clean up the files before you send
Most stalled quotes stall on file problems, not on the part. Five minutes of cleanup avoids a day of email.
- One part per file. Name files with part number and revision, for example bracket-104_revB.step and bracket-104_revB.pdf.
- Same revision everywhere. A model at Rev C and a drawing at Rev B stops the quote until someone says which is right.
- State the units. Say mm or inch in the notes, even if the drawing shows it.
- Strip the extras. Remove hidden bodies, construction geometry and purchased hardware from the part file. Send an assembly only as context and label it that way.
- Call threads on the drawing. Model a tapped hole as a plain hole and add the thread callout with size and depth.
- Say if there are mirror parts. Left and right versions are two part numbers and two programs.
What slows a quote down
| What the shop sees | What it does | Fix before sending |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh file only | Asks for STEP or adds margin | Export STEP from the CAD source |
| No tolerances | Assumes a general tolerance, then asks about fits | Mark critical features on the PDF |
| “Aluminum” | Asks which grade and temper | State grade, for example 6061-T6 |
| “Quantity: 10” | Asks per design or in total | Quantity per revision |
| Model and drawing disagree | Stops until someone confirms | Same revision in both files |
| “ASAP” | Quotes a standard lead time | Real in-hand date |
| “Anodize” | Asks type, color and masking | Type, color and masked areas |
| Tight tolerance on every dimension | Prices full inspection | General tolerance plus critical features |
| Undercuts no standard tool reaches | Asks for a design change | Check tool access first |
The last row is a design question, not a paperwork one. If a shop comes back asking to change geometry, the usual fixes are covered in designing a part for 5-axis.
Write a short notes field
Put the key facts in plain text so they survive even if a shop only skims. A useful note fits in eight lines:
Part: bracket-104 Rev B. 2 pcs now, about 20 after test.
Material: 7075-T6, mill cert required.
Critical: bore 22 H7, datum faces A and B, see PDF.
All other dimensions ISO 2768-m. Units mm.
Blade surfaces need simultaneous 5-axis. Rest can be 3+2.
Tab witness OK on bottom face.
Clear anodize type II, cosmetic side only. In hand by 21 October.
NDA before files, please.A one-screen RFQ checklist
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Files | part.step + part.pdf |
| Critical features | Ø22 H7 bore, datum faces A and B |
| General tolerance | ISO 2768-m |
| Material | 7075-T6, cert required |
| Quantity now / next | 2 pcs now, about 20 after testing |
| Stage | Functional prototype, Rev B |
| 5-axis type | Simultaneous on blade surfaces |
| Finish | Clear anodize type II, cosmetic side only |
| Needed in hand | 21 October |
| NDA | Yes, before files |
How to compare the quotes you get
Prices only compare when the scope matches. Before you pick the lowest number, check each quote for:
- Lead time start. From order, from file approval or from payment.
- Inspection. Whether a dimensional report or CMM report is included or extra.
- Material and certs. Whether the mill cert is included and the grade matches.
- Finish. Whether anodize or passivation is in the price or quoted separately.
- Exceptions. Any tolerance, radius or thread the shop proposes to change.
- Repeat cost. Whether programming is split out, which tells you what Rev B or a pilot batch may cost.
A quote that is lower because it skips the inspection report or assumes a looser tolerance is not cheaper. It is a different part.
Why fewer, better-matched quotes are faster
Blasting a drawing to twenty shops feels fast but rarely is. Shops that see an RFQ on a large list often skip it or send a padded number. Three shops chosen because their machines, materials and order size fit the part usually answer faster and closer together.
That is what we do: send your RFQ, we read it, decide whether it needs simultaneous or 3+2 and match it with up to three shops that cut that kind of prototype. We reply within 24 business hours, the service is free for buyers and each matched shop quotes you directly. For the cost side of the same question, read what a 5-axis prototype costs.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a 5-axis prototype quote take?
A clear RFQ with STEP and PDF files is often quoted in one to three business days. Missing tolerances, unclear quantities or mesh files add rounds of questions and can double that.
What file format is best for a 5-axis quote?
STEP for geometry plus a PDF drawing for tolerances, threads, material and finish. IGES, DWG and DXF are also accepted, but mesh files such as STL slow the quote because faceted surfaces cannot be machined accurately.
Should I send the RFQ to many shops at once?
A few well-matched shops beat many random ones. Shops that see your RFQ on a large bidding list often do not quote seriously. Three shops that fit the part usually give you a fair range.
Can I get a quote without sharing the full drawing?
You can ask for an NDA first. Shops can often judge fit from a preview with material, size, quantity and tolerance, then sign the NDA before they receive files.
Need this prototype quoted?
Send the drawing. We match you with up to 3 5-axis shops and reply within 24 business hours.
Get matched with a 5-axis shop