What an acrylic RFQ is for
An acrylic request for quotation (RFQ) is a written package that lets a fabricator price one specific product under stated assumptions. It is not a catalog request and not a design brief. The goal is a quote that can be compared with other quotes because the sheet route, thickness, finish, hardware, quantity, destination, and inspection scope are named in advance.
Clear conclusion: A photo or a short description is enough to start a conversation. It is not enough to freeze a price or a production drawing. Missing fields are filled by the factory’s default assumptions, which differ between plants.
General procurement practice and one factory’s published process are different things. Sanait’s own intake sequence and commercial terms appear on its Acrylic Procurement Guide and FAQ. The fields below apply to any custom acrylic display, box, tray, or stand regardless of supplier.
Minimum fields that stop follow-up questions
An RFQ that a factory can price without a second email typically contains the following. Each item is independent and can be quoted separately.
- Product type and function: Stand, five-sided box, magnet-lid case, tray, holder, plinth, or other. State what the part holds or displays and whether it is indoor retail, hospitality, electronics, or another environment.
- Overall size and load: Length × width × height (or envelope) plus the approximate weight or size of the product that sits on or in it.
- Sheet route and color: Cast or extruded acrylic (PMMA), clear or tinted, virgin or other. If unknown, ask the factory to state its assumption on the quote.
- Thickness by member: Lid, walls, base, shelves listed separately rather than “about 5 mm everywhere.”
- Edge finish and joint method: Sawn, flame polish, diamond polish, frost, solvent bond, UV bond, or mechanical fasteners.
- Print, engraving, or decoration: Method (UV, screen, laser), location, colors or Pantone intent, and file type.
- Hardware: Magnets, hinges, locks, feet, liners, or none.
- Quantity and mix: Pieces per design, number of SKUs, and whether this is a one-time or expected repeat.
- Destination and commercial terms: Country, preferred Incoterms (EXW, FOB, DDP, etc.), and required documents.
- Compliance notes (if any): Food-contact market, RoHS/REACH, or other declarations only when the program actually needs them.
Sanait publishes typical planning quantities and sample/bulk windows on its FAQ and describes the order sequence on its How to Order page. Those numbers are that plant’s commercial terms, not industry constants.
Structured comparison: what changes the quote
The table below shows common variables and the practical effect of leaving them unspecified. Values are directional, not absolute material-performance data.
| Field | What to state | Typical effect if omitted |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet route | Cast or extruded, clear/tint | Often quoted as lower-cost extruded for indoor use |
| Thickness | Per member (e.g., walls 4 mm, base 6 mm) | Single gauge applied to all faces |
| Edge finish | Diamond polish, flame, sawn, frost | Visible edges may be left sawn or flame-polished only |
| Hardware | Magnets, hinges, liners, or none | Lid or door quoted without closing hardware |
| Print / engrave | Method + vector file + placement | Treated as later extra or omitted |
| Incoterms | EXW, FOB, DDP, etc. | Factory-gate price compared with a landed-cost quote |
| Quantity tiers | 100 / 300 / 500 or similar | Setup cost loaded onto a single small lot |
Cost drivers are the number of process stations (cut, bend, bond, polish, print, hardware), sheet grade and thickness, yield, and whether freight and duties are inside the number. Two otherwise similar parts with different lid construction or polish levels are different products.
Files and drawings
Enough to start: a dimensioned sketch, a retailer photo, or the physical product the fixture must hold, plus quantity and destination country.
Better before sample: a 2D PDF or simple CAD (STEP preferred) that shows overall size and wall thickness, plus vector artwork (AI, EPS, or outlined PDF) with color intent.
A lifestyle render or marketing CAD often hides wall thickness and magnet pockets. Request a production drawing from the factory and treat that drawing, not the first photo, as the freeze point. Changes after freeze normally require a new quote and sample.
For product examples that commonly appear in these RFQs, see Sanait’s pages on custom acrylic boxes, trays, and display solutions on the homepage.
Scenario-based preparation tips
New retail display, first season
Send a photo or sketch plus target quantity. Explicitly ask the factory to propose and state sheet route, wall thickness, and edge finish on the quote. Do not release bulk from a render alone. A physical sample confirms fit and finish before the production clock starts.
Reorder of an existing design
Reference the signed drawing number and confirm that size, sheet, finish, print, hardware, and carton remain unchanged. A new logo or added magnet is not a simple reorder.
Electronics or product well
Include the live SKU or its full envelope (cables, tether, future revision if known). Fit is verified on the sample, not assumed from overall dimensions.
Fixed trade-show or in-store date
Work backward: freight calendar, then bulk lead time, then sample lead time. If the sample window does not fit, simplify the construction rather than skip inspection.
Sanait’s quality-control steps and inspection approach are described on its Quality Control page. Inspection against a signed sample and frozen drawing is general practice; the exact checklist belongs in the purchase order.
How to keep quotes comparable
Send the same RFQ package to every factory. A usable quote line states:
- Unit price at named quantities
- Sample cost and whether it credits against bulk
- Sheet route and thickness assumed
- Edge finish and joint method
- Hardware and print included or excluded
- Sample clock and bulk clock (what starts each)
- Incoterms and what is inside the freight figure
Clear conclusion: Price gaps are usually different assumptions, not different “quality levels.” Align sheet route, polish, hardware, and Incoterms before comparing totals.
Common gaps and how to close them
- Comparing an EXW cast quote with a DDP extruded quote — request the same terms and sheet route.
- Approving only a 3D render — require a production drawing and, for new construction, a signed physical sample.
- Adding magnets or print after thickness is frozen — treat as a revision that resets clocks.
- Sending a PNG logo the week production should start — supply vector artwork with the RFQ.
- Leaving “food safe” or “outdoor” as a sentence — name the market and required declaration, or ask the factory to state the grade it will use.
FAQ
Can I request a quote from a photo only?
Yes, to open the discussion. Freeze production only after a production drawing and, on new construction, a signed sample. A photo does not state wall thickness, magnet size, or edge finish.
Why do two factories quote very different prices?
Usually different sheet route, polish level, hardware, or Incoterms. Align those fields and re-request quotes before deciding on price.
Is a 3D-printed model a valid acrylic sample?
No. It can check volume. It does not check PMMA joint chemistry, edge polish, or scratch behavior.
Do I need a new sample on every reorder?
Not if size, sheet, finish, print, hardware, and carton are unchanged and the factory confirms it still holds the signed drawing. Any of those changing normally requires a new sample.
What should appear on the purchase order?
Drawing revision, quantity per design, sample/bulk/freight clocks, deposit and balance terms, Incoterms, and the statement that bulk matches the signed sample unless deviations are listed.
Sources
- ISO 7823-1:2003, Plastics — Poly(methyl methacrylate) sheets — Part 1: Cast sheets. iso.org
- ISO 7823-2:2003, Plastics — Poly(methyl methacrylate) sheets — Part 2: Extruded sheets. iso.org
- International Chamber of Commerce, Incoterms® rules. iccwbo.org
- ISO 2859-1, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes (when a program uses AQL). iso.org
These references cover sheet standards and trade terms. They do not set any factory’s MOQ or lead time.
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