A practical, two-sided RFQ checklist for linear guide rail buyers: exactly what to specify in your inquiry (rail series, length, carriage count, preload, accuracy grade, seals, quantity, destination port) and which documents to request back (inspection reports, hardness data, lead accuracy, Incoterms, warranty) so the first quotation you receive is accurate and comparable.
A complete inquiry is the fastest route to a comparable price, a realistic linear guide rail lead time and a linear rail MOQ you can actually plan around. This checklist covers both sides of the exchange: what you send out, and what you should get back.
Key Takeaways
- Rail series, cut length, carriage count and mounting hole spacing drive both price and tooling, so they belong in the first message.
- Preload class, accuracy grade and seal option change running characteristics and are the specifications most often left out of inquiries.
- Quantity and destination port determine packing, freight basis and whether a linear rail MOQ can be waived or met from stock lengths.
- Ask for inspection documentation in the same message: CMM reports, hardness test data, lead accuracy measurements and material certificates are standard with every shipment.
- Pin down Incoterms (EXW, FOB, DAP or DDP) and the 24-month warranty in writing before you compare quotes.
On this page
What to Send: The Specification Side
Suppliers can quote a ballpark figure from a rail width alone, but that figure will not survive contact with production. Every missing specification is resolved later by an email, a drawing revision or a sample request, and each of those loops adds days before a firm linear guide rail quotation reaches your desk.
Rail Series and Profile
Name the series or, if you do not have one yet, describe the duty: profile size, mounting style, load direction and the environment. A heavy-duty guideway used on a machine tool base carries very different requirements from a light rail on a packaging axis. If the application is demanding, our HGR series heavy-duty linear guideway rail is a common starting point for rails in that class. If you are still deciding between a guideway and a screw-driven axis, the matching drive element matters too; a SFU series rolled ball screw assembly is frequently paired with the same carriage platform.
Rail Length and Cutting
Give the exact cut length in millimetres, not a nominal size. State whether you need a standard stock length, a cut-to-length rail, or a rail with a specific hole pattern. If you are converting from another manufacturer, note the original part number and send the drawing. That gives the quoting team a baseline and shortens the technical review.
Carriage Count and Configuration
- Number of carriages per rail, and total number of rails per machine.
- Carriage type (standard, long, narrow) and mounting face.
- How carriages are arranged: single rail, parallel rails, gantry or cantilever.
Carriage count is one of the strongest price levers in a linear rail inquiry. It is also a place where OEM/ODM work adds value: modified mounting configurations can be produced to your drawing rather than forcing the design to fit the catalogue.
Preload Class
Preload controls internal clearance and stiffness. A buyer who needs a tight axis for precision positioning should specify the preload class rather than leaving it to the supplier's default. Standard classes cover most general motion, while special preload classes are available for applications that require them. Mention the load direction and whether shock loads occur; both influence the recommendation.
Accuracy Grade
Accuracy grade determines the accumulated error along the rail and is verified by lead accuracy measurement at shipment. If your machine does positioning work rather than simple transfer, state the grade in the RFQ. If you are unsure which grade matches your tolerance budget, ask for free technical selection support, including load calculation, and the team can propose a class based on the loads and duty cycle you provide.
Seal and Protection Options
Seals are environment-specific. Dust, chips, coolant and washdown each call for a different answer. Tell the supplier what the rail will be exposed to, including temperature range if it is unusual. Material choice can also be adjusted for special environments, and non-standard dimensions or custom materials can be quoted when the standard range does not fit.
Quantity, Packing and Destination
The commercial half of the inquiry decides the freight basis, the packaging and the linear rail MOQ position.
- Quantity: state first-order quantity and expected annual volume separately. Annual volume carries weight in MOQ discussions.
- Destination port or delivery address: this fixes the Incoterm and the freight line in the quotation.
- Packing preference: individual rail wrapping, wooden case or crated sets, depending on how the goods will be handled at your end.
- Schedule: when you need the goods in hand, not when you want them shipped.
- Sample need: say up front whether you want a sample for testing before a batch order, and what you intend to test.
Suppliers with flexible MOQ can often accommodate trial quantities, but the position depends on whether the request matches stock lengths, standard carriage types and available seal options. A sample request that specifies the exact rail length, carriage count and grades is processed much faster than one that asks for "a sample of your linear guide".
What to Ask Back: Documents and Terms
A quotation is only comparable when the documents behind it are named. Request these in the initial message so nothing has to be chased after the order is placed.
| Request this | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| CMM inspection reports | Dimensional conformity of the supplied rails and carriages to the agreed drawing |
| Hardness test data | Recorded hardness results for the delivered lot |
| Lead accuracy measurements | The accuracy grade actually achieved along the rail |
| Material certificates | Traceability of the steel used for the shipment |
| Incoterms stated on the quote | EXW, FOB, DAP or DDP, with the named place |
| Warranty terms | Written coverage period and conditions |
Every shipment includes CMM inspection reports, hardness test data, lead accuracy measurements and material certificates, so asking for them is a normal request rather than a special favour. Incoterms are supported across EXW, FOB, DAP and DDP, and a 24-month warranty applies. Have the supplier write the chosen Incoterm and the warranty period directly on the quotation, because those two lines are what you will compare across suppliers.
It also helps to ask which quality system the supplier operates under. Xiamen Dongfeng Bearing was founded in 2014 and holds ISO 9001:2015, CE and SGS certification. Request certificate copies with the quote if your own purchasing process requires them on file.
How MOQ and Lead Time Are Actually Set
Buyers often ask for "your MOQ" and "your lead time" as two fixed numbers. In practice, both are outputs of the specification package you send.
Linear Rail MOQ
MOQ moves with three things: quantity per rail length, carriage type and whether the request falls inside standard production or requires custom dimensions, special preload classes, custom materials or modified mounting configurations. A standard-length rail with standard carriages can usually be supplied in smaller trial quantities. A fully custom configuration carries a higher minimum because it triggers separate setup and inspection work. Because MOQ is flexible, the most useful question is not "what is your minimum?" but "here is my configuration and annual volume, what is the smallest first order you can accept?"
Linear Guide Rail Lead Time
Lead time depends on stock position, cut length, carriage count, whether seals or materials are custom, and the inspection scope. That is why this article does not quote day counts: any figure given without your specification would be meaningless. What you can do is ask the supplier to break the lead time into stages, such as material preparation, machining, assembly, inspection and packing, so you can see where the time goes and which stage your specification is driving. If your project has a fixed installation date, state that date in the RFQ and ask for a written schedule against it.
Shipping
Shipping arrangements follow the Incoterm you select. Give the destination port or door address, and note whether the consignment will be consolidated with other goods. Longer rails need packing that resists bending in transit, so if your cut length is unusual, flag it early and confirm the packing method in the quotation.
A Ready-to-Use RFQ Template
Copy this list into your next inquiry and fill in what you know. Leave blanks for anything still open and mark them as open, rather than omitting them silently.
- Application and machine type
- Rail series or reference part number
- Rail profile size and cut length (mm)
- Hole pattern or drawing reference
- Carriage type, quantity per rail, rails per machine
- Preload class required
- Accuracy grade required
- Seal and environmental protection needs, including temperature
- Any custom dimensions, materials or mounting modifications
- First-order quantity and expected annual volume
- Sample requirement and test purpose
- Destination port or delivery address
- Required Incoterm
- Documents required: CMM reports, hardness data, lead accuracy measurements, material certificates
- Target delivery date and any fixed installation deadline
Send the drawing with the list if one exists. A drawing plus this template removes most of the back-and-forth that delays an accurate quotation.
Buyer Questions
Is a sample available before I place a batch order?
Ask for one in the first message and describe the configuration and the test you plan to run. Sample supply depends on how closely your request matches standard rail lengths, carriage types and seal options, or whether it requires custom work. A precisely described sample request is easier to approve than a general one.
Can the MOQ be reduced for a trial order?
MOQ is flexible and is decided per configuration and volume rather than applied as a single company-wide number. Provide your annual projection along with the trial quantity; that combination gives the quoting team what it needs to make a decision.
Which documents arrive with the goods?
Every shipment includes CMM inspection reports, hardness test data, lead accuracy measurements and material certificates. If your quality system requires additional paperwork, name it in the RFQ so it can be included in the quotation rather than requested after dispatch.
What does the warranty cover?
A 24-month warranty applies. Ask for the conditions to be written into the quotation so the coverage period and its scope are recorded next to the price, not agreed verbally.
Can you help select the right rail for my load case?
Free technical selection support is available, including load calculation. Supply the loads, directions, duty cycle and mounting arrangement, and the team can recommend a series, preload class and accuracy grade to match. This is often the fastest way to close the open questions in an RFQ without ordering a wrong sample.
Prices and schedule commitments depend on the specification package you submit. Include your drawing, quantities and destination so the quotation you receive is one you can compare line by line against other offers.