Direct answer: Send your drawing and we come back with a feasibility opinion and a price. Attach a 2D drawing (PDF) or a 3D model (STEP, IGES, DXF, DWG, STL or a native CAD part file) together with the material, the annual quantity, and any tolerance or surface-treatment requirement the drawing does not already state. Balford’s engineers review manufacturability first — whether the part should be deep drawn, progressively stamped, transfer formed or machined, and whether the geometry sits inside what the presses can do — and we say so at that stage if it does not. There is no registration and no account to create: the form below takes the drawing directly. Quotes are normally issued within one business day, China Standard Time, and a part that cannot be made is answered with the reason rather than with a price.
What to send with the drawing
- The drawing or model. 2D PDF, or STEP / IGES / DXF / DWG / STL, or a native CAD part file. Up to five files, 12 MB each.
- Material and thickness if the drawing does not state them — grade, temper and the sheet thickness the part is formed from.
- Annual quantity. Volume decides whether the tool is a single-station die, a progressive die or a transfer tool, so it changes the price more than any other single input.
- Tolerances and the datum. Which dimensions are functional, and where they are measured from.
- Surface treatment and documentation. Plating, coating or heat treatment, and whether you need material certificates, an FAI report or a PPAP package.
If something on the list is missing we ask for it rather than assuming it. Nothing is quoted on an invented value.
Send the drawing
What happens next
- We read the drawing. Material, forming route, tooling, tolerances and inspection are checked before any number is quoted.
- We ask if something is missing. A missing wall thickness or datum becomes a question, not an assumption.
- You get a quote, or a straight no. If the geometry sits outside our press envelope we say so and point you at the process that fits.
Prefer a tracked platform with document history instead? rfq.balford.net is the registered-buyer version of this desk, and it keeps drawings and revisions in one place. The form above needs no registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an account to request a quote?
No. The form on this page takes the drawing directly — there is no registration step and no account to create. An account is only needed if you want the tracked version of the desk on rfq.balford.net, where drawings and revisions are kept against a project.
What file formats can I send?
PDF for 2D drawings; STEP, IGES, DXF, DWG or STL for 3D; and native CAD part files. Images of a marked-up print also work if that is all you have. Up to five files of 12 MB each per enquiry. If your file is larger, send it by email to shawn@balford.net and put the part name in the subject.
How long does a quote take?
Normally within one business day, China Standard Time. Parts that need a tooling decision — a new progressive or transfer die, for example — may take longer because the station count and the tooling cost have to be worked out first; we tell you which case you are in rather than leaving the enquiry open.
What happens if the part cannot be made?
We say so, and why: draw ratio beyond what the material will take, a wall too thin for the depth, a radius the tooling cannot hold, or a geometry that belongs to another process. Where a nearby process does fit, we point at it. A straight no is more useful to you than a price you cannot build against.