How to Specify a Cut to Length Line: The RFQ Checklist
Buyer Guide · Published 2026-10-06 · 7 min read · By Friend Engineering Works
The quickest way to get an accurate quotation and the right machine is to give your manufacturer a complete specification up front. A vague enquiry gets a vague answer; a clear RFQ gets a precise quote and a line that actually fits your work. Here is exactly what to include when you request a cut to length line.
1. Material and Grade
- Which metals: cold rolled, hot rolled, stainless, galvanised (GI/GP), tinplate, aluminium
- Specific grades where relevant (for example stainless 304, 316, 430)
- Whether the surface is coated or must be protected
Material drives much of the design - see our CTL material guide.
2. Coil Dimensions
- Coil width range: minimum and maximum (our lines handle 150mm to 2500mm)
- Thickness range: thinnest and thickest you will run (0.10mm to 20mm)
- Maximum coil weight and outer/inner diameter
Always quote your worst case, not your average - the line must handle the heaviest, thickest coil you intend to run.
3. Sheet Output
- Required sheet lengths: minimum and maximum (ours cut 500mm to 6000mm, customisable)
- Length tolerance your product needs - see cut to length accuracy
- Flatness requirement - visible panel, precision blank, or general use
4. Production and Throughput
- Target output (tonnes per day, or sheets per hour)
- This decides flying shear vs stop-start and overall line power
5. Automation and Handling
- Level of automation wanted: coil car, automatic stacking, PLC + HMI
- Any space or layout constraints at your plant
6. Site and Power
- Incoming power supply
- Location (for installation, commissioning and service planning)
Why This Matters
With these details, a manufacturer can engineer and price a line that matches your operation rather than a generic machine. Without them, any price you receive is guesswork. For context on how these choices move the figure, see cut to length line price in India, and for selection criteria, how to choose the right cut to length line.
Send It to Us
Friend Engineering Works has engineered cut to length lines to order since 1994. Share the details above and we will revert with a specification and quotation.
Ready to specify your line? Send your requirement to Friend Engineering Works or view the cut to length machine specifications.