Write the RFQ so the supplier can quote without a follow-up email. The fields that get a fast answer are: machine and plow model, blade dimensions and hole pattern, edge material and hardness target, quantity per size and per year, delivery window and Incoterm, and the drawing or photo that settles the interface. Everything else is negotiation. What follows is a field-by-field template you can paste into your own RFQ form.
1. Machine and plow identification
Suppliers quote against a machine interface, not against a generic “snow plow blade.” Ambiguity here is the single most common cause of a slow reply or a wrong first quote.
- Plow manufacturer, model and year range (e.g. a specific truck-mounted or loader-mounted moldboard).
- Mount type: truck hitch, loader quick-coupler, skid-steer, or municipal front-frame.
- Moldboard width and height, and whether the edge is straight or segmented.
- Number of edge sections per moldboard, if segmented.
If the plow is a shop-built or older unit, a dimensioned sketch or a photo with a tape measure in frame is acceptable — but say so explicitly, so the supplier knows no OEM drawing exists.
2. Edge dimensions and hole pattern
Cutting edges are a bolt-on interface. The hole pattern is the part that must be right the first time; the outline dimensions are easier to adjust.
| Field | What to state | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Length × width × thickness | Nominal mm or inch, with tolerance | Drives blank size and material yield |
| Hole diameter | Nominal and tolerance | Plow bolts are usually countersunk; a loose hole wears |
| Hole pitch and edge distance | Center-to-center, and first/last hole to end | Determines whether the edge fits the moldboard without redrilling |
| Countersink angle and depth | e.g. 80° or 90°, depth range | Affects bolt seating and whether the head sits flush |
| Bevel / cutting angle | Single or double bevel, angle range | Affects penetration and wear pattern |
| Slot vs round holes | Which holes are slotted, and slot length | Allows take-up as the edge wears |
A PDF drawing with a title block and revision number is the fastest possible input. A photo of the old edge lying on the floor, with a ruler, is the second fastest.
3. Material and hardness target
State the wear regime, not just the material name. “Carbide” covers a wide family, and the right grade depends on whether you are scraping asphalt, packed ice, or gravel shoulders.
- Base steel grade or a mechanical property target (yield, hardness range).
- Carbide grade family and the hardness range you will accept.
- Carbide placement: full-length insert, segmented inserts, or wear pads — and the insert length/pitch.
- Bonding method and the inspection you expect (visual, dimensional, hardness spot-check, or a weld/braze integrity check).
- Any coating or surface treatment, and whether it is required or optional.
If you do not have a material spec, say what the edge is running against and how it failed last time — spalled carbide, worn base steel, cracked holes, or bent sections. That failure description is often more useful to an engineer than a hardness number. Confirm exact parameters on the product page.
4. Quantities, MOQ and the commercial frame
This is the section that decides whether you get a quote in two days or two weeks. Suppliers price against a production run, so give them the run size and the annual picture separately.
- Quantity per size for the first order.
- Estimated annual volume per size, and whether it is firm or indicative.
- Number of distinct sizes in the RFQ — mixed-size orders change the setup economics.
- Whether you will accept a minimum order quantity per size or per order.
- Tooling or mold cost: state whether you expect it to be quoted separately, amortized, or waived above a volume threshold.
- Packaging: palletized, crated, or bundled; and any marking or labeling requirement.
- Incoterm and named place, plus preferred shipping mode.
Note on commercial terms: pricing, MOQ, tooling charges and lead time are indicative until confirmed in a formal quotation. Ask the supplier to state the validity period of the quote and the assumptions behind it — especially the exchange rate and steel index basis, if those are referenced.
5. Delivery, documentation and qualification
Lead time is a range, not a number, and it depends on whether the size is a repeat or a first article. Tell the supplier which it is.
- Required delivery window and whether partial shipments are acceptable.
- Whether a first-article sample or pre-production sample is required before the full run.
- Inspection documents: dimensional report, material certificate, hardness results.
- Any third-party inspection or witness point.
- Warranty terms and the claim process for early failures.
For public-sector or fleet work, your internal approval often depends on how the bid tabulation reads, not on the quote itself. If you are preparing documentation for a tender, the way line items are described and priced matters as much as the technical content — see reading public bid tabulations for cutting edges for how evaluators tend to compare offers.
6. What this means commercially
The RFQ is a cost-control document as much as a technical one. Every field you leave blank gets filled by the supplier’s assumption, and assumptions are priced conservatively.
Specification risk is the expensive kind. An underspecified hole pattern can produce an edge that fits but wears unevenly, which shortens service life and increases change-out labor — a cost that usually exceeds the price difference between two quotes. Over-specifying is also a cost: a carbide grade beyond what the application needs raises unit price without extending life in any measurable way. On supply, MOQ and tooling charges dominate small first orders, so separating first-order cost from steady-state cost gives a clearer picture of total cost of ownership. Lead time depends on material availability, production queue and whether tooling already exists; treat any single figure as provisional until it appears on a formal quotation.
For the carbide edge range and the dimensional options available, start from the carbide snow plow blade page and attach the relevant drawing to your RFQ.
7. A minimal RFQ checklist
If you want to send something today rather than build a full form, these nine items are enough for a usable first quote.
- Plow make, model and mount type.
- Edge drawing (PDF) or dimensioned sketch with hole pattern.
- Length, width, thickness with tolerances.
- Material and hardness target, or a description of the wear regime.
- Quantity for first order and indicative annual volume.
- Required delivery date and Incoterm.
- Whether tooling is expected and how it should be quoted.
- Inspection documents required.
- Quote validity period requested.
Quick summary
A fast quote comes from a complete interface description: machine, dimensions, hole pattern, material target, quantity split between first order and annual volume, and delivery terms. The commercial fields — MOQ, tooling, lead time — should be quoted separately so you can compare total cost rather than unit price. Everything technical on this page should be verified against the current product documentation before you commit to a purchase order.
Sources checked on 2026-11-11: SENTHAI Tools product documentation for carbide snow plow blades; general industry practice for plow bolt and cutting edge interface dimensions; standard RFQ and first-article inspection conventions.
Three more perspectives
Workshop — The person fitting the edge cares about two things: whether the holes line up with the moldboard without reaming, and whether the countersink lets the bolt head sit below the wear surface. A drawing that shows hole pitch but not countersink depth will get a call.
Purchasing — Compare quotes on the same basis. Ask each supplier to separate unit price, tooling, packaging and freight, and to state the volume tier each price assumes. A lower unit price at a higher MOQ is not a lower cost if the inventory sits for a season.
Field — Report failures with specifics: which section, which holes, whether the carbide spalled or the base steel wore through, and roughly how many operating hours. That feedback is what lets a supplier adjust the grade or the insert pattern on the next order.
Limits
This page is a template and a checklist, not a specification. It does not state dimensional limits, hardness values, service life or pricing for any specific product, and it is not a substitute for a formal quotation or for the supplier’s current drawings. Wear life and cost depend on surface type, down-pressure, operator technique and duty cycle, and cannot be predicted from an RFQ alone. Verify all technical parameters on the product page and in the quotation before ordering.
