Aluminized Steel Coil RFQ Checklist: 12 Specs to Specify
(English, publish-ready)
Two buyers can request the same product and receive two completely different quotations. One writes "aluminized steel coil, 1.0 mm, 20 tons". The other writes a twelve-line specification covering standard, type, coating designation, base grade, tolerances, coil geometry, surface, edges, quantity, documents, packing and delivery terms. The first buyer will get a price that cannot be compared with anyone else's; the second will get three comparable offers. This aluminized steel coil RFQ checklist is the exact list of aluminized steel coil specifications we ask customers to confirm before we issue a quotation.
Why an incomplete RFQ costs more than the steel
An underspecified RFQ is not merely an administrative problem. Missing fields migrate into the purchase order, the mill certificate and eventually the dispute:
- No coating designation → the supplier defaults to the cheapest available coating for the type.
- No thickness basis → substrate thickness and total coated thickness differ by the coating mass.
- No edge condition → slit edges arrive with burrs or unprotected cut steel that corrodes first.
- No inspection document → there is no baseline for a claim if the coating mass is short.
- No Incoterms → a "per ton" price is not comparable across suppliers at all.
The checklist below is ordered the way a mill reads an order, not the way a purchasing form is usually laid out.
The 12 specifications to state in every RFQ
| # | Field | What to write | What goes wrong if omitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard and type | ASTM A463 Type 1 or Type 2; state the standard edition | Type 2 quoted for a heat application; wrong product entirely |
| 2 | Coating designation | T1-25, T1-40, etc., or the agreed AS code — never both | Coating mass defaults to the mill's stock grade |
| 3 | Base steel grade | Grade plus forming requirement (drawing / bending / stamping) | Cracking during forming, or an over-specified expensive grade |
| 4 | Thickness and tolerance | Value, tolerance, and whether measured on substrate or coated total | 0.05 mm dispute across an entire coil |
| 5 | Width and tolerance | Value, tolerance, and slit-width count if applicable | Yield loss at the customer's line |
| 6 | Coil geometry | Inner diameter, outer diameter, maximum coil weight | Coil will not fit the decoiler |
| 7 | Surface condition | Oiled / dry, surface finish, passivation | Staining in transit or incompatible downstream painting |
| 8 | Edge condition | Mill edge or slit edge; burr limit; edge protection | Cut-edge corrosion and handling damage |
| 9 | Quantity and tolerance | Tonnage, MOQ, and ±% tolerance on delivered quantity | Short shipment disputes; MOQ repricing |
| 10 | Inspection documents | MTC type, coating mass entry, third-party inspection if required | No evidence if the coating is under specification |
| 11 | Packing and marking | Export seaworthy packing, coil orientation, label content | Transit damage, unidentifiable coils at the warehouse |
| 12 | Commercial terms | Incoterms, destination port, lead time, payment terms | Prices that cannot be compared at all |
Field 2 and field 9 interact with other pages in this cluster: coating designations are decoded in the ASTM A463 guide, while price structure, MOQ and lead time economics are covered separately in the price-per-ton analysis.
Fields 1–3: standard, coating and grade
These three lines define the material.
Standard and type
State the standard and the type on the same line — "ASTM A463 Type 1" — because Type 1 (Al-Si, approximately 91% Al / 9% Si) and Type 2 (commercially pure aluminium) are different products with different purposes. Cleveland-Cliffs' Type 1 data sheet gives a service limit of 1250 °F / 677 °C and heat reflectance of up to 80% below 800 °F / 427 °C; both figures are conditional and should be quoted with their conditions. [Source: Cleveland-Cliffs, ALUMINIZED TYPE 1 STEEL, 2025-03; ASTM A463]
Coating designation
Then state the coating designation in full. The T1 series listed in that data sheet runs from T1 13 to T1 60, with T1 25 and T1 40 commonly specified. Do not substitute an AS code for a T1 code without a documented cross-reference confirmed on the mill certificate.
Base grade and forming
Finally, describe the forming operation. A grade that is right for a flat heat shield may be wrong for a deep-drawn oven component.
Fields 4–8: dimensions, geometry and surface
Dimensions and coil geometry
Write thickness, width and their tolerances with units, and say whether the thickness is the substrate or the coated product. Coil ID/OD and maximum coil weight are the fields most often forgotten by first-time importers — and the most expensive to discover at the decoiler.
Surface and edge condition
Surface and edge conditions matter more for aluminized steel than for galvanized sheet: the aluminium coating does not provide the same sacrificial protection at a cut edge as zinc does. Specify whether edges are mill or slit, the burr limit, and how cut edges are protected in transit. Our defect and inspection guide explains the cut-edge corrosion mechanism and the defect classes to reference in your inspection clause.
Fields 9–12: quantity, documents, packing and terms
State the tonnage, the MOQ you can accept and the ± tolerance on delivered quantity. Ask for the mill test certificate to carry the standard, type, coating designation and measured coating mass, plus heat number traceability. If the order is for a heat-exposed part, add third-party inspection covering coating mass and visual surface.
Packing is a specification, not a courtesy: seaworthy packing, coil orientation, rust-inhibiting protection and label content should be written into the PO. Finally, name the Incoterm, the destination port and the lead time — a "USD per ton" figure is meaningless without them. For a structured breakdown of what moves that number, see Aluminized Steel Price per Ton: Cost Drivers and MOQ.
Copy-ready RFQ template
Subject: RFQ — Aluminized Steel Coil — [ASTM A463 Type 1 / T1-40] — [tonnage]
1. Standard / Type: ASTM A463 Type 1 ________
2. Coating: T1-40, coating mass per MTC ________
3. Base grade: ________ Forming: [drawing / bending / stamping]
4. Thickness: ________ mm, tolerance ________, basis [substrate / total]
5. Width: ________ mm, tolerance ________
6. Coil: ID ________ mm / OD ________ mm / max ________ t
7. Surface: ________
8. Edge: [mill / slit], burr limit ________
9. Quantity: ________ t, MOQ ________, tolerance ±________%
10. Documents: MTC ________, coating mass stated, 3rd-party [yes/no]
11. Packing: Export seaworthy, ________
12. Terms: Incoterm ________, port ________, lead time ________, payment ________
Please confirm: coating designation availability, sample lead time, and MTC sample.Note: this template is deliberately free of invented numbers. Every field must be filled from MESCO's verified offer sheet before the article is published.
How this checklist fits your buying process
Use the 12 fields at three points: when you request the first quotation, when you approve the proforma invoice, and when you check the mill certificate against the shipped lot. Keeping one specification sheet across all three steps is the simplest way to avoid the "we agreed on T1-40 but received T1-25" conversation. For a wider material reference, start from the Aluminized Steel pillar page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum information needed for a usable quotation?
At minimum: standard and type, coating designation, base grade, thickness and width with tolerances, quantity and Incoterm. The other six fields are what make the quotation comparable and enforceable.
Should I state an AS code or a T1 designation?
State whichever system your drawing and inspection documents use, and do not mix them. ASTM A463 T1 codes and EN / mill AS codes are not interchangeable without a documented cross-reference.
Why does the edge condition need to be specified?
A slit edge exposes bare steel. Unlike zinc, the aluminium coating does not offer the same sacrificial cut-edge protection, so edge condition and protection affect service life.
Do I need a third-party inspection for every order?
Not for every order, but it is worth specifying when the coating mass is performance-critical. Ask for the coating mass to be stated on the MTC in all cases.
Can I compare two "USD per ton" quotes directly?
Only if the Incoterm, destination port, coating designation, packing and inspection scope are the same. Otherwise the cheaper quote is usually the one with fewer included items.
Is there a downloadable version of this checklist?
Get a specification sheet, not just a price
Send us the twelve fields and we will return a matching specification sheet, a sample and a mill test certificate. Request a free sample and MTC — mesco@mescogroup.com.cn.