Three quotations for the same titanium order can show a wide gap even when none contains an arithmetic error. The metal price may be only one cause. Surface preparation, inspection, certificates, weight basis and Incoterms can place different products and services under the same material description. Nine lines let you normalize the scope before comparing totals.
The nine lines that make quotes comparable
| Line | What to compare | What a missing line usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Grade and standard | Grade plus the standard it is supplied to, such as Grade 2 to ASTM B348 | A grade with no standard leaves the acceptance limits undefined |
| 2. Product classification | Bar or billet; ASTM B348 draws the line at 16 square inches, 10,323 square millimetres of cross-section | The product classification and its dimensional acceptance basis remain unclear |
| 3. Condition and surface | Annealed, and which of the surfaces of ASTM B348 clause 8.1: descaled, sandblasted, ground or rough turned | As-forged surface priced against someone else’s ground bar |
| 4. Dimensional tolerance | The permissible variation row, hot-worked or cold-finished, or a tighter figure against your drawing | The baseline of ASTM B348 applies, which for a 50 mm bar is plus or minus 0.40 mm hot-worked per its Table 4 |
| 5. Certificate type | EN 10204 type 3.1 with heat and pour numbers, or EN 10204 type 2.2 | Type 2.2 reports non-specific inspection results and is not interchangeable with type 3.1 |
| 6. Inspection scope | Ultrasonic class, method standard and reference reflector; any eddy current or dimensional coverage | The phrase “UT passed” with no class is not an inspection scope |
| 7. Cut length and ends | Cut to length or mill lengths; end condition; whether cut weight or theoretical weight is billed | ASTM B348 allows shipping weight to exceed theoretical by up to 10 percent |
| 8. Third-party inspection | Whether TPI at the works is priced in or excluded | If requested later, the supplier must reprice it and confirm the schedule |
| 9. Incoterm | EXW, FCA, FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP, with the named place | A CIF number and an FOB number are not comparable at all |
Where the price gap usually hides
| Hidden difference | Why it moves the number |
|---|---|
| Theoretical versus actual weight | Up to 10 percent under the standard’s own allowance, before anything else is discussed |
| Ground versus as-forged surface | Grinding removes stock and adds an operation; the two are different products at the same nominal size |
| Certificate level | EN 10204 type 3.1 requires validation by an inspection function independent of production; EN 10204 type 2.2 does not |
| Ultrasonic acceptance class | A quote that names neither the class nor the method leaves the acceptance basis undefined |
| Incoterm | CIF includes ocean freight and minimum insurance to the named port; import clearance, duty and charges outside the carrier’s contract remain with the buyer |
| Cut length | Cutting from mill lengths generates offcut you pay for unless the quote says otherwise |
How to force comparability in one email
Restate the scope and ask each supplier to requote against it. A short paragraph can carry the comparison fields:
Please requote to this scope: Grade 2 to ASTM B348, round bar 50 mm diameter, cut to 1000 mm lengths, annealed and ground surface, dimensional tolerance per the standard unless stated, EN 10204 type 3.1 certificate with heat and pour numbers, ultrasonic inspection with the acceptance class and method standard stated in your quotation, third party inspection excluded, FCA [supplier’s named works], Incoterms 2020. Please price on theoretical weight and state any deviation from this scope on its own line.
The final sentence requires the supplier to list exclusions instead of leaving assumptions inside the total.
Reading the outliers
| Pattern | Likely explanation | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| One quote far below the others | Lower certificate level, no stated inspection, as-forged surface, or theoretical versus actual weight | Ask for the nine lines above, in writing |
| One quote far above | Tighter tolerance read into the enquiry, TPI included, or a different condition or production route | Ask which line drives the difference and whether that requirement belongs in the order |
| All three close, one much longer lead route | Size outside the rolling programme, or a grade that runs on order rather than from process stock | Ask whether a nearby size shortens the route |
| Numbers move after you accept | Weight basis or scope was never fixed | Fix theoretical versus actual and the scope line before placing the order |
Specification detail with sources
The standard-side anchors above are from ASTM B348: the bar and billet boundary at 16 square inches (10,323 square millimetres) of cross-sectional area in clauses 3.1.1 and 3.1.2, the surface options descaled, sandblasted, ground or rough turned in clause 8.1, permissible dimensional variations in Tables 4 through 11 including plus or minus 0.40 mm for hot-worked rounds and squares in the 38.10 to 50.80 mm band, and the ordering note that shipping weight of an ordered size may exceed theoretical weight by as much as 10 percent. Certificate types are per EN 10204, where type 3.1 is validated by an inspection function independent of the production department.
Scope note on the inspection line: naming an ultrasonic method standard and acceptance class settles how a result is judged, not how much inspection is performed. Coverage, sampling and the reference reflector still belong on the order in their own words.
The CIF allocation follows ICC Incoterms 2020: the seller contracts and pays for carriage to the named port and obtains minimum insurance cover. Import formalities remain with the buyer, while unloading charges depend on what the carrier’s contract includes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the cheapest quote usually the incomplete one? Price alone cannot answer that. Once every quote states the same nine lines, you can separate a lower total from a narrower scope.
Should I share other suppliers’ prices to get a match? A competitor’s total does not normalize the scope. Share the missing order lines and ask each supplier to price the same requirements.
What if a supplier will not state the ultrasonic class? Treat inspection as excluded and price it accordingly. A works that runs ultrasonic inspection can name its method standard and reference reflector in one line.
How do I compare a Chinese quote with a European one? The same nine lines, plus the Incoterm and who acts as importer of record. The document side is covered in what documents travel with a titanium export order.
Which supplier questions come before the quote? The pre-order routine is in how to vet a titanium supplier before ordering, and the certificate side in who supplies ASTM B348 titanium bar with EN 10204 3.1 certificates.
Send one scope, get three comparable numbers
Put the nine lines into your enquiry and send it to the Beiyu RFQ page. Quotations are reviewed by grade, standard, dimensions, tolerance, surface condition and inspection scope before pricing, and any deviation from your stated scope is quoted on its own line. Reviewed by Penn Ma, 15 years in titanium mill product export. Last reviewed: 2026-08-31.