What Does a Manufacturer Need to Quote a Custom Conveyor Belt?
An RFQ with missing details returns a vague quotation or a list of questions. Send eight items once, and the quotation can be built on a drawing.
Short answer
A manufacturer needs eight items to quote a custom conveyor belt: the belt type, the application, the main dimensions, the edge and drive, the material, the quantity, the documents you require and the delivery terms. A drawing or sample covers most; the rest fit in a short email.
I am Sunny Ye, Global Sales Director at YIYI MESH BELT in Ningjin, Shandong. We have made metal conveyor belts since 1998 and run 280 units of production equipment, including 9 automatic welding robots. This is the list our sales team works from when a custom belt enquiry arrives.
At a glance
| Product | Custom metal conveyor belts: chain driven, eye link, flat wire, balanced weave, trapezoidal and more |
|---|---|
| Application | New equipment, OEM supply, line upgrades |
| Key parameters to confirm | Belt type, width, length, pitch, wire and rod, edge, drive, material |
| Buyer type | Equipment makers, OEM engineers, distributors, food plants |
| What to send for a quote | Drawing or sample, application, quantity, required documents, delivery terms |
Which eight items does a quotation need?
Eight items cover almost every custom belt we quote.
A custom belt quotation needs the belt type, application, dimensions, edge and drive, material, quantity, required documents and delivery terms. Each one changes the cost or the design. When one is missing, the manufacturer either asks, which takes time, or assumes, which moves the risk to you.
| Item | What to send | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Belt type | Name or photo | Decides the construction |
| Application | Product, temperature, process | Decides material and mesh |
| Dimensions | Width, length, pitch, wire, rod | Fit in the machine |
| Edge and drive | Edge type, chain or sprocket details | Belt and drive must match |
| Material | Grade, or the conditions | Corrosion and strength |
| Quantity | Metres or pieces, spares | Tooling and planning |
| Documents | Material documentation, reports | Prepared with the order |
| Delivery | Incoterm, port, packing | Freight and packing design |
Do you need a drawing to get a quote?
A drawing helps most, but a sample or measured photos also work.
A drawing is the fastest route to a firm quotation, but you can start without one. A sample or measured photos let the manufacturer draw the belt for you. Either way, the quotation is linked to a drawing, and production follows the drawing you sign, not the first email.
When an equipment maker sends a drawing, we quote against it and then return our own production drawing for signature. That second drawing matters. It shows how we will build the belt, with our suggestions, and it is what the belt is checked against before shipment.
When there is no drawing, a sample or photos with a caliper are the next option. We draw the belt, you approve it, and the quotation is confirmed against the approved version.
Dimensions and tolerances for custom belts follow the drawing the customer signs. That rule protects both sides.
Why does the application change the quotation?
The same width and length can need different belts in different processes.
The application changes the quotation because it decides the material, the mesh, the edge and the finish. A frying line, a freezer and a washing line can use belts of the same size, but the grade, the open area and the cleaning finish differ, and so does the cost.
Tell us the product, the temperature, how the belt is loaded and how it is cleaned. From that we propose the material, for example SUS304, SUS316 or carbon steel, and any finish such as cleaning or electropolishing.
If you already know the grade, still tell us the process. A grade that suits one product may be the wrong choice for another, and the quotation is the right moment to check.
What commercial details should you include?
Commercial details are short, but they change the quotation as much as the drawing.
Include the quantity with any spares, the documents you need, the Incoterm and destination, and any packing requirements. Quantity affects tooling and planning; documents are prepared with the order; destination and packing decide the export cases. Lead time is confirmed with each quotation, not before.
Spare parts are easy to forget. For chain driven belts we often supply spare rods, washers, spiral wires and chain pins with the belt. If you want them, put them in the RFQ so they appear on the drawing.
For documents, tell us what your customer or market requires. Material documentation for your order, measured photos and an inspection report are prepared with the order when requested.
When this is not the right choice
A full RFQ is not needed for a first conversation. If you are still choosing a belt type, ask that question first; the eight items come once the type is clear.
An RFQ based on another maker’s catalogue code alone is not a reliable basis. Codes differ between makers; send the dimensions or a sample instead.
From our engineering experience
When an equipment maker sends us drawings, we quote, then draw the belt ourselves and ask the customer to sign our drawing back. A trial section is measured and photographed for approval before mass production.
The RFQs that move fastest are short and complete: a drawing, the product, the quantity and the port. My advice to buyers: send the eight items once, and let the drawing carry the details.
Evidence from our work
- Situation
- An equipment maker sent drawings for three SUS304 chain driven belts for frying equipment, 145 m per width.
- What we checked
- We quoted, drew the belts with 25.4 mm chain pitch and 6 mm rods at 50.8 mm, and the customer signed our drawings back. A trial section was measured for approval.
- Why it matters
- A quotation linked to a signed drawing leaves nothing open between the enquiry and production.
- Result
- About 436 m of belt shipped with spare rods, washers, spiral wires and chain pins, after a white-glove cleanliness check.
- Buyer lesson
- A complete RFQ leads to a drawing; the signed drawing leads to the belt.
FAQ
Can I get a quotation from width and length alone?
That gives a rough indication at most. A quotation needs the belt type, the main dimensions and the application; a photo with a caliper is enough to start.
Do you quote from a sample?
Yes. We measure the sample, draw the belt for your approval and confirm the quotation against that drawing.
What documents can you supply?
Material documentation for your order, measured photos and an inspection report, prepared with the order when requested.
Is lead time included in the quotation?
Lead time is confirmed with each quotation, based on the specification, quantity and our schedule.
Can you quote sprockets with the belt?
Yes. Sprockets can be specified on the same drawing and checked against the belt.
Conclusion
Send the belt type, application, dimensions, drive, material, quantity, documents and delivery once. We return a drawing and a quotation built on it.
Useful files for your project
I have worked on metal conveyor belt projects for 15 years, from new spiral freezers to belt replacement. I share project notes and replacement checklists on LinkedIn.
Technical reviewer: Sunny Ye, Global Sales Director, YIYI MESH BELT · Last updated: 2026-10-12