OEM RFQ Checklist for AMR Drive Units: What to Send First

Why this checklist exists

Most RFQ delays are not caused by slow suppliers. They happen because the first package misses constraints that drive architecture, thermal design, and safety scope.

If your first email leaves key assumptions open, suppliers will return conditional quotations that cannot be compared fairly, and your team loses one to three cycles in clarification.

RFQ maturity levels buyers can use internally

Use L2 for supplier down-selection. If your package is L0 or L1, treat all prices as non-final and avoid contract decisions.

• L0 (exploration): target payload, speed class, rough duty, and launch region only. Output should be architecture suggestions, not firm quote.
• L1 (budgetary RFQ): adds wheel diameter, bus voltage window, target controller family, safety intent, and envelope constraints. Output can be budgetary quote with stated assumptions.
• L2 (decision RFQ): includes load spectrum, thermal boundary, communication mapping expectations, acceptance criteria, and timeline gates. Output should be comparable commercial offers.

Copy-paste L2 RFQ template (mandatory fields)

• Program profile: application type, yearly volume forecast, pilot date, SOP date, required Incoterm.
• Load model: rated payload, peak payload, center-of-mass assumptions, tow or push resistance assumptions.
• Motion profile: max speed, average speed, acceleration/deceleration, ramp angle, stop frequency, shift length.
• Mechanical envelope: mounting plane, allowable width/height, wheel diameter range, connector keep-out zones.
• Electrical boundary: nominal bus voltage, min/max voltage, current budget, emergency power-down behavior.
• Control and software: protocol target (CANopen/EtherCAT/PROFINET), controller model, object mapping ownership.
• Safety scope: STO/SLS expectations, stop categories used in machine logic, validation evidence expected at pilot.
• Environmental profile: ambient range, ingress targets, contamination type, vibration/shock conditions.
• Service requirements: expected maintenance interval, replaceable modules, field diagnosis expectations.
• Commercial package: warranty baseline, spare-part strategy, sample quantity, PPAP or equivalent requirements if applicable.

Inputs that most often change drivetrain architecture

• Wheel diameter changes affect torque/speed operating point and can force motor/gear ratio changes.
• Gradeability assumptions can shift peak current and thermal design more than nominal flat-floor speed.
• Stop/start frequency changes thermal accumulation and may invalidate steady-state sizing assumptions.
• High-precision low-speed control requirements may drive encoder and control-loop architecture changes.
• Safety behavior requirements can alter drive selection, wiring topology, and restart logic boundaries.

Prototype gate acceptance criteria buyers should define early

• Functional: payload, speed envelope, acceleration profile, and docking repeatability under representative load.
• Thermal: temperature rise limits after full duty cycle and defined cooldown behavior before next shift.
• Electrical: startup/inrush behavior, brownout behavior, and fault handling under voltage dips.
• Controls: protocol communication stability, timeout behavior, and deterministic fault-state transitions.
• Safety: safety function trigger-response evidence and restart conditions aligned with machine logic.
• Serviceability: module replacement time and access feasibility without full platform teardown.

Commercial terms that affect total cost more than unit price

• Engineering change ownership after pilot freeze, including who absorbs redesign effort.
• Lead-time assumptions at pilot and recurring volume, including component allocation strategy.
• Warranty boundary definition: wear components, misuse boundaries, and claim evidence requirements.
• Spare-part and replacement policy: critical parts list, replacement cycle, and guaranteed supply horizon.
• Quality escape handling SLA: response times, containment process, and corrective-action closure cadence.

30-minute response scoring model for supplier comparison

A low unit price with weak assumption clarity often creates expensive pilot rework. Use weighted scoring to avoid false savings.

• 25% assumption clarity: are constraints explicit, quantified, and consistent with your RFQ package.
• 20% risk transparency: does the supplier identify uncertainties and validation dependencies clearly.
• 20% integration ownership: does the proposal define interface boundaries and mapping responsibilities.
• 15% validation readiness: are pilot test items and acceptance evidence expectations stated.
• 10% supply reliability: lead-time, ramp plan, and recurring-supply assumptions are stated and bounded.
• 10% commercial completeness: warranty, service, and change-control terms are clearly documented.

Red flags in first-round quotations

• No explicit duty-cycle assumptions while still claiming thermal compliance.
• Protocol support stated as yes/no without object mapping scope or diagnostic behavior.
• Safety claims made without validation scope, evidence expectation, or boundary conditions.
• Lead-time promise without component risk notes or allocation strategy.
• Commercial offer excludes change-control terms and ownership after prototype feedback.

Recommended buyer cadence after RFQ dispatch

Run a fixed cadence: day 0 RFQ issue, day 5 clarification window close, day 10 first response review, day 15 technical alignment call, day 20 shortlist decision.

This cadence keeps procurement and engineering synchronized and prevents late scope drift before pilot planning.