Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked before an enquiry; anything not covered here, just ask.
What do you need to prepare a quotation?
Grade and temper, sizes (thickness, OD, wall, length), quantity, application or drawing, destination and trade term. A drawing or cutting list can come straight to us and we quote on the nested material.
What is the minimum order quantity?
Stock and cut-to-size items start from a single piece or sheet. Where a mill production run is needed, the minimum is set by alloy and size and confirmed in the quotation.
What are typical lead times?
Regular stock and cut-to-size material usually ships within 3–7 days; CNC parts take 1–3 weeks after first-article approval; mill production follows the rolling schedule, with the firm date stated in the order confirmation.
What trade and payment terms apply?
Quotations can be issued EXW, FOB or CIF. Payment terms are agreed in the order confirmation; regular export orders are handled by T/T or L/C.
Which quality documents come with the goods?
Mill test certificate covering chemistry and mechanical properties, dimensional and visual inspection records, packing list and shipping mark data. Third-party inspection such as SGS or BV can be arranged in advance.
Can you cut and machine to drawing?
Yes. Plate is nested and cut to drawing, bar and tube are cut to length with finished ends, and machined parts are held from ±0.02 mm to drawing with first-article approval before a production run.
How are export orders packed?
Sheet is filmed or interleaved on crates and pallets, tube and bar are bundled with moisture protection, and every package carries the agreed shipping marks; reinforcement follows destination requirements.
Is any of this subject to export control?
Everything listed here is regular civil-use aluminium. Under item 1C202 of the Chinese dual-use export control list, an aluminium alloy is controlled when it is capable of an ultimate tensile strength of 460 MPa or more at 20 °C and is tube or cylindrical solid bar (including forgings) with an outside diameter greater than 75 mm. The technical note is explicit that "capable of" covers the alloy both before and after heat treatment, so shipping in the annealed temper does not move it out of scope. We do not quote such items through this website.
Guide: Aluminum grade & temper guide · Buying guide: Buying aluminum from China
Send a drawing or spec — we reply with a quote within 24 hours
Tell us grade, temper, size, quantity and application; we come back with the available range and lead time.