Tooling is a scope, not a commodity set
Custom rolls, entry guides, side rolls, punching dies and cutoff dies are separate items. A line quoted as complete still needs those items listed. Browse the intended mill family first — for example the solar strut line, racking upright line or LGS stud and track line — then ask what tooling is included for your drawing.
What actually moves cost
- Section complexity — number of bends, tight radii, lips and whether C and Z share stations.
- Coil range — thickness band, yield grade and coating; structural-grade coil needs a different review than mild commercial strip.
- Inline operations — hole patterns, slots, notching and cutoff support dies.
- Changeover — cassette or spacer change versus a dedicated mill for one section.
Economics of when dedicated tooling pays back versus a press brake are in the break-even planning article.
What actually moves lead time
The clock starts when the profile revision is frozen, not when the first email arrives. Typical sequence to agree in the offer: drawing review and flower-pattern discussion, roll turning and heat treatment, punching and cutoff dies if in scope, assembly, then any loaded trial that was actually purchased. Do not treat a website date as the order date.
Inputs that keep the quote honest
Send DWG or DXF of the finished section, material ticket with thickness in millimetres, hole chart, destination electrical notes if the mill is part of the same order, and whether an existing mill is being re-tooled. Use the technical brief and the enquiry form. This article does not publish a price list, a standard week-count or a guaranteed trial duration.