There is no universal minimum order quantity for aluminum castings. Each foundry sets its own, driven by tooling amortization, melt and furnace economics, and how much changeover the order costs. This is why a request that gives only one quantity usually gets a quote that answers the wrong question.
Give Both Quantities
Foundries need two numbers, and they answer different questions.
- Estimated annual usage tells the shop which process and tooling class make economic sense.
- First-order quantity tells it what you will actually buy on the first purchase order, which is what the amortization arithmetic needs.
A part at 500 pieces a year and the same part at 50,000 pieces a year are two legitimately different quotes, often at two different processes.
Why Process Changes the MOQ
Sand casting carries lower tooling cost and tolerates lower quantities, which is why it suits large parts and modest annual volumes. High-pressure die casting front-loads tooling heavily and only makes sense once the volume amortizes it. Permanent mould sits between them.
If your volume is genuinely low, say so and let the foundries propose the process. Dictating a process that does not suit your quantity is a common way to receive prices that look inexplicably high.
What to Do With a Low Volume
- Ask whether the shop will run your part alongside similar work to share changeover.
- Ask whether a lower-cost tooling route exists for the first batch, with a production tool later.
- Consider ordering a full year of usage at once if the part is stable and storable, since the piece price at your annual quantity is often materially lower.
- Check whether the requirement is genuinely a casting, since at very low volumes machining from billet sometimes wins on total cost.
How Buyer24 Helps
Buyer24 sends the same structured request to several foundries at once and collects responses in a comparable view, so you can see how each shop's MOQ and price breaks change the decision. Get started →
FAQ
Will a foundry quote a single prototype casting?
Some will, often through a different route than production tooling, and usually at a piece price that has nothing to do with production economics. State clearly that you want a prototype quote and a production quote separately if you need both.
Does MOQ apply per order or per year?
Ask, because both exist. Some shops set a minimum per release, others a minimum annual commitment tied to tooling amortization. The two have very different cash-flow implications.
Why did the MOQ change after I sent the drawing?
Because the drawing changed the economics. Tolerance class, wall sections, cored features and required records all affect changeover and inspection time, which is what the minimum is protecting.
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