A container unloading robot request for quotation (RFQ) should define the freight, site, receiving boundary, expected workload and evidence needed for acceptance. Suppliers can then quote the same job and identify exclusions. A request containing only maximum carton weight and a target boxes-per-hour figure leaves substantial scope unresolved.
Use a request for proposal (RFP) when you still need suppliers to propose the workflow and division of responsibilities. Use an RFQ when the scope is defined enough to request comparable prices. For either document, keep assumptions and unconfirmed requirements visible.
Describe the operating problem before the equipment
State what needs to improve: labour coverage, complete unload time, peak-day capacity or consistency for specified freight. Record the current workflow and the observed baseline behind that objective.
Define the start and finish of the quoted job. Does the supplier’s scope end at extracting a carton, delivering it to the conveyor, placing it on a pallet or confirming a receiving transaction? The equipment-category guide helps resolve the earlier decision about which task needs equipment.
Specify required outcomes and ask suppliers to explain their proposed configuration. Avoid assuming that a named protocol, robot brand or gripper is necessary unless the project has established that requirement.
Attach a representative freight schedule
Include filled carton dimensions and weights, packaging materials and condition, load-wall images, client or SKU variation, carton counts and delivery frequency. Identify which profiles are recurring and which represent occasional exceptions.
Separate required coverage from optional coverage and explicitly excluded freight. Ask each supplier to mark supported, unsupported or requiring tests against the same profile list. A single maximum-weight value cannot describe grip access, carton integrity or the load arrangement.
Use the freight-fit guide for the assessment inputs. If cartons change by client, attach the approved-profile version and change-control owner.
Provide the dock and receiving scope
Attach a dimensioned layout, vehicle information, existing equipment, utility availability, receiving destination and operating hours. List the equipment the client will provide and the equipment the supplier should include.
For a conveyor handoff, identify the receiving-system owner and request an interface proposal. For a pallet destination, define pallet exchange and downstream responsibilities. Do not assume physical handoff includes barcode identification or WMS stock posting.
The dock retrofit survey and WMS integration guide provide distinct attachments for those boundaries.
Write performance requirements with their measurement rules
| Requirement | Definition to include | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Freight coverage | Named filled-carton profiles and excluded loads | Test results against the profile list |
| Complete unload time | Carton count and agreed start/finish events | Time record including defined interruptions |
| Labour requirement | Roles and participation intervals | Operator and assistance records |
| Receiving output | Unique cartons at the agreed handoff | Counts reconciled with exceptions |
| Availability and service | Covered hours, task scope and responsibility | Supplier service proposal and documentation |
| Site readiness | Approved layout, utilities and dependencies | Confirmation of requirements and exclusions |
Define target values from your operation and agree their feasibility with suppliers. Do not copy a maximum brochure rate into a sustained complete-load requirement without testing the difference.
Hypothetical RFQ wording: “Assess profile A with 1,000 filled cartons. Report time from agreed dock preparation start to dock release, unique cartons transferred, preparation, receiving waits, assistance and unresolved exceptions. State any trial conditions that differ from the proposed shift.”
This wording creates comparable evidence without pretending that every supplier has already met a particular target. Add the actual site’s required completion window and negotiate acceptance criteria before ordering.
Compare the complete commercial scope
Request separate entries for equipment, tooling, installation, integration, training, software, support, consumables, planned maintenance and travel where relevant. Record exclusions and client-supplied items beside each quote.
For rental, include minimum usage, setup, deposit, billing definition, term and exit arrangements. For purchase, include recurring software and service costs. Use the same volume and utilisation assumptions when comparing offers; the RaaS contract checklist covers the commercial questions in depth.
Do not make a lower headline price the deciding figure if one offer excludes the receiving equipment and another includes it. Mark missing cost items as unknown until quoted.
Separate confirmed capability from proposed work
Ask suppliers to classify each requirement as confirmed for the offered configuration, subject to testing, requiring development or excluded. Record the supporting document and who owns the next action.
A proposal to build an interface is different from evidence of an existing supported interface. Likewise, a successful carton test on one profile does not validate every profile in the freight schedule.
Download the RFQ response matrix to compare status, evidence, inclusions and responsibilities. The matrix supports the procurement decision; the pilot checklist owns the later execution and acceptance record.
What to include in a KRONA enquiry
For KRONA U1, start with eligible floor-loaded closed cardboard cartons and the proposed conveyor or pallet handoff. The public limits of up to 25 kg per box and 10 boxes per minute are maximum specifications, not confirmation of an RFQ’s complete-load result.
Include the freight schedule, dock survey, required receiving boundary and representative load windows. Refer to the current pricing page and request project-specific terms. Integrators and distributors can request a special offer directly rather than infer terms from a different project.
Should a first enquiry wait until every field is complete?
No. Send the available evidence and mark open items, their owners and the decisions you need help making. An early scope review can identify the measurements and carton tests needed before a comparable quotation is possible.
How do you compare offers that use different timing boundaries?
Ask each supplier to restate the proposed output against one agreed start, finish and freight sample. Retain the original qualification and exclusions. Do not convert a peak cycle figure into a complete-load promise on the supplier’s behalf.
Send KRONA the project specification to review freight coverage, handoff scope and the information needed for a concrete offer.
- container unloading
- system integration
- equipment selection
KRONA U1 unloads boxes from containers onto pallets or conveyors and also loads containers with boxes from pallets or conveyors. Explore KRONA U1 →
Send KRONA your unloading project specification