Spare part

As spare part is called components, replace the faulty or worn components of a complex product. Replacement parts are necessary if, for example, moving parts wear out in normal control operation, parts overloaded by improper use or improper use, and thus damaged, unusable or destroyed.

Spare Parts Trading

Spare parts can either be self- made ​​or bought from specialist suppliers, such as electrical components in vehicles or machinery.

Original spare parts are sold by the manufacturer of the product by being taken out of the running production either be factored in from the outset in the number with or subsequently produced back in (small) series. However, there are also companies that produce spare parts for other manufacturers' equipment. One speaks of the so-called aftermarket. These usually have the same function, but can differ from the original. Most manufacturers promote the use of original spare parts. This can set the quality criteria of the manufacturer, he also benefited the sales.

Warranty claims

Not infrequently threaten manufacturers with loss or limitation of the warranty claim if, instead of original parts, the parts are installed by other companies. There are, however, in individual cases repeatedly sentences that contradict this. If one component during the statutory warranty period, the manufacturer has (but not free transportation ) to usually provide a free replacement part within a reasonable time and usually also for the free installation. Whether the manufacturer has the spare part replacement delivery free of charge, is controlled by the "intended use " in the accompanying documentation: If the device may not operate properly or used, then the user must bear the cost of the replacement part yourself. After the warranty period, this claim is void, and the user must purchase the replacement at his own cost. With the installation of an original spare part be many manufacturers as a special incentive to buy even a new, additional warranty on the new part from the date of installation.

Success Factor: spare parts logistics

For the successful market presence is needed for complex technical products (eg vehicles, electronic equipment, machinery, etc.) not only a successful design and good technical data. Often also a good supply of spare parts is crucial. Replacement parts must be the end customer at the right place in the right quantity, at the right time. This coincides with the term " spare parts logistics ".

The buyer often opts for a much more expensive product because he believes or can be sure that in case of breakdown, accident, wear and tear or improper treatment, a complex and expensive device by means of a readily available, the spare part in a short time ready for use again is. Often the high failure costs are the purchase (eg excavators, airplane, truck ) disproportionate to the costs saved

Parts Build Your Own

In mechanical engineering, is often covered by a contract that drawings or entire sets of drawings for in-house production of spare parts be purchased. The manufacturer of such a machine agrees and provides not only the drawing, but also important information on the correct production material as well as heat and surface treatment. These spare parts may then be made ​​but only for their own use. A sale to third parties is usually only allowed for an appropriate " license fee ".

Replica to model

Often faulty components (eg, the teeth of a backhoe bucket) " by pattern " be (ie without drawing only decrease the dimensions) by an independent third machine manufacturer on behalf of the end user made ​​. This is especially the case if the manufacturer went bankrupt in the meantime, or the production or the product was established. Often, only the ( perceived by the customer ) is inflating price of the part of the reason for the " replica by pattern ".

Fake replicas

As far as it is unauthorized replicas for spare parts, it is called plagiarism. As Bogus parts ( engl. = bogus counterfeit, spare parts = parts ) are defined in particular in the aviation industry spare parts replicas that - provided with forged certificates - externally difficult to distinguish from original parts. Due to the high price levels falsifying aircraft spare parts is particularly attractive. Undetected, made ​​from inferior materials counterfeits pose a threat to aviation security dar. Punishable the replica is especially true if you want to deliberately deceived by the use of counterfeit marks the affected buyers and him so that damage occurs or may occur.

Warranty, extended warranty

For branded goods manufacturers often give off a parts warranty. Thus ensuring, for example, a car manufacturer for a period of ten years to be able to supply spare parts for a vehicle. The supply of spare parts is thereby a logistical challenge. The act guarantees often in the higher price of the product, but so different brand products from Nonameprodukten.

Exchange part

With more complex replacement parts, reconditioned part is often offered to minimize the cost of repair. The redeemed defective replacement parts can again be efficiently repaired in large numbers (eg, alternators, or retreaded tires on vehicles ).

Spare parts catalogs

Many manufacturers carry out their parts in an electronic spare parts catalog. The most common type of display is the exploded diagram: The modules are displayed so that the individual parts are " shown disassembled " and thus easily recognizable. They are usually provided with a position number. This refers to a bill on the item number of the desired spare part. With this number, the workshop or the end customer can buy indirectly through retailers or rarely directly from the manufacturer spare parts.

The catalogs are mostly (expensive) printed on paper, before most space-saving as Microfilm ( so-called " microfiche " ) or, increasingly often also offered as a database-driven web application in Internet multimedia.

Wear and purchase parts lists

Buyers of complex machines often require the manufacturer lists of " wear parts " with the expected expected life, so that these parts can be bought on time and kept in his own camp at the appropriate time. Increasingly, the storage and timely provision by the manufacturer is required more and more contracted. The "Buy Parts list " includes all parts that can be purchased independently approved by the manufacturer on the market ( eg ball bearings, switches, pneumatic cylinders ). With the help of these lists, the operation of highly complex systems, including through preventive maintenance, without long downtime is possible.

Design protection

Shape -giving components such as a fender or a hood of a car body can not be built by third-party companies to to the current jurisdiction in Germany: the manufacturer due to the high creative value of a successful auto body special protection to these parts. Even the suppliers of the automaker, which establishes the "original parts " for the original body, these parts can not sell without the consent of the automaker ( the so-called "OEM "). He or she must acquire from the automaker a "license " which these parts naturally turn more expensive. The EU Commission wants to change this state of affairs in the interest of the consumer, but meets strong resistance from automakers.

Pricing

The design of the optimal spare part price is a very difficult imputed art. Often manufacturers will generate the lost with hard margin sales negotiations with the spare parts again. If the parts are too expensive and can not be adequately protected by patents or design protection this so quickly created a lucrative market for third parties.