The 6 Benefits of Using OEM Spares | McLanahan

Introduction

Having critical spares on hand is best practice, but sometimes you can be caught out by an unexpected breakdown. When it is time to order spare parts in a hurry, what comes to mind first: going back to the manufacturer for OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts, or sourcing from a local supplier?

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Many businesses opt for the latter, but that may become more costly in the long run. Before making this important decision, think about how OEM spare parts can benefit your business.

1. Warranty

Some manufacturers pose limitations on the use of generic or modified spare parts, and the use of these spare parts can void the warranty on a piece of equipment. If anything should go wrong, then the costs to repair the equipment or rectify any failure could fall to you and not the manufacturer. Failures often also lead to significant consequential losses. This risk needs to be weighed prior to the purchase of any spare parts.

2. Quality (Functionality)

While many spare parts may look and function the same, generic spares are not necessarily of the same composition that OEM parts specify. Examples of reduced quality include:

• Parts not being manufactured using the same tolerances as the OEM equivalent
• Drill holes not in alignment, causing poor fit during installation
• Nonidentical pitch thread
• Inferior welding, which could cause cracking and deteriorate the quality of the entire assembly

OEM spares have one important attribute over generic spares — upgrade compatibility. Manufacturers often tweak their equipment to enable their customers to maximize throughput, output and flow.

OEM spares are always compatible, whereas generic spares run the risk of being outdated. Generic equipment suppliers will not receive equipment updates to know if a spare part has changed, so how will you know?

3. Value

Value comes in a variety of ways depending on what aspect is most important to your business. The value in OEM parts is derived from in-house engineering, upgrades, modifications and optimizations that simply cannot be offered by any other generic parts supplier. Most of us associate value with the cost of the part when in fact it can also include the customer service supplied by the organization. The OEM will always have an unparalleled knowledge of their own equipment that no generic parts supplier can match.

Value is also obtained through the total cost of ownership, a term that is used almost too often. The true cost must be compared to the inherent risks associated with installation, performance and impact that a non-OEM part can have on the entire machine and flow on system.

The value in OEM spares comes from their ability to last for a specific duration and be resilient enough to last between preventative maintenance cycles.

4. Availability

Availability is typically higher with the OEM as opposed to a generic supplier who needs to keep many different brands on hand at one time.

OEM’s understand that downtime is extremely costly, so they will typically stock components that are considered critical to the operation of their machines. Holding stock on consignment is another way OEM’s ensure critical parts are immediately available in the event of a failure or unplanned shutdown.

5. Durability

Durability all comes down to the composition. Generic suppliers cannot guarantee that their substituted parts are structurally compliant like an OEM part would be.

Wear parts are a great example; OEM suppliers can give you an estimated changeout period to enable better planning.

6. After-sales Support

Whether you are in need of technical advice, training, specialized parts delivery or on-site services, OEM’s are the experts, and their specialized teams can therefore offer unparalleled support when you need it most. These valuable services coupled with the right spare parts can make all the difference in creating a more reliable and profitable operation.

As a part of your after-service support, your OEM supplier can provide a parts history on what has been sold to your site for warehousing and budgetary purposes.

In our previous blog, Metso’s Global Product Manager, Mikko Harakkamäki, highlighted examples where Metso Contender™ Series premium crusher parts can optimize operations. But the benefits of these spares go far beyond just maximized performance.

The OEM advantage

As the crushing industry continues to evolve, the market has seen a rise of suppliers attempting to replicate the success of market leading crusher parts manufacturers. However, it is crucial to distinguish between mere part providers and trusted OEMs who possess the expertise and knowledge to enhance and optimize crusher components.

“They do not know how a certain part can impact another, such as how parts from the top of the crusher affect the operation of parts at the bottom,” says Mikko. “With our line of Contender Series parts for non-Metso crushers, the aim is to avoid diluting our own OEM statement by pirating parts. We are striving to improve on the original parts and create a new and improved version.” 

Metso adapts quickly to the new technology and is able to identify the market needs timely. Therefore, we are constantly improving customer satisfaction by providing tailored solutions fitting our customers’ expectations. “This is the crucial factor in designing parts that can have a longer lifespan, be more environmentally friendly and have better safety features,” says Mikko. “We are adding the lifting points and operational differences, making them easier to maintain. That is giving the biggest impact.”

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from ME Mining.

By enhancing the design and performance of parts, we offer customers substantial cost savings. These improvements lead to longer-lasting crushers that require less maintenance, enabling sites to maximize uptime and productivity.

For instance, consider the spider bushing located at the top of the crusher. If a deficiently designed spider bushing is used, it can lead to additional problems with other spare parts in the lower area of the crusher, such as the eccentric bushing and step bearing plates.

“Issues with eccentric bushings can be very costly, and if you are not a crusher expert, you might not understand why these failures are even happening,” says Mikko. “Failures usually do not happen where the root cause is. So, investing in genuine OEM parts or in parts designed with OEM expertise gives customers the best chance of peak performance, lowered costs and peace of mind.” It is risky to use pirated parts and could hurt the equipment and profitability in the long run. Therefore, Metso's commitment to R&D and utilization of innovative technology enables game-changing solutions.

High availability with a large global presence

Today's mining industry seeks efficient and streamlined operations, and customers are looking to consolidate crusher maintenance with a single supplier. This demand arises from the desire for simplicity, cost-effectiveness and the convenience of collaborating with a trusted partner who can provide comprehensive support and solutions.

With a large installed base for crushing equipment, Metso is positioned as a primary player in the industry. Having a widespread presence can offer valuable insights into unique challenges and customers’ needs, as well as their crushers. It also affords the opportunity to leverage expertise and capabilities to cater to diverse crusher models, enabling higher availability and customized maintenance solutions.

Due to our expansive global presence, we understand the criticality of minimizing downtime and ensuring quick access to spare parts. Our customers can rely on us for maximum uptime, which ensures that Metso’s crushers operate seamlessly as we are dedicated to customer satisfaction.

“One of our biggest competitive advantages is on-shelf availability,” says Mikko. “At the moment, we have over 95% on-shelf availability in our warehouses for Contender™ Series spares. This high availability has been achieved after a thorough analysis of geographical distribution of the installed base, application type as well as utilizing the recommended parts lists.” This allows customers to plan for and source required parts promptly, ensuring swift maintenance and maximizing operational efficiency.

Improved manufacturing methods

The sustainability of manufactured parts is becoming increasingly important to mine sites.  The durability of parts and the amount of carbon emissions generated during transportation can significantly affect the sustainability of a part.

Metso's new manufacturing methods lower intercontinental raw material transport, thus reducing lead times and costs. Using localized production ensures faster delivery, minimized downtime and overall better operational efficiency. Sustainability is a key factor as well since there are less carbon emissions from logistics. On top of that, utilizing better materials and improved mating part designs allows the Contender Series to offer extended lifespans and enhanced durability.

“Our new manufacturing methods offer customers better sustainability, longer lifetime and reduced costs,” says Mikko. “We use better materials that last longer, or we can design the mating parts to fit together better. Moreover, there is less change-outs and maintenance and many more benefits come from adding features that reduce wear.”

These additional features prevent wear contamination from dust particles and corrosion, reducing the frequency of part replacements. As a result, mining operations mitigate maintenance costs, downtime, and the energy and raw materials required for frequent manufacturing. This also contributes to resource conservation and reduced energy consumption.

Combining parts with additional services

When looking at suppliers for crusher spare parts, a key consideration is whether they can also offer wear parts and liners as well as other services. Suppliers that provide a diverse selection of mantles, concaves and other components, with alternatives for various needs, can frequently customize a solution to match the specific application of a site.

When facing harsh operating conditions such as crushing highly abrasive ores, Metso’s chamber optimization can lead to significant savings. By utilizing advanced simulations and expert knowledge, it is possible to select liners that frequently surpass the performance of the original ones.

“Our dedicated Chamber Optimization team has put a lot of effort into creating an offering for third-party crushers,” says Mikko. “Customers have access to quite a diverse range of both spare parts and wear solutions.”

In addition to parts, top suppliers frequently offer repair manuals, schematics, and maintenance services, including comprehensive inspection programs. Undetected issues with a crusher can result in poor crusher availability, increased repair costs, HSE problems, unplanned downtime, and production losses for a plant. Having regular inspections as part of the maintenance plan can be an important service to keep equipment running as it should. Having the option to wrap both wear and spare parts supply along with other maintenance services in a long-term Life Cycle Services contract, can make it easy to track results over several years.

Quality parts for non-Metso crushers

When it comes to selecting crusher parts, trusting the OEM expertise of a reputable industry leader can help ensure the highest equipment performance. Choosing a supplier that is committed to continuous improvement of parts, considers the entire crusher process, and ensures compatibility with all relevant components can result in parts that perform exceptionally well even under the most challenging conditions.

Our dedication to integrating OEM know-how into the Contender Series enables customers to attain optimal efficiency, minimized downtime, and maximized profitability whilst adhering to sustainability goals - even if they are using a non-Metso crusher. That is why, together, we are the partner for positive change.

* Sandvik, FLSmidth,ThyssenKrupp, and other related trademarks, are owned by Sandvik Intellectual Property AB, FLSmidth & Co. A/S, and ThyssenKrupp AG respectively. Use of the marks do not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Mining Spare Parts Suppliers.