Finding the Right Machine Parts: Advice for Engineers

Do you source your machine parts from dozens of suppliers?  There are nearly 20,000 machine shops in the U.S. alone. Do you have to patiently explain what you need and why to a new person every single time? 

Industrial hoists and cranes, oil rigs, hydraulic lifts, etc. need maintenance. For some long-lived equipment, the original manufacturer no longer exists– what then?

Finding the right machine parts is challenging. You need a knowledgeable and innovative partner with a reputation you can trust.

Read on to learn more.

Off-the-Shelf Machine Parts

If the original manufacturer still supports your equipment, you can seek replacement parts through an authorized distributor. For example, if you need a Demag hoist unit, you have many choices. If you have many different types of machinery, you might end up with dozens of vendors.

Choose a dealer with experience in your industry to steer you to the right piece. Printed catalogs, online ordering, and toll-free calling are your friends. If you have machinery from many different vendors, an all-in-one distributor is especially convenient.

Original Equipment Manufacturer or Aftermarket?

Some types of equipment offer choices between OEM and aftermarket replacement parts. Obviously, your original manufacturer won’t offer a less expensive or more innovative aftermarket part.  For example, for mobile crane brake liners, you have a choice of interchangeable items. In the construction and agriculture industries, aftermarket parts have a reputation of exceeding OEM performance

Specialized, Customized or Re-Manufactured Parts

When you have needs outside of standard parts, you want a partner with custom fabrication skills. For many applications, a customized solution is the only answer. When that part needs repair or replacement, you need a partner with the know-how to reverse engineer and create the exact item.

Look for a vendor with a full-service machine shop in-house. Laser-cutting, milling, molding, and finish assembly are very different tasks and need experts at each step. A shop that can provide services in-house often has competitive pricing, as well.

Communicating your needs to multiple vendors can be tricky. Again, experience in your industry is the key to success. Choose a partner who knows your machinery well.

Choose Kor-Pak for Off-the-Shelf and Custom Fabrication

At Kor-Pak, we have more than 40 years of partnership with the best names in the industry. We represent a dozen quality manufacturers and distribute thousands of parts. Our network of resources and field experts help you implement, service, and maintain your machinery. 

We take pride in our extensive catalog, but our real strength is sourcing hard-to-find, obsolete, or unusual machine parts. If we can’t find something, our custom machining experts and engineers create parts and assemblies to meet your needs. 

 Kor-Pak is much more than a company that sells parts. We are your one-stop partner for industry machinery solutions. Contact us today to learn more. 

Posted in Industrial Equipment.