Differences between original, OEM and remanufactured parts

When the useful lifetime of some worn components in equipment ends and replacements or repairs are required, it is common for the workshop to ask if you want the original, OEM, remanufactured, or reconditioned parts.

The choice can be complicated if you don’t know what they’re talking about, and if you want a satisfactory long-term result with the best price.

The differences between each type of part are below:

Original or genuine parts: They are the parts by default on the heavy-equipment, no matter if these come from external manufacturers. When you acquire these parts, they will always show the brand of the machine manufacturer.

These are the most viable and safest option for spare parts because they have the appropriate specifications to adjust to the equipment, maintain optimal operation, lifetime, and their use keeps the manufacturer’s warranty on all equipment. The main disadvantage is the high cost compared to other parts.

OEM parts and pieces: Also known as original equipment manufacturer replacement parts (Original Equipment Manufacturer). These parts are identical to the original spare parts, but these don’t have the name of the original brand because the companies in charge of their manufacture have contracts that allow them to commercialize them but without the use of the original brand name.

Recovered parts: They are widely known as used parts because most of them come from machinery in poor condition in which some of its components are still functional and are later put up for sale at a price well below the market average of original and OEM parts.

Remanufactured or rebuilt parts: This designation applies to elements made up of multiple pieces, such as an engine in which there was a fault that was later corrected, requiring the disassembly of the unit and the replacement of damaged parts with new ones for later rebuild, and performance.

In the machinery market, there are complete reconstruction services of a machine which can be provided by companies associated with the manufacturer and which favor the useful lifetime of the equipment by implementing recent technology to old machinery and which generate a lower cost compared to a purchase of new machinery.9