How to mitigate risk when buying aftermarket mining parts

There are many aftermarket parts suppliers both in Australia and overseas that supply to the surface and underground mining sectors. At the outset they may appear to offer similar products, however, a look behind the scenes can reveal that not all suppliers are created equal.

A root cause analysis of drill part failures may reveal that inferior metallurgic processes and raw materials have contributed to premature failure. This can have wide-reaching implications, posing a potential safety hazard for crews at the frontline of operations.

Occasionally the industry also sees inferior products reach our shores, which can have safety and warranty implications for your expensive drilling equipment.

Failures and stop-work orders stemming from safety issues can heavily impact efficiency and productivity, so it’s important to mitigate these risks as much as possible.

The good news is, these risks can all be managed to a certain extent, so it’s worth asking the following questions of your aftermarket parts supplier.

What to look out for when choosing an aftermarket parts supplier?

What is the supplier’s quality management process like?

A manufacturer that takes quality seriously and adheres to a strict QA management system is an absolute must. Look for a manufacturer that purchases materials and alloys in accordance with Australian, European or US Alloy Standard Specifications, and conducts heat treatment in accordance with specialist metallurgical oversight in Australia. Welding and fabrication should meet AS1554 or AWRA Standards with specific metallurgical quality control.

Does the supplier have a good reputation within the industry?

Seek out aftermarket parts suppliers that are trusted by some of Australia’s biggest mining companies, and that have a history of delivering on promises and forging long term relationships.

What are the supplier’s engineering and approval processes like?

Extensive R&D, stringent quality and engineering processes, and feedback loops that include both independent and client-side stakeholders are signs that the supplier is invested in developing high-quality, reliable and dependable parts. An internal process that demands every design change be signed off by multiple engineers helps to guarantee the part’s structural safety and performance.

Does the supplier have a standardised process for managing customer feedback?

A drill parts supplier that takes feedback on board to manufacture improved parts based on input from reliability engineers will be a true asset to your business. Partnering with a supplier that offers this value-added approach will save you time and money in the long run, via reliability and efficiency improvements that will have a positive impact on your bottom line.

How quickly can they supply?

Whilst many maintenance managers are skilled at keeping on top of spare parts inventory, there’s always the potential for an urgent and unforeseen need for parts. A local Australian drill parts supplier that can fulfil orders promptly is a must if you want to avoid potential 3+ month international shipping times. Additionally, if your supplier holds stock and has locations close to mine sites they will be able to deliver much faster, keeping DIFOT percentages high.

What is the supplier’s warranty like?

Quality aftermarket parts are just as reliable (and often more so) than OEM parts. As long as the part is covered under an adequate warranty, there is minimal risk in using good quality aftermarket parts. MASPRO parts are covered against faulty workmanship or materials for their normal service life, with new parts warranties covering 12 months or 1000 hours of service for surface applications, and 6 months or 500 hours of service for underground mining applications. The latter also applies to previously repaired parts.