Hydrocarbon Processing - July 2022 - 9

B. BOYLE, Emerson
Business Trends
Non-OEM parts-Buyer beware
What is the harm in wearing a knock-off Rolex watch? It
looks the same, keeps time, and if no one inspects it too closely,
appears impressive. How about wearing a name-brand replica
pair of jeans, or perhaps a counterfeit pair of top-tier athletic
shoes? That might create some discomfort and even a blister or
two, but the cost savings may more than compensate.
Now, consider the ramifications of using non-OEM (original
equipment manufacturer) airbags or brakes on your car.
Would it be acceptable if passenger trains began using these
types of parts to repair their braking systems? Suddenly, a nonOEM
replacement part might be seen in a very different light.
In some industries, such as aviation, legal requirements
cover service and repair situations, making it against the law
to use non-OEM parts. The same types of regulations apply
to the use of valves in some industrial applications, such as in
safety systems; while most industrial applications for valves do
not expressly prohibit the use of non-OEM parts, this certainly
does not lessen the risk of their use.
All types of non-OEM parts present potential problems. Issues
are not limited to poor performance and downtime due
to failure, as civil lawsuits can result if personnel injury occurs
due to failure of a sub-standard part. If a company loses its case
in court due to the use of non-OEM parts, insurance rates will
certainly rise, and future visits by adjusters will become more
frequent and exacting.
Imagine non-OEM valve body components in 1500# service,
as isolation valves for natural gas service, and even in a
nuclear power plant. Each of these situations has the potential
to create catastrophic damage and, in the worst-case scenario,
injury to plant personnel.
A burgeoning problem. It is disconcerting that the scenarios
posed above have actually occurred. Certainly, the world is
awash in fake watches, name-brand clothes and designer shoes,
but it is a less-publicized fact that non-OEM auto parts are common
in every world market, with some countries estimating that
20% of car accidents stem from these substandard components.
Despite laws prohibiting their use, at least one fatal airline crash
was directly attributable to non-OEM engine mount bolts.
In a similar vein, non-OEM valves and valve components
are invading various sectors of industry. In some cases, these
components are used within a plant unknowingly, as some are
marketed as the real thing and provided by a new supplier. In
other cases, maintenance and procurement departments order
the cheaper components in an attempt to save money or
fill a pressing need. The problem is the number of non-OEM
parts is growing explosively, and spotting them is becoming
more difficult (FIG. 1).
FIG. 1. The non-OEM gas valve on the left will not close properly.
Other than some markings and a few dimensional variations, the part
looks very similar to the authentic valve on the right. (Reprinted from
Department of Energy's Counterfeit Training Manual.)
In the past, non-OEM parts may have been easier to spot,
with parts that were wrapped in newspaper, labels that had misspelled
words and prices that were significantly reduced. However,
some non-OEM parts are now shipped in authentic packaging
with fairly accurate equipment labels, and prices have
been raised to make the part cost seem reasonable-although
still attractive. It is certainly possible for a plant to pay nearly
full price for a non-OEM part and not realize it was not genuine.
What are the critical differences? Non-OEM valve parts
can look identical to their OEM counterparts. The color, dimensions
and labeling may appear to be exactly the same. Some
are openly marketed as a " direct replacement " for the original
component, while others are presented as an authentic OEM
part. What are the differences between an OEM and a nonOEM
part? The answer, while not obvious, can be significant.
A parts replicator looks to fabricate a non-OEM part as
cheaply as possible. The part itself must look the same, of
course, and in that regard the replicator is usually fairly successful.
They start with an OEM part, often used, and measure
its dimensions. They then use a positive material identification
(PMI) gun to scan the part and identify the alloy of construction
(FIG. 2). Based on that data, the fabricator creates the
replacement part, often painting it the same color and affixing
a similar label. The part is then sold as a direct replacement,
and in some cases, it is even packaged and marketed as an actual
OEM part.
While the component may look identical, a more thorough
examination can reveal a host of problems, starting with those
seemingly simple dimension measurements. Any machining
process involves a target dimension with an allowable manufacturing
tolerance (FIG. 3, left). As long as the final dimensions fall
within the allowable range, the part is considered " in specification "
and released. This process works well for the OEM fabricator,
which has designed the part, knows the fabrication tolerancHydrocarbon
Processing | JULY 2022 9
Hydrocarbon Processing - July 2022

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