In brief
Spare parts management plans, procures, stores and controls spare parts so that plants stay available and stock levels remain economical.
Contents
What is Spare parts management?
Spare parts management links maintenance, procurement and warehousing. It starts with recording the installed base: which plants and components are in use, which parts belong to them, and which of these typically fail? This results in a spare parts catalogue with unambiguous master data, manufacturer details and where-used records.
On this basis, it is decided which parts are stocked, in what quantity and at which location. Criteria are criticality, consumption, replenishment lead time, price and shelf life. Methods such as ABC and XYZ analysis, reorder points and safety stock help with control. For rarely needed, expensive parts, consignment stock, pooling solutions or agreements with suppliers are options.
An ongoing element is upkeep: reducing stock that is not used, identifying discontinuations, qualifying alternative parts and adjusting master data when plants change. KPIs such as service level, stock coverage, share of non-moving stock and replenishment lead times show whether spare parts management keeps availability and tied-up capital in balance.
In practice: maintenance and procurement
Many spare parts stores contain both excess stock and gaps at the same time. Reconciling the stock on hand with the components actually installed reveals both and is a sensible first step.
Synonyms and abbreviations: spares management · MRO inventory management · spare parts inventory management · service parts management
Frequently asked questions
Which spare parts should you keep in stock?
Above all, parts are stocked whose failure stops a plant and whose replenishment takes longer than an acceptable downtime. Stock also makes sense for regularly consumed wear parts. Rarely needed parts that can be delivered quickly, on the other hand, are often not stocked. The decision is based on an assessment of criticality, consumption, replenishment lead time, price and shelf life.
Which KPIs are important in spare parts management?
Key KPIs are the service level, i.e. the share of requests that can be met immediately, stock coverage, the share of stock without movement over a longer period and replenishment lead times. In addition, inventory value, turnover rate and the number of rush orders are monitored. Together, these values show whether availability and tied-up capital are in a sensible balance.
What is the difference between spare parts management and spare parts procurement?
Spare parts procurement is the process of identifying a required part, finding a source of supply and ordering it. Spare parts management is more comprehensive: it determines which parts are needed at all, which are stocked, how master data is maintained and how discontinuations are handled. Procurement is thus one building block within spare parts management.