In brief
Wear parts are components that wear out in normal operation through friction, load or ageing and are replaced at regular intervals.
Contents
What is Wear parts?
For these parts, wear is not a fault but a consequence of their function. Typical examples are seals, rolling bearings, filters, drive belts, carbon brushes, hoses, guide elements and cutting edges. Their service life depends on operating hours, load, temperature, lubrication and ambient conditions.
Wear parts are a subset of spare parts. Spare parts in the broader sense also include parts that are only replaced after damage, such as shafts, housings or control modules. Wear parts, by contrast, are replaced in a plannable and recurring way, often at fixed intervals or based on condition. Contracts and manufacturers' terms often treat them separately, for example with regard to statutory warranty or guarantee. How this applies in an individual case depends on the contract; this entry does not constitute legal advice.
For maintenance, wear parts are easy to plan. Consumption data can be used to derive maintenance intervals, order quantities and reorder points. Because they are needed regularly, they are well suited to being kept in stock permanently. Maintenance kits that bundle all the parts needed for a job also shorten downtime.
In practice: maintenance and procurement
Wear parts should be recorded in the master data with manufacturer part number, dimensions and material and bundled into maintenance kits. For elastomers such as seals and hoses, storage conditions and shelf life must be observed.
Synonyms and abbreviations: wearing parts · consumable parts · maintenance parts · fast-moving parts · wear and tear parts
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between wear parts and spare parts?
Spare parts is the umbrella term for all parts used to replace defective or worn components. Wear parts are the subset that wears out as planned in normal operation and is replaced regularly. Other spare parts, by contrast, are usually only needed after damage has occurred.
Which parts typically count as wear parts?
These include above all seals, rolling bearings, filter elements, drive belts, carbon brushes, hoses, guides, coupling elements and cutting tools. Which parts count as wear parts in a given case is often specified by manufacturers in their operating instructions or spare parts list. Operating conditions and load are decisive.
Does the statutory warranty also apply to wear parts?
Normal wear is generally not a defect. However, a wear part can be defective if it fails significantly earlier than would be expected under proper use. What applies in an individual case follows from the contract and the manufacturer's terms; legal advice provides a binding answer.
How many wear parts should be kept in stock?
A guide value is derived from consumption per interval, the number of installed units and the replenishment lead time. For parts with regular consumption, the reorder point method with safety stock is suitable. For parts with limited shelf life, the quantity should be chosen so that it is used before the shelf life expires.