Where procurement functions are designed for short-term savings, companies often choose non-genuine wear parts for crushing equipment – but this only serves to raise the total cost of ownership of this critical machinery.
Today’s mining and quarrying sector is under considerable cost pressure, according to Jorge Abelho, Director of Technical Support at Pilot Crushtec – Southern African distributor for Metso. However, argues Abelho, the cheapest wear part on the invoice is seldom going to be the most cost effective part in the plant.
“The reason is simple,” he says. “Crushing equipment is a system not a collection of isolated components – and when one part underperforms, the entire circuit pays the price.”
Non-genuine wear parts often look similar to OEM components, he says, but subtle differences in metallurgy, profile geometry and dimensional tolerances can dramatically affect performance. While these deviations may be invisible to the naked eye, they have measurable consequences.
“Even minor imperfections in liner profile or fitment can disrupt material flow, increase recirculating loads and reduce the yield of saleable product,” he says. “Small deviations in design create large losses in throughput, as reduced crusher performance affects the entire circuit.”
This is where total cost of ownership becomes critical, explains Metso’s Director for Aftermarket in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Teemu Tuominen.
“A liner that costs 10% less upfront can reduce production by 5 to 10%,” says Tuominen. “Such a loss dwarfs any initial saving on a non-genuine part.”
Lower throughput means longer operating hours, higher diesel consumption, increased wear on downstream equipment and more frequent maintenance interventions, Abelho explains. One of the clearest indicators of inefficiency is high recirculating load – material that fails to meet specification and must be reprocessed.
“Non-OEM parts often contribute to this by producing inconsistent product gradation or by failing to break material cleanly,” he says. “Every tonne that is recirculated is really costing twice as much to produce. Process plants often run continuously around the clock, so this inefficiency compounds rapidly.”
Tuominen emphasises that downtime is by far the most expensive line item on any mine or quarry. Lost production adds immediately to the total cost of ownership of crushing equipment, as the machinery is not providing its expected return on investment.
“Non-genuine parts increase the likelihood of unplanned downtime – through poor fitment, incorrect tolerances and inferior metallurgy,” he says. “This can cause premature failures or damage to mating components. When structural elements such as frames or swingstocks are affected, repairs can take weeks.”
