Counterfeit hydraulic parts are a serious issue and being aware of these issues and how to identify counterfeit parts is important. These parts are dangerous and present a safety hazard. Let us take a deeper look into hydraulic parts that are forged and how you can avoid them.

Imitation hydraulic components being passed of as authentic is a growing global problem and is undermining the supply chain and hydraulics industry.

Sources of Fake Parts

The main source in which counterfeit hydraulic parts are acquired is on the internet. Many maintenance technicians search for the cheapest parts they can to save the company money, this leads many to purchase from websites such as Amazon or Ebay. Acquiring them through unauthorized distributors is another way.

Even legitimate distributors may acquire counterfeit parts without being aware of it. Overseas knock-off parts that use packaging that near perfectly replicate popular and trustworthy brands like Timken, SKF, and NSK, find their way into the hands of distributors who are entirely unaware of the counterfeits being present.

Why are Counterfeits Detrimental?

Counterfeits like those manufactured abroad and sold in the market are manufactured using inferior materials and manufacturing processes and ignore industrial standards.

When installed on industrial hydraulic equipment the counterfeit parts will typically fail while only reaching half or less of the expected life span of the higher quality parts that they imitate.

This early failure rate can cause a serious safety hazard as well as damaging equipment even further. Most industrial companies track the dates of the installation of new replacement parts and know the expected life span of them.

When these parts fail far earlier than expected and before normal inspections, anyone near the equipment during failure could be subject to injury. The failure of the parts can also catastrophically damage the equipment.

How to Spot a Counterfeit

It’s very difficult to spot by sight due to the near-perfect mimicking of packaging and parts. The easiest way to determine if you are in possession of counterfeits is to keep track of the life span of all replacement parts used.

In the event of an early failure well before the lifespan of a given part, you can start to assume that these parts are not legitimate, and any other parts bought from the same source can be discarded or investigated further. Make sure to compare the serial number on the suspected part to that of the original equipment manufacturer, OEM.

How to Avoid Buying Counterfeit Parts

Avoid buying parts from Ebay or Amazon and stick to using trusted and well-reputed distributors. If the price of a given part is considerably cheaper than the part average for the same part, there is a good chance it is counterfeit and this should be a red flag. Also, the serial number should match that of the genuine part.

As mentioned earlier, even distributors can unknowingly get counterfeit parts, but this is a less common occurrence than buying from the Internet, or other non-reputable sources.

Conclusion

Avoiding counterfeit parts comes down to due diligence and smart buying practices. Buying from reputable distributors is your best bet in avoiding these parts and keeping track of the dates of installation and failures can help you determine if the parts you have are counterfeit or not.

If you have concerns about the performance and function of your hydraulic components, Servo Kinetics in Ann Arbor can help! We are a full-service hydraulic repair, inspection and rebuild facility that delivers the highest quality standards at the lowest possible cost. Our industrial hydraulic repair services include Beach Russ vacuum pump repair, Vickers classic factory rebuilds, EHC energy pump repair, reverse engineering services, and more! Call and speak to a Specialist today.