Fabricated vs Manufacturer Cotton Harvester Replacement Parts
As a cotton harvester, you know that if your cotton picker goes down for any amount of time, your entire business will suffer. You will have to sort through several options when looking for cotton harvester replacement parts, and it will be important that you understand the differences between fabricated and manufacturer parts so that you can determine which will be best for your picker’s needs.
Parts produced by the original manufacturer
A part that is made by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) comes directly from the company that manufactured your cotton picker, and is stocked by the distributer. In many instances, it is logical to seek out this type of part when making repairs to your picker. If you are using a part that came directly from the manufacturer, you already have familiarity with the company, and thus can have confidence that the part you are purchasing will work effectively with your unit, as it will perform exactly the same as the part that you had before.
You can also be assured that you won’t have to spend added time fleshing out the specs, dimensions or compatibility with your machine. You can order the part and have it shipped out right away, which will shorten the amount of time that your picker will be out of commission. Most OEM parts come with a one-year warranty, which provides additional insurance should you experience any further issues.
Fabricated parts
Fabricated parts are custom made replacements for a cotton harvester, and having a part made specifically for your picker can have many advantages. If you have a part that has failed and you take it to the distributor to build a replacement part, your fabricator will have the benefit of using that broken part to see what exactly went wrong. From there, they can use that malfunctioning piece as a frame of reference to build a new part that avoids the same pitfalls that led to the failure, and reverse engineer something that has the potential to work better and last longer than the original. You will most likely be able to communicate with the fabricator before the piece is made, which would not be an option when ordering from the manufacturer, since all stock parts are made the same.
You might also have the chance to learn about the quality assurance protocols the fabricator has in place, making you a more informed consumer. Depending on the manufacturer of your cotton picker and their warranty procedures, there are cases where using a non-OEM part can void the warranty, so be sure to double check the guidelines before ordering anything.
Certi-Pik, USA has been offering quality fabricated parts in addition to our large selection of cotton harvester replacement parts from the top brands for almost 30 years, and you can trust that we will outfit you with whatever you need to make sure that your picker is running at full efficiency. Make sure to give us a call right away so they can provide you with the valuable parts you need to get your picker back in action as quickly as possible.