OEReplacement News

When a manufacturer builds a new car, they spend hundreds of millions of dollars, sometimes literally billions, on research and development, on creating new manufacturing techniques and testing designs. But even major names like Ford, GM and Chrysler, or import makes like Nissan, VW, Mercedes, Audi or Hyundai don’t do it all by themselves. Parts for each new car are made by a huge number of suppliers—Aisin might make the water pump, a transmission maker like Valeo might build the clutch, and Philips might make the headlights. Each of these Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers uses their expertise to develop Original Equipment car parts to the specifications from the manufacturer, and in turn has access to confidential information about the car. The suppliers’ engineers work closely with the manufacturers as designs are finalized, ensuring not only proper fit and operation, but taking into account changes in design as the car or truck is finalized. And after that, the testing can begin.

Quality control of OE parts is vitally important. Major car models can sell in the millions, and manufacturers must assure that they’ve done everything in their power to ensure durability of all the car’s parts. First, the suppliers perform their own testing, subjecting parts to far greater extremes than will ever be encountered on the road. Failure testing uses a part until it breaks, showing its weakest point. The part is then redesigned and strengthened and tested again and again, until it meets the manufacturers’ stringent standards, as well as government requirements in many cases. After that, it goes to the manufacturer for approval, after which it can finally be used on a series of test vehicles. A simple part like a Valeo wiper blade will be tested in hot and cold chambers along with the rest of the car, running for weeks at a time, as well as going through millions of miles of road testing. Any defects that emerge during this process are reported back to the supplier, who makes the appropriate changes to the part, all so that when the car reaches dealerships, those thousands of car parts and accessories will function the way they’re supposed to: without being noticed by the driver.


Filed under: Industry News by Josh Razgunas On: April 9th, 2010