Spare parts
Components kept in stock to replace worn or failed parts during maintenance and repair.
How it works
Spare parts range from consumables such as filters, belts, and seals to large items such as motors and gearboxes. Each part in the store has a part number, a stock location, and usually a minimum and maximum quantity. When stock falls to the minimum, or reorder point, a new order is placed.
Parts that are expensive, slow to deliver, and needed for a critical machine are often called critical spares or insurance spares. They may sit on the shelf for years and still be worth holding, because one long breakdown waiting for delivery would cost more.
Why it matters
Missing parts are a common reason that repairs take longer than they should, which shows up in MTTR and downtime. Too many parts tie up money and shelf space and turn into obsolete stock when machines are replaced.
In practice
Teams link parts to the assets they fit, so a technician can see which belt goes on which conveyor. For planned work, planners kit the parts in advance so the job starts with everything in hand. Field service technicians carry common parts in the van, and the right van stock is one of the main levers for the first-time fix rate.
Recording which parts were used on each work order is what makes stock levels and asset history accurate.