Not only is a spare parts catalogue indispensable for identifying and ordering the parts of a machine (or device) that require replacement due to wear and tear, but it serves as a sales and branding tool as well.
The Spare Parts Catalogue is in fact in the Service (or After-sales) phase which is very important in a manufacturer's business, and in which the Technical Documentation plays a key role.
This phase comes soon after the sale of a product and encompasses a wide range of customer needs. All activities at after-sales are crucial to customer loyalty and, at the same time, consolidate and enhance your brand reputation.
From telephone support to the supply of spare parts, every service activity has two main objectives:
- offering customers an ever-increasing level of after-sales service
- making it a high-margin business
The spare parts catalogue is an integral part of after-sales as it is an indispensable tool for identifying and ordering replacement parts when a machine is purchased. A quick and easy identification of the parts to be replaced guarantees quick re-ordering of parts directly to the parent company, without resorting to compatible replacement products marketed by different manufacturers.
In addition, the Spare Parts Catalogue becomes mandatory for certain components when it comes to CE marked machines with respect to Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
The Directive, in fact, at point 1.7.4.2. point t) of Annex I provides that the content of the Instructions contains
the specifications of the spare parts to be used if they affect the health and safety of operators.
It is customary for the manufacturer to provide separately and as an annex to the Instructions a single spare parts catalogue. The latter should clearly indicate which spare parts are related to health and safety.
TYPES OF SPARE PARTS CATALOGUE
In its most traditional form, the spare parts catalogue is supplied in paper format. Nevertheless, if the manufacturer wishes to provide a more efficient, faster, and smarter spare parts supply service, it may be advisable to opt for more modern versions, such as multimedia spare parts catalogues or those in AR (Augmented Reality). As well as being relevant technical documents, they also act as powerful sales tools.
For several years now, in fact, we have been flanking the traditional paper versions with the design and production of spare parts catalogues that are in keeping with the current technology: interactivity, multimedia and augmented reality allow the user to experience a much higher quality user experience, both in terms of operability and consultation time.
The more a company like yours equips itself with interactive, multimedia or augmented tools to provide to its customers, the better their perception (including marketing) will be.
Below are the main types of Spare Parts Catalogues that we can offer to our customers:
OUR METHOD
Since the priority for us is to adapt to the needs and documentation of our clients, our process is not unique or unchangeable.
A spare parts catalogue is typically comprised of drawings/plans and a list of relevant parts, including part numbers and descriptions.
Creating the graphics for the table can be accomplished in different ways: either by modifying graphics provided by you, or by drawing the machine from scratch.
In any case, we assure you that our Spare Parts Catalogue will allow your customers to select the right spare parts through simple and intuitive browsing, both online and offline, without errors or loss of time.
OUR TOOLS
To ensure that your needs (which may be different from those of another company) are met, we utilise the latest versions of a variety of software, each suited to a particular task, not only for the publication of the final spare parts Catalogue that we deliver to you, but also during the various stages of the document creation process.
An example of a process for producing a spare parts catalogue is as follows:
- Opening and managing customer files – CAD
- Editing and creating 2D or 3D tables provided by you (if CAD use is required) → CAD
- Editing and managing photos (if no CAD available) Illustrator and photoshop
- BOM management → Excel
- Drafting or creating Catalogue → InDesign / Word / Components Engine
- Publishing (pdf or multimedia) → Acrobat / Components Engine / AR (Augmented Reality) app
Using specific software such as Components Engine allows us to better manage your after–sales service sale, including a range of customised solutions tailored to the varying needs of your organisation, as well as considerable optimisation of the management of the spare parts catalogue in general.
All you need to consult it is the browser that you use every day, such as Edge, Safari or Chrome, or the free Viewer: in both cases, very short search times are guaranteed.
YOUR ADVANTAGES
Our Spare Parts Catalogue is very intuitive and suitable even for an inexperienced audience, which makes it possible to obtain precise, clear, error-free orders without risks of interpretation.
Entrusting the drafting of your Spare Parts Catalogue to us means that you can enjoy the following advantages:
