Diamond Standard has released a study of four OEMs’ front bumper reinforcement bars that uncovers differences in weight, thickness, tensile and yield strength properties between the same parts. The aftermarket parts supplier says this proves that "equivalency" has an acceptable range of variance that doesn’t affect performance, restraint systems and vehicle safety.
Diamond Standard claims the ranges are the result of the initial production run on the parts moving to the shorter runs of service or use of different tier 2 and 3 suppliers.
“In defining the term like, kind, quality or equivalent, the OE representative stated that a replacement aftermarket part must be equivalent to the OE-branded part,” said Mike O’Neal, president of Diamond Standard, referencing Paul Massie of Ford’s presentation at the July Collision Industry Conference. “But which parts are being referenced? The original production parts or OEM service parts?”
Diamond Standard constructed charts based on randomly chosen OEM parts across multiple lot numbers, years and manufacturers, from production parts to current service parts.
“There is a definite range in the parts,” said O’Neal. “Material spot buying, the state of the economy and volatility of the steel market all contribute to normal and acceptable variances in material."
"This does not mean to imply that OEMs or their suppliers are in any way not diligent in their pursuit of safe, reliable and consistent quality replacement parts," O’Neal added. "Nor does it attempt to defend those aftermarket manufacturers that are knowingly not diligent in the quality or safety of structural replacement parts. The charge for Diamond Standard is to follow the criteria built within the original part and fall within the ‘acceptable’ mean values of the production and service parts."
More information:
Download Diamond Standard Test Results
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