At MF Supply, we spend a lot of time sourcing hard to find, back ordered, expensive, or out-of-stock OEM hardware brands. We do this in order to save money and to reduce long lead times for our customers, without sacrificing quality.
But how do you know when a generic will work for your project? In this newsletter we offer a handy functional equivalent cheatsheet, two case studies and a short informational video explainer.
Hardware Functional Equivalents and Sourcing Experts
Just like in the pharmaceutical world, where there are brand names that everyone knows, there are also generic alternatives that are functional equivalents. This is true for the hardware industry too!
Check your Bill of Materials (BOM). Does it call for an OEM brand, or just a part number?
Are the Lead Times going to hinder your timeline? Will having the part sooner improve the delivery of your final product?
Will your supplier provide you with a Certificate of Conformance to certify that the part is a functional equivalent to the original OEM brand you are looking for?
Will saving money help you be more competitive in your market?
MF Supply Case Studies for Functional Equivalents
Precision Shoulder Screw Functional Equivalents: In this case study, you can learn how one OEM branded precision shoulder screw has eight (yes 8!) functional equivalents.
Keensert Functional Equivalents: In this case study, we highlight how we helped a defense supplier save 59% and cut delivery time from 28 weeks down to 5 weeks.
