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Standards define minimum requirements – not precision level. The difference between two ball bearings with the same standard number can be less than a tenth of a millimetre. In a sanding machine that is audible and unacceptable.
Same Standard – Different Quality
Heesemann has sourced ball bearings from a regional manufacturer for years. The quality is known, the supplier relationship proven. When cost pressure arose in procurement, a different supplier was tested: same standard number, same specification, different manufacturer, lower price.
The two ball bearings look identical on the table. Pick one up and rotate it: solid, smooth, precise. Pick up the other: a minimal clicking. A play smaller than a tenth of a millimetre.
In everyday use that would be irrelevant. In a precision sanding machine it is audible and unacceptable. We switched back to the original supplier.
Pascal Diller, Head of Engineering, HeesemannWhat Standards Deliver – and What They Don't
Standards define minimum requirements. They ensure that a component functions – not that it was manufactured at the quality level required for precision applications.
For many components that is sufficient. A sheet metal part with no critical structural function can be sourced from lower-cost suppliers. Nobody will notice.
For components that are directly responsible for precision and longevity, that does not apply. Bearings, drive components, guides – here quality differences do not show up immediately, but they do show up. In sounds, in deviations, in wear behaviour.
Where Cost Optimisation Works – and Where It Doesn't
Reducing costs is sensible. The question is where. Not every saving is a saving. Some procurement savings produce higher costs in manufacturing, in service, and for the customer.
The right distinction is not: expensive parts or cheap parts. The right distinction is: precision-critical parts and non-critical parts.
- Precision-critical parts: no supplier change without qualification testing
- Structural parts with no precision requirement: cost optimisation possible
- Bought-in parts that affect the end result for the customer: supplier selection by quality, not price
Procurement and Production Must Talk to Each Other
What looks like a simple substitution in procurement can produce a week of fault-finding in production. Communication between procurement and production is not an optional virtue – it is a prerequisite for functioning quality assurance.
Request consultation →The Same Principle Applies to Machine Selection
What applies to Heesemann's own procurement applies to customers when selecting machines. Anyone who compares a Heesemann machine with a cheaper alternative and sees only the price is making the same mistake as the buyer who purchases the cheaper ball bearing.
The specification is comparable. The result is not. The difference does not show in the first month of operation. It shows in year three, when the cheaper machine produces quality problems that have long since exceeded the purchase saving.
FAQ: Quality in the Supply Chain
How do you identify whether a component is precision-critical?
Precision-critical components are those that directly affect the manufacturing tolerance, surface quality or longevity of the machine – bearings, guides, drive components. A quick test: if the component wears, does the sanding result change? If yes, it is precision-critical.
Can Heesemann help with spare parts supplier management?
Yes. Heesemann recommends for critical components the same suppliers used in manufacturing its own machines. This ensures that spare parts are at the same quality level as the original components.
What if components from another manufacturer have been fitted to my machine?
In many cases that is uncritical – if the components have no precision-critical function. For bearings, drive components or guides, Heesemann recommends examining this more closely. A service visit clarifies whether the fitted parts meet the required quality.
How large is the price difference between standard and quality suppliers?
The price difference for ball bearings is often in the single-digit percentage range. The quality difference in service life and wear behaviour can be significant in contrast. The saving per bearing is small; the potential damage from premature failure or a deteriorating sanding result is not.
