Non-Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) supply valve parts to the process industry at prices that are 30 to 40 per cent less than the list price from the original manufacturer, and claim to meet or even exceed the quality of the original parts. The first part is certainly true, but the quality claim is questionable at best. Although an inexpensive, replicated part may look the same as an original part and may fit into the valve being repaired, it does not meet the original valve manufacturer's design specifications. Therefore, it can cause leaks and prevent a valve from controlling properly, and often does not last as long as the OEM alternative would. It can also fail completely, preventing the valve from operating, and causing an entire process to be shut down at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per day.
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