FIELD NOTES
How to identify the part you need
Seven short guides written from the questions that actually block a quote.
No prices, no stock claims — just what to measure and what to photograph.
How to read an industrial nameplate before asking for a price
Which numbers on a motor, pump or gearbox nameplate actually decide the part — and what to photograph if the plate is worn.
Bearing suffix codes: what ZZ, 2RS, C3 and N mean
A bearing number is only half the part. The letters after it specify seals, clearance and locating features — get them wrong and the bearing fits but fails.
Four measurements before ordering a hydraulic hose
Inside diameter, fitting type and thread, length, and working pressure — the four numbers that make a hose assembly repeatable, plus the bend radius that gets forgotten.
Three checks on a pneumatic solenoid valve
Port size, coil voltage and valve function decide a solenoid valve — the colour of the body does not. How to identify them off the label and the machine.
How to measure an O-ring or oil seal correctly
Two numbers for an O-ring, three for an oil seal — and the material and temperature that decide whether it lasts a week or a year.
How to describe a part you cannot identify
When a part has no number, no plate and no catalogue entry: the four pieces of information that let a supplier search, and the photos that make them useful.
Compatible, OEM or genuine: what the word on a quotation actually commits you to
The same part number can arrive as three different products. These three words decide what you can tell your own customer — and what you cannot.
Need a part now? Send a photo or model number and we will check availability in China before quoting.