Challenges in Obtaining High Performance Engine Parts
As more domestic manufacturing facilities have moved offshore, modern day automotive machine shops and engine builders are faced with unique challenges in building today's performance engines. Though many customers may think that the foreign engine part production results in savings, the net gains are offset by difficulties most customers are not aware of.
One of the main problems with foreign engine parts is quality. While domestic engine components typically have a wider tolerance range, high performance engines must be machined to extremely tight tolerances up to .0001 of an inch. Maintaining proper clearances is essential in applications where engines are run very hard and at a RPM which they were not originally designed for.
To counter foreign made automotive part quality concerns, some machine shops are importing these parts as unfinished or raw castings. This allows automotive machine shops the ability to finish the components to exact tolerances for the application. This is especially common for crankshafts and connecting rods, which are critical components of the rotating assembly.
Another challenge when importing engine parts is their availability. When a customer enters the door with a damaged high performance engine, next to knowing how fast the engine can be repair is how fast. Having to tell the customers that parts will not be available in the country for months is not an option. However, this does happen more frequently then most customers realize.
The time involved with tracking down automotive parts can be exhaustive. For most automotive machine shops and engine builders, this time was not reimbursed by the customer. Shop labor rates were generally reserved for machining or assembly operations, along with research and development for special projects. But with the new global economy, and vast number of parts being imported, more automotive businesses are now charging a research fee in such cases.
In past years research fees were generally only applied when an engine component was being modified for a high performance application as part of the development process. But now, research fees include locating and massaging supply chains to get engine parts to shops faster. While many customers are not accustomed to this fee, the reality is that automotive businesses generally operate on slim margins and are unable to shoulder the burden of locating engine parts which are difficult to obtain.
Although engine parts may appear less expensive when produced offshore, other factors impact their overall value. While the days of visiting the engine part manufacturer down the road, and speaking to their engineers face to face are largely gone, high performance engines still require great care during machining and assembly. As offshoring has changed the dynamics in the high performance industry, we now find many automotive machine shops and engine builders are adjusting to this new reality with fees that offset the cost of acquiring imported engine parts.
One of the main problems with foreign engine parts is quality. While domestic engine components typically have a wider tolerance range, high performance engines must be machined to extremely tight tolerances up to .0001 of an inch. Maintaining proper clearances is essential in applications where engines are run very hard and at a RPM which they were not originally designed for.
To counter foreign made automotive part quality concerns, some machine shops are importing these parts as unfinished or raw castings. This allows automotive machine shops the ability to finish the components to exact tolerances for the application. This is especially common for crankshafts and connecting rods, which are critical components of the rotating assembly.
Another challenge when importing engine parts is their availability. When a customer enters the door with a damaged high performance engine, next to knowing how fast the engine can be repair is how fast. Having to tell the customers that parts will not be available in the country for months is not an option. However, this does happen more frequently then most customers realize.
The time involved with tracking down automotive parts can be exhaustive. For most automotive machine shops and engine builders, this time was not reimbursed by the customer. Shop labor rates were generally reserved for machining or assembly operations, along with research and development for special projects. But with the new global economy, and vast number of parts being imported, more automotive businesses are now charging a research fee in such cases.
In past years research fees were generally only applied when an engine component was being modified for a high performance application as part of the development process. But now, research fees include locating and massaging supply chains to get engine parts to shops faster. While many customers are not accustomed to this fee, the reality is that automotive businesses generally operate on slim margins and are unable to shoulder the burden of locating engine parts which are difficult to obtain.
Although engine parts may appear less expensive when produced offshore, other factors impact their overall value. While the days of visiting the engine part manufacturer down the road, and speaking to their engineers face to face are largely gone, high performance engines still require great care during machining and assembly. As offshoring has changed the dynamics in the high performance industry, we now find many automotive machine shops and engine builders are adjusting to this new reality with fees that offset the cost of acquiring imported engine parts.