Resources & Guides
Practical guides on sourcing, identifying, and cross-referencing industrial parts.
How to Read an Industrial Bearing Part Number
5 min read
A plain-English guide to decoding bearing part numbers — the bore size, series, seals, clearance and cage codes used by SKF, FAG, NSK, NTN and others.
Cross-Referencing Industrial Parts: How to Find an Equivalent
5 min read
How to find a working equivalent when a part is unavailable, discontinued, or from a brand you can't source — a step-by-step cross-reference method.
Where to Buy Obsolete or Discontinued Industrial Parts
4 min read
Practical options for sourcing obsolete, discontinued, or hard-to-find industrial parts — and how a sourcing service finds what distributors no longer stock.
How to Request an Industrial Parts Quote (for a Fast, Accurate Reply)
3 min read
The details to include in a parts quote request so you get an accurate price and lead time on the first reply — not a back-and-forth.
How to Identify an Electric Motor From Its Nameplate
5 min read
A plain-English guide to reading an electric motor nameplate — HP/kW, RPM, voltage, frame size, and enclosure — so you can find an exact replacement.
How to Read a Solenoid & Pneumatic Valve Part Number
5 min read
Decode pneumatic and solenoid valve part numbers — port/position counts like 5/2 and 3/2, actuation, port size, and coil voltage — to find the right valve.
How to Replace a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive): A Spec Guide
5 min read
What to match when replacing a variable frequency drive — power rating, input voltage and phase, output current, enclosure, and control — to avoid a costly mismatch.
IP and NEMA Ratings Explained for Industrial Equipment
4 min read
What IP65, IP67 and NEMA 4X actually mean, how the IP code's two digits work, and a rough NEMA-to-IP cross-reference for picking the right enclosure.
How to Replace a PLC or I/O Module
5 min read
What to match when replacing a PLC CPU, I/O or communication module — exact catalog number, series/firmware, I/O type and point count — for Allen-Bradley, Siemens and others.
How to Read a Gearbox / Gear Reducer Nameplate
5 min read
Decode a gearbox or gear reducer nameplate — ratio, output torque, service factor, and mounting/shaft type — to source an exact or equivalent replacement.
How to Choose a Replacement Industrial Sensor
5 min read
A guide to replacing proximity and photoelectric sensors — sensing mode, range, body size, output type (PNP/NPN) and connection — so the new one drops in.
How to Identify a Hydraulic Pump
5 min read
How to identify a hydraulic pump for replacement — pump type, displacement, pressure rating, rotation, shaft and mounting flange — even when the model number is worn.
How to Read a Contactor or Relay Part Number
4 min read
Decode contactor and control-relay part numbers — coil voltage, pole count, current/HP rating and auxiliary contacts — to find the right switching device.
How to Measure a Bearing When the Number Is Gone
4 min read
How to identify a bearing by measuring it — bore, outside diameter and width — when the part number has worn off, and convert those dimensions back to a designation.
How to Identify a V-Belt or Timing Belt
4 min read
How to read the markings on a V-belt or timing belt — cross-section, length, tooth pitch and width — to find the exact replacement or a cross-referenced equivalent.
How to Replace a DIN-Rail Power Supply (24V DC)
4 min read
What to match when replacing an industrial DIN-rail power supply — output voltage, current/wattage, input range and features like power boost or redundancy.
How to Select a Pressure Transmitter or Sensor
4 min read
How to spec a replacement pressure transmitter — pressure range, output signal, process connection, reference type and wetted material — so it reads correctly.
How to Identify a Shaft Coupling
4 min read
How to identify a replacement shaft coupling — type, both bore sizes, outside diameter and the flexible element — for jaw, gear, grid and disc couplings.
How to Replace an HMI / Operator Touchscreen
4 min read
What to match when replacing an industrial HMI or operator panel — screen size, brand/series, communication ports, voltage and project software compatibility.
How to Replace a Rotary Encoder
5 min read
What to match when replacing a rotary encoder — incremental vs absolute, resolution, output/protocol, shaft and flange — so it works with your drive or controller.
How to Size and Replace a Pneumatic Cylinder
4 min read
How to spec a pneumatic cylinder — bore, stroke, mounting style, rod and port size — and the ISO standards that make cylinders interchangeable between brands.
How to Identify a Pump Mechanical Seal
4 min read
How to identify a replacement pump mechanical seal — shaft size, component vs cartridge, face materials and elastomer — plus a note on lip/oil seals.
How to Select a Replacement Circuit Breaker
4 min read
How to spec a replacement circuit breaker — current rating, poles, voltage, interrupting capacity and trip curve — for MCBs and molded-case breakers (MCCBs).
How to Match a Servo Motor and Drive
5 min read
Why servo motors and drives are a matched pair, and what to match when replacing one — torque, voltage, feedback type, control mode and mounting.
How to Identify a Replacement Limit Switch
4 min read
How to spec a replacement mechanical limit switch — actuator head type, contact configuration, rating, housing and connection — so it fits and triggers correctly.