Keep the whole label in the picture.
You can start a sourcing request without knowing the full part number. Send a clear photo of the entire label and a wider view showing which component you need. Include every readable line, even if you are not sure which number matters.
Copy the visible characters exactly, including letters, spaces, slashes and suffixes. Mark an unreadable character with a question mark and keep the original photo beside your transcription. A search result or an automatic reading of the image is a lead to check, not confirmation of the part.
Use existing photos or take them from a safe, permitted position. Have site maintenance handle anything that requires access inside equipment.
The useful number depends on the manufacturer.
| Example | What to keep in your request |
|---|---|
| Baldor-Reliance motor | Include CAT. NO. and SPEC. ABB says SPEC identifies the particular bill of materials used to locate motor parts. Say whether you need the complete motor or one of its components. |
| Grundfos pump | Include the full Model line. Some Grundfos labels use P/N or P.N.; on its illustrated CR layout, the product number is the first eight digits after A in Model. Follow the example that matches your label. |
Keep your facility’s asset tag separate from the manufacturer’s identifiers. An internal tag can help your team find records, but the supplier may need the equipment model, serial number and the specific component or kit you want.
Try the manufacturer’s lookup with the original photo.
Festo’s spare-parts catalog offers a type-plate photo search. Its help says it tries to read the part number, order code or data-matrix code and displays a product when identification is unique. That is a reason to preserve the whole label, not a promise that any photo will identify a part.
Use the official lookup for the brand you have. If it cannot identify the item, keep the result unresolved and send the image with the equipment records. A similar-looking product in an image search is not enough to order a replacement.
Use the machine records to narrow the search.
If the label is missing or worn, look for the machine’s parts list, an earlier purchase order, packaging from the previous replacement or the maintenance record. Keep the document date and the machine reference with the number you find.
- Show where the part belongs: the equipment maker, model, serial number if available, and its position in a parts drawing.
- State what you need: the whole assembly, a repair kit or a single component. Include the drawing’s item number if you have it.
- Flag uncertainty: an old invoice, a similar-looking product or a partial number may describe a different version. Ask the supplier to resolve the match.
Get the proposed part in writing before comparing prices.
Ask the supplier to identify the full manufacturer part number and explain what connects it to your equipment. If the original is discontinued, ask whether the proposed number is a manufacturer-documented replacement or another alternative, and request the supporting record.
- Confirm whether the offer is for a complete assembly, a kit or an individual part, and what is included.
- Ask which details remain unresolved, including any version or suffix difference. Do not let a blank field become an assumed match.
- Have your maintenance team or qualified provider approve suitability. Then compare condition, quantity, delivered cost, availability and warranty.
Send what you have and leave the unknowns open.
Remove fields that do not apply. You can send Installed View the same photo or incomplete description through the existing purchase form; there is no need to prepare a spreadsheet first.
Please help identify and quote the replacement for [component and what it does] on [equipment maker, model and serial number, if known]. We need [whole assembly / kit / individual component].
Attached are [nameplate photo, wider photo, parts drawing or earlier purchase record]. The markings I can read are [copy exactly; use ? for anything unreadable]. Our internal asset tag is [if useful]. Please keep it separate from the manufacturer part number.
Please confirm the full part number, what is included and the evidence linking it to this equipment. List any details you still need. If you propose a replacement number or alternative, provide the manufacturer reference or explain the differences. Our maintenance team will confirm suitability before ordering.
Please quote [quantity] for delivery to [city/ZIP], needed by [date, if known]. Include condition, freight and other charges, availability, expected arrival and warranty terms.
Send the purchase you’re working on.
Send one quote, a photo, a product link or a description. We will check what can be compared and what still needs verifying.
Send your quote or photoPrivate submission. No account required. How we handle your information
Questions about this guide? Send a correction.