Wear Part vs Consumable vs Kit in Spare Parts Data

Wear parts degrade with use. Consumables are used up in operation. Kits bundle parts for a service procedure. This glossary entry covers the definitions, how they appear in catalog data, and why the distinction matters for service planning.

A wear part degrades through use and is replaced on a maintenance schedule — bearings, seals, brake pads, belts. A consumable is used up in operation and must be replenished — lubricants, filters, coolant. A kit bundles parts (often a mix of wear parts and consumables) for a specific service procedure. In catalog data, the distinction drives maintenance planning, reorder logic and BOM structure.

Definitions

Type	What happens to it	Replacement trigger	Examples
Wear part	Degrades through use; retains physical form until replacement	Condition-based or time/hours-based interval	Bearings, seals, brake pads, belts, cutting inserts, contact tips
Consumable	Used up in operation; does not retain form	Consumption rate or volume-based replenishment	Lubricants, filters, coolant, adhesives, wiper blades, welding wire
Kit	A bundled set of parts for a service procedure, ordered as one SKU	Service interval or event (e.g., major overhaul)	Seal kits, gasket kits, service kits, overhaul kits, starter kits

How they appear in catalog data

Wear parts and consumables are individual SKUs with their own product records, specifications and applicability data. They appear in the service BOM (sBOM) as replaceable items.

Kits are a structural challenge. A kit is an orderable SKU that contains multiple components — each of which may also be orderable individually. In the catalog data, a kit needs:

Its own SKU and product record (the kit as a whole)
A COMPONENT_OF relationship to each item it contains, with quantities
A clear indication of whether the components are also sold separately

When a manufacturer supersedes a kit, the change may be a simple number change (same contents, new kit number) or a structural change (the kit splits into individual components, or the contents change). Both are common and both require different handling in the supersession record.

Why the distinction matters

Maintenance planning. Wear parts drive maintenance schedules: “replace bearing every 5,000 hours.” Consumables drive replenishment schedules: “top up lubricant every 500 hours.” Kits drive service events: “order the 10,000-hour service kit.” Without the distinction, the catalog cannot support automated maintenance planning.

Kit-to-component resolution. When a kit is discontinued, the technician needs to know whether the individual components are still available separately. If the catalog does not link the kit to its components, the technician cannot assemble the equivalent set of parts.

BOM accuracy. The sBOM may list a kit as a single line item. The eBOM may list the kit’s individual components. If the catalog does not carry the kit-to-component relationship, reconciling the sBOM and eBOM for the same assembly produces a mismatch.

Where Claro fits

Claro stores wear-part, consumable and kit classifications as attributes on the product identity record, and kit-to-component relationships as COMPONENT_OF edges with quantities. When a kit is superseded — whether by a new kit number or by a split into individual components — the supersession record captures the structural change, not just the number change.

Glossary

Spare Parts Data Glossary

All spare-parts data terms in one table.

Glossary

Exploded view, parts list and BOM

What each artifact carries, including the sBOM that lists serviceable items.

Guide

Spare parts applicability data

Machine, model and serial range fitment for parts and kits.

FAQ

What is the difference between a wear part and a consumable?

A wear part degrades through use but retains its physical form until it is replaced — bearings, brake pads, seals, belts. A consumable is used up in operation and must be replenished — lubricants, filters, coolant, wiper blades. The distinction matters for service planning: wear parts have a replacement interval based on condition or hours of operation; consumables have a replenishment interval based on consumption rate.

Why does the catalog need to distinguish wear parts, consumables and kits?

Because they appear in different contexts: wear parts and consumables drive maintenance schedules and reorder triggers, while kits bundle the parts needed for a specific service procedure. A catalog that does not distinguish them cannot support maintenance planning, kit-to-component resolution, or accurate BOM-level ordering.