Cummins Asia Pacific Magazine - Issue 1 2023

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Cummins Perth workshop supervisor Gary
Mollart (left) and service technician Ryan
Elliott who were involved in the teardown
and analysis of the destroyed engine.
Counterfeit parts not worth
the risk, warns Cummins
It’s a warning often repeated by original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs), yet some businesses continue to put their operations at
risk – knowingly or otherwise – by using cheap counterfeit parts.
Some of the counterfeit parts that resulted
in destruction of the 50-litre engine.
Powering more types of equipment in more
markets than any other engine company,
Cummins encounters and fights against
counterfeiting every day while constantly warning
that use of bogus parts can have potentially
serious consequences in terms of safety,
productivity and performance.
The main reason for using counterfeit components
is to reduce costs, even though this can ultimately
compromise an engine’s lifespan, resulting in a
blow-out of whole-of-life costs.
“Counterfeiters are becoming so sophisticated
that their parts often look like the original, even
down to their labelling, packaging, barcodes and QR codes, and many consumers are misled
into thinking they are buying the genuine article,” says Kyle Miller, Cummins’ aftermarket
business development manager for mining in the Asia Pacific region.
“These products are usually reverse-engineered with poor quality materials and loose
specifications. They are not designed or tested to Cummins’ exacting engineering and quality
standards and this can lead to rapid wear, poor reliability, high fuel and oil consumption,
excessive emissions and even engine failure.
Safety risk
Counterfeiters
are becoming so
sophisticated that
their parts often look
like the original…
“Counterfeit parts can also pose a safety risk if they are poorly produced or made of
substandard materials. For example, fire risk or electrical failure may result from faulty
components.”
He points out that while manufacturers of counterfeit parts may claim their products will work
in a Cummins engine, the fact is they are not fit for purpose. Only genuine components are
built to meet the original factory specifications while using the latest materials, component
designs and manufacturing techniques.
“With genuine Cummins parts, customers know where and how they have been
manufactured, so they can be confident in the quality, durability and reliability of the parts. In
the event of failure, Cummins takes responsibility in providing warranty.”
The proliferation of cheap counterfeit parts entering Australia and New Zealand is a growing
concern. In both countries, the purchase and supply of counterfeit goods is illegal.
A recent case in Australia saw a mine operator buy fuel injectors through a reputable thirdparty
supplier. The injectors showed all the signs of being a Cummins product but with a
cheaper price. After the injectors were installed in 15 engines, the operator began to see
performance degradation along with higher fuel consumption and increased visible exhaust
emissions. A Cummins technician found the injectors to be counterfeit so the short-term
savings ended up costing the customer more in lost production.
Every genuine Cummins part is backed by a comprehensive factory warranty and supported
by Cummins’ extensive support network in the Asia Pacific region, ensuring peace of mind
and financial protection. Counterfeit parts suppliers cannot provide this level of support.
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