Genuine Wichita Replacement Friction Discs for Copper Mine Grinding Mill

A large copper mine operator in South Africa fitted non-genuine replacement friction discs in a large 34-inch Wichita Standard Ventilated Clutch with catastrophic consequences. Following an open tender for genuine Wichita spares, the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder. The new parts were installed in the Wichita clutch during a scheduled service period. Shortly afterwards the clutch caught fire. Investigations by the mining company revealed they had in fact been supplied with non-genuine parts even though they had specifically requested genuine Wichita parts. The use of the non-genuine parts resulted in unnecessary extra costs. The clutch was rebuilt with genuine Wichita replacement friction discs and is now functioning as per the original specification.

The use of non-genuine Wichita parts purchased from other sources is never recommended as these are often of inferior quality and manufactured from materials that do not conform to the original manufacturer’s specification. Non-genuine parts often perform poorly, wear quickly, fail prematurely and can damage other, more expensive, parts of the clutch or brake.

The problem for some genuine Wichita Clutch customers is that non-genuine parts can often look similar to the genuine part. While they may look similar, they certainly do not perform in a similar manner. One supplier of imitation parts is based near Wichita Clutch, in Wichita Falls, Texas. This company was founded with a business model based on supplying the market with “copy” parts for Wichita clutches and brakes. However, Wichita Clutch does NOT authorize the use of these non-genuine replacement parts in Wichita clutches and brakes.