What should I ask for before buying a mixed batch of SANY spare parts for a remote Kazakhstan project?

Start by asking the supplier to link each order line to one machine or assembly identity, one candidate part identity, one supplied condition, and one batch or document record. If an order line has no line-to-record link, do not let a thick file of general certificates fill the gap.

1. Build a line-by-line evidence map before comparing documents

Mixed batches create risk because filters, seals, hoses and undercarriage items fail in different ways. A filter that fits one SANY excavator suffix may be wrong for another with the same base model. A seal may be correct for the cylinder but not the rod size in that serial-number range. A hose may be long enough but have the wrong end fitting. An undercarriage item may be a used part with acceptable visual condition but no measured life left.

Ask for an order-line table or quote that contains:

• machine model and serial number from the nameplate, where available
• assembly or installation position
• old part number from the removed component, legible from photo or marking
• current candidate part number and catalogue revision
• supplied condition: new, reconditioned, used, or new old stock
• batch/lot or date where applicable
• component or housing photos and a line-specific photo of the actual item or its label, not a library image

This does not prove the part is correct. It only makes the claim checkable.

Candidate number

A candidate number is a line-by-line enquiry reference that connects a physical item, its photos, its quoted specification and its records to one proposed part. Ask the supplier to use one candidate number per line. Without it, comparing documents across a mixed batch becomes guesswork.

2. Check identity and fitment differently for the main mixed-batch items

Not every item needs the same evidence. Filters need serial-range fitment, hoses need end-fitting and length confirmation, seals need housing or rod identity, and undercarriage items need supplied condition and wear basis.

Filters

Ask for machine model/suffix, serial number, old filter part number, installation position and the candidate part number. If the old number has been superseded, ask for the documented supersession path, meaning the replacement chain when an old part number changes, not a verbal statement that it is the same. A photo of the filter box is useful only if it shows the label, part number, batch or date and condition.

Useful evidence: catalogue page or supplier written cross-reference showing the old number to the candidate number for the stated machine serial range. Model alone does not confirm this.

Seals

Ask for housing or cylinder assembly identity, rod or shaft diameter if that is how the seal is selected, and old seal part number. If the supplier can only say a generic SANY cylinder seal kit applies, request missing evidence. A seal kit may contain multiple profiles, so confirm which profile goes to which location.

Useful evidence: component photos, housing or gland markings, original seal number, and a supplier written line reference matching the kit to that cylinder. Photos of a sealed bag help, but they do not prove the material or hardness.

Hoses

Ask for installation position, old hose part number or hose tag, end fitting type and size, length, and any working pressure or temperature requirement from the machine documentation. For a remote project, length and fitting orientation matter because a field-fabricated replacement may not be acceptable for all positions.

Useful evidence: old hose label or tag, end-fitting photos with scale, and a written line reference for length and pressure class. A supplier statement alone is not proof.

Undercarriage items

Ask for machine serial number, undercarriage group, old part number, and supplied condition. If used track shoes, rollers, idlers or sprocket segments are being offered, request the measured wear or remaining life basis, not only a general photo. Acceptability depends on whether the buyer can accept used or reconditioned items and on the project wear limits.

Useful evidence: written supplied condition per line, measured or stated wear where relevant, batch or item marks, and photos that identify the exact item. If wear data is missing, treat it as unresolved.

3. Keep the evidence categories separate

Do not let one document be used to prove multiple different claims.

Identity

Identity answers what the part is: part number, old number, marking, catalogue revision.

Fitment

Fitment answers what it goes on: machine model/suffix, serial number, assembly, position and serial-range break where relevant.

Provenance

Provenance answers where the supplier obtained the item or whether documents trace to the batch. A supplier statement is useful, but it is not independent proof of authenticity or origin. A photo or supplier statement may support a claim, but it is not proof of every claim.

Sample results

Sample results apply only to the sample or item actually identified. A general certificate that does not carry the candidate number or batch/lot reference cannot show that a specific filter, seal, hose or undercarriage line was the one tested or checked.

Batch acceptance

Only the responsible parties can decide acceptance using the applicable requirements for the project, the machine documentation and the purchase order terms.

A thick document pack can still lack an item-to-record link. Before accepting it, check whether each line has at least one record tied to the candidate number, batch/lot, old part number or serial-number range. If not, ask for the missing link. If a record is referenced but not supplied for inspection, it remains unverified.

4. Treat unresolved questions as procurement matters

Remote Kazakhstan projects leave little room for easy returns. Before paying, ask for dated written supply terms that cover:

• which lines are new, used, reconditioned or new old stock
• which records will be supplied for each line
• what happens when a part arrives without the agreed line-to-record link
• what inspection period applies if the project accepts goods
• what written current stock and delivery information applies at the time of ordering

Do not ask the supplier to guess fitment. Ask them to confirm the missing field in writing or mark the line as unresolved. If a date or revision is missing from a quote, ask for it to be added. A quote without dates and candidate numbers is weaker evidence than one with them.

5. Next check before payment

Send the supplier a short request, not a general request for documents. For each order line, ask for:

1. Machine model/suffix and serial number or serial range
2. Old part number or legible marking from the removed part
3. Candidate part number and catalogue revision
4. Supplied condition
5. Installation position
6. Line-specific photo of the actual item or its label/marking
7. Batch/lot or date if the supplier says a certificate or test record applies
8. Dated written supply terms and current written stock and delivery information

This request does not guarantee fitment, authenticity or batch quality. It gives you a checkable trail so that missing evidence is visible before the parts leave for a remote site.

Parts Matching Support

If the supplier line-to-record link is weak, you can use a third-party matching support step to help compile observations for a candidate-number enquiry. MechLink is an external commercial parts-matching support service, not part of this guide and not a substitute for supplier records or manufacturer validation. If you use it, provide machine model and serial number, old part number, component or housing photos, and relevant labels or records. Kazakhstan phone / WhatsApp: +77026412810. Ask the supplier separately for current written stock and delivery information; this guide does not state availability, lead time or price.

6. Sources

No supplier catalogues, machine manuals, certificates, batch records or supplier websites were inspected for this article. The checklist is based on the editorial brief for pre-purchase evidence and general parts-procurement practice. Specific fitment, authenticity and acceptance must be verified from the applicable SANY documentation and supplier records.