Static manuals separate diagrams from parts data
Users move between drawings, tables and other systems to identify one component.
Industrial & MRO
Make industrial spare-parts lookup easier to navigate and act on.
Industrial and MRO teams support equipment with long service lives, changing part references and users who often recognize a machine or assembly before they know the right part number. PartGrid turns exploded views, technical drawings and structured parts data into interactive catalog experiences that help users move from equipment context to the relevant part.
Industrial operating context
MRO lookup starts with equipment context, not a perfect search term.
Industrial parts information is spread across technical manuals, exploded views, BOM tables, ERP or PIM records and the systems used by dealers and service teams. The person looking for a part may know the machine, model or assembly and still be unsure which description or current number to search. PartGrid provides a visual catalog layer that connects this existing documentation and parts data. It can support customer, dealer and internal lookup experiences while the systems that own pricing, stock, fulfillment and operational records remain in place.
Long equipment lifecycles
Keep useful visual context available while part relationships and replacement guidance evolve.
Maintenance-led lookup
Organize the experience around machines, assemblies and schematics rather than expecting users to start with a SKU.
Multiple service audiences
Use the same governed catalog foundation across customer, dealer and internal support workflows.
Recurring friction
Why industrial parts lookup becomes difficult at scale.
The challenge is rarely a lack of parts information. It is the distance between the context a user has and the structured information a business needs to act on.
Users know location, not terminology
A technician may recognize the failed component visually without knowing its current description or part number.
Legacy references remain in circulation
Printed manuals, old PDFs and invoices can keep historical references in active use.
Different channels need different catalog scope
Customers, dealers and internal teams may need different collections or presentation while working from shared relationships.
Support becomes the fallback search engine
Difficult identification generates repeated requests that could begin with a guided visual lookup.
Workflow transformation
Move from equipment context to an actionable part selection.
The goal is a connected lookup path, with review and operational ownership at each step.
- 01
Bring in source material
Start with exploded-view images, technical drawings, PDF manual pages and structured part data.
- 02
Connect visual references
Use interactive diagrams and AI-assisted detection or matching to accelerate the first pass.
- 03
Review the catalog
Correct mappings and verify the resulting catalog before customer-facing publication.
- 04
Organize by equipment
Use categories, collections and schematics to create a navigable experience for each audience.
- 05
Continue into the next workflow
Where configured, let selected parts move into quote, cart or another supported handoff.
Relevant capabilities
Use the capabilities that solve the industrial-catalog problem.
PartGrid combines visual identification, catalog structure and downstream handoff without requiring every surrounding system to move into the catalog.
Interactive parts diagrams
Connect visual callouts with structured part records so users can move between diagram and parts list.
Explore interactive parts diagramsPDF conversion
Reuse valuable parts manuals as source material for structured catalog and interactive diagram workflows.
Convert existing parts manualsCollections and categories
Structure machines, assemblies and related schematics into navigable experiences for each audience.
Organize complex catalogsPart replacement and supersession
Surface current replacement guidance where obsolete references have been linked to preferred parts.
Manage replacement relationshipsBulk catalog tools
Reduce repetitive work when managing larger sets of parts, categories and schematics.
Manage catalogs in bulkCart, quote and handoff
Move selected parts into built-in workflows, supported integrations or a custom parent-site flow.
Explore cart and quote handoffCommon scenarios
Where interactive MRO lookup helps.
The same catalog foundation can support different starting points and next actions.
Scenario 1
A technician recognizes the assembly
The technician knows the machine and where the component sits but not the current part reference.
They can navigate to the model and assembly, use the exploded view to locate the component and inspect the connected part information.
Scenario 2
An older manual is still in use
The original drawing contains the right visual context, but a historical reference may no longer be the preferred service item.
Configured replacement guidance can keep the old reference useful while pointing toward the current part relationship.
Scenario 3
A dealer handles repeated identification requests
Customers send screenshots, manual pages or vague descriptions when asking which part they need.
A focused visual catalog gives the dealer and customer another way to resolve the question before it becomes a manual support task.
Scenario 4
The same equipment serves several markets
Shared machines and diagrams need different language, currency or catalog scope by region or channel.
Shared catalog structure can remain governed centrally while market-facing experiences vary where localized content and configuration are available.
Connect lookup to the broader service operation
An interactive catalog is most useful when it fits the way industrial teams already work. A customer-facing self-service parts finder can guide identification, while a dealer or service workflow can keep the relevant machine and replacement context close to the selected part. For international delivery, multi-region catalog workflows can reuse the same underlying structure where localized content is available.
Rollout approach
Start with one high-friction equipment family.
Choose an equipment family with useful source diagrams, structured parts data and recurring identification questions. Process the source material, review the mappings, test the lookup journey with the people who use it and expand only after the catalog structure works in practice.
1
Choose representative equipment
Select a family with recurring lookup questions and usable diagrams.
2
Connect diagrams and data
Process the source material and review the resulting part relationships.
3
Test real lookup tasks
Check whether customers, dealers or technicians can identify parts with the expected context.
4
Expand by product family
Reuse the proven structure as additional equipment, audiences and regions are added.
AI-assisted detection and mapping should be reviewed before customer-facing publication.
Decision support
When an interactive industrial catalog is a strong fit.
PartGrid is most useful when visual assembly context materially helps people find the right part and the catalog needs to stay connected to current part data and downstream workflows.
A strong fit when
- Exploded views materially help users identify parts.
- Machines remain in service for years.
- Existing manuals or drawings contain reusable catalog knowledge.
- Customers, dealers or technicians repeatedly need visual parts lookup.
- The business wants to improve identification without replacing ERP, PIM, commerce or fulfillment systems.
Consider first
- Source diagrams need to be available and usable.
- AI-assisted detection and matching still require review.
- Replacement guidance depends on relationships being supplied or configured.
- The final commercial or service workflow may remain outside PartGrid.
FAQ
Industrial parts catalog questions.
Can we reuse existing exploded views?+
Yes. Existing exploded-view images and technical drawings can be used as source material for interactive parts diagrams, provided the callouts and part relationships are processed and reviewed.
Can PDF manuals be used?+
Yes. PDF catalog or manual pages can be processed into structured catalog content and interactive diagram workflows. The source material and output should be reviewed before publishing.
Does PartGrid replace our ERP or MRO systems?+
No. PartGrid provides a visual catalog and lookup layer. ERP, PIM, pricing, stock, fulfillment and other operational systems can remain responsible for the functions they already own.
How are old part numbers handled?+
Where replacement or supersession relationships have been configured, the catalog can connect an older reference to the preferred current item.
Can different dealers or regions get different experiences?+
PartGrid can support collections, localization and market- or channel-specific catalog presentation, depending on the configured structure and available localized content.
Turn one industrial diagram into a more useful parts experience.
Start with one existing exploded view and parts list to explore how visual identification could fit your MRO workflow.