Mercedes-Benz Bumper at Half the Price... KTC Expands the Market for Quality-Certified Auto Parts [IT Chosun Report]
“Automotive quality certified parts, such as bumpers and taillights, guarantee the same quality as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts installed in new vehicles through a rigorous testing and certification process at this location.”
Researchers from the Korea Testing Certification (KTC) and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) are testing quality-certified parts at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
With the announcement of the end of internal combustion engine vehicles and the transition to eco-friendly future vehicles like electric and hydrogen cars, the domestic automotive parts industry is actively exploring new opportunities. At this pivotal moment, ‘automotive quality-certified parts’ are gaining attention as a new industry breakthrough. KTC, together with TS, is working to promote the market for ‘quality-certified parts.’
Quality-certified parts, known as alternative automotive parts, are certified components that have been in place since January 2015 under the Automotive Replacement Parts Certification System. These parts, which have minimal impact on safety, are often damaged or expensive to repair, including exterior parts, lighting, and functional and consumable products. With the revision of the Automobile Management Act in February this year, the definition of new automotive parts now includes quality-certified parts alongside OEM parts.
Consequently, quality-certified parts are now recognized as equivalent to new parts, along with OEM parts.
However, consumers who wanted to replace expensive OEM parts with cheaper alternatives had to turn to uncertified products on the market. Despite the introduction of the relevant certification system in 2015, it was difficult to find desired quality-certified parts or there was a lack of awareness about them.
According to the 2020 ‘Automotive Replacement Parts Quality Test Results’ report by the Korea Consumer Agency, only 10.2% (102 respondents) said they were aware of replacement parts, while 50.3% (503 respondents) said they were unaware.
Quality-certified parts are stored at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
In 2021, the global market size for automotive quality-certified parts was approximately 950 trillion won, but the utilization rate in the Korean market was only 5.6%, compared to the United States (34%), France (43.2%), Germany (19.8%), and Japan (13.5%). The domestic after-sales parts market is estimated to be around 10.5 trillion won, with most of these parts being OEM products.
Purchasing quality-certified parts can further reduce repair costs. According to a comparison evaluation released by TS in December 2023, the performance and quality of the front bumper cover of the Mercedes-Benz ‘GLC’ were rated the same, but the quality-certified part cost 563,800 won, which is half the price of the OEM part (1,025,800 won). For the domestic Hyundai ‘Santa Fe(TM)’, the price was about 35% cheaper compared to the OEM part.
There are 39 certified companies in Korea, with 1,835 quality-certified parts. In January 2023, the automobile standard contract terms were revised to allow for replacement repairs for minor vehicle damage, increasing the demand for quality-certified parts.
The Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
To further promote these quality-certified parts, the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center opened in November 2023 in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do, under the supervision of TS. KTC is currently operating the certification center jointly with TS to promote the market for quality-certified parts, enhance reliability, and provide a one-stop service for automotive replacement parts certification.
Specifically, KTC is responsible for performance testing of exterior and functional consumable parts, such as bumpers and fenders, while TS handles lighting parts, such as headlamps.
In the future, KTC plans to support domestic automotive parts companies facing management difficulties due to the rapid transition from internal combustion engines to eco-friendly future cars by promoting joint research and development (R&D) in future mobility fields such as EV batteries and semiconductors, and by strengthening overseas certification services.
The first and only testing equipment in Korea
The certification center, visited recently, was equipped with facilities and testing equipment comparable to any manufacturer. The certification center, consisting of 11 test rooms, uses 63 types of advanced testing equipment to conduct performance, safety, and physical property tests for products to ensure they meet the same standards as OEM products.
Testing the quality of headlamps in the lighting test room at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
The lighting test room, visited for the first time, was a darkroom. In the darkroom, a car headlamp was placed on a goniometer (rotating stand). Four sensors were installed at distances of 3 meters, 6 meters, 10 meters, and 25 meters in front of the headlamp. The sensors measure whether the light intensity and color meet the test standards as the lamp moves at angles similar to vehicle movement.
The lighting test room on the 4th floor was designed to allow a full vehicle to be brought in for testing via a car elevator.
The filtration device test room, which tests oil filters and other devices, is the only place in Korea with oil filter testing equipment outside of some manufacturers.
In this facility, various tests are conducted to examine the durability of oil filters by applying a constant pressure repeatedly and testing their filtering performance by introducing dust, etc.
Conducting quality certification tests in the filtration device test room at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
Additionally, the certification center tests the physical properties of products using various specialized testing equipment. The equipment tests products by cutting, stretching, corroding, and heating them to see if their characteristics meet standards.
The certification center has specialized testing equipment for testing the tensile strength of plastic materials by cutting samples such as vehicle bumpers and fenders, and for conducting rebound force tests by dropping steel balls from specified heights.
Conducting tensile strength tests of quality-certified products at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
Moreover, tests are conducted to see if physical properties change according to indoor temperatures ranging from low to high, including saltwater corrosion tests.
The corrosion test sprays a mixture of sodium chloride and purified water on the test products for hours to check for corrosion. There is also equipment to measure the thermal expansion coefficient by heating the parts to their melting points to see how much they expand.
There is also a product development room with a 3D printer. Here, the 3D printer is used to check if the product is designed according to the drawing, and if it matches, reverse engineering is performed to start the product design. To do this, existing products intended for production as quality-certified parts are scanned within a 1-meter area to create product drawings. This process ensures that quality-certified products are made to fit the vehicle without any gaps.
A 3D printer and other testing equipment are available at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
Next to the 3D printer test space is a lift where parts can be mounted on a vehicle for actual testing.
Durability tests are also conducted on products sensitive to impacts, such as vehicle batteries, by applying vibrations. The vibration test can control temperature and humidity inside the testing equipment, allowing observation of any changes in the product when vibrations are applied at 100 degrees Celsius.
Researchers from KTC and TS prepare for a vehicle battery durability test at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
In a large space on the first floor, a huge piece of equipment resembling a goliath crane in a shipyard was seen along with computer monitors. This equipment tests relatively heavy parts such as vehicle lower arms and torsion beams. It repeatedly tests vehicle underbody parts involved in rotational driving to check the durability of internal rubber parts and the amount of twist that occurs.
Underneath the equipment, which can lift parts with a hoist, there was a grid-patterned floor. This large platen allows free movement of the grid-patterned floor to fix test products according to the length and shape of the product.
Additionally, the center tests the hardness of rubber in belts such as car fan belts by continuously running them, and it tests the effect of ozone injection on sunlight exposure.
Korean quality-certified parts recognized in the global market
After undergoing these tests, quality-certified parts are recognized in the global market. In particular, in the United States, where the market for quality-certified parts is active, there is a demand for Korean quality-certified parts due to dissatisfaction with the lower quality of Taiwanese products, which are popular due to their low prices.
Kim Seung-hyun, a senior researcher at KTC, explained that "Taiwanese companies export about 4 trillion won worth of replacement parts to the United States annually, making them global leaders,” adding, “Domestic quality-certified parts manufacturers are also preparing to meet export demands and explore overseas markets.”
Researchers from KTC and TS conduct quality certification tests on vehicle lower arms at the Automotive Parts Certification Support Center in Hongseong County, Chungcheongnam-do.
KTC plans to help expand exports and establish a presence in the global market for domestic companies by utilizing its global network, including six overseas branches in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Indonesia, Vietnam, Germany, and the UAE, and partnerships with 68 overseas institutions in 36 countries. Additionally, KTC plans to collaborate with TS and the Korea Auto Parts Association (KAPA) to promote the market for quality-certified parts and educate and raise awareness among consumers.
Repairing a vehicle with quality-certified parts can also result in insurance reimbursement. Kim explained, “If you repair a vehicle with quality-certified parts, you can apply to the Korea Insurance Development Institute for a 25% insurance premium refund.”
Quality-certified parts certified at the certification center can be purchased online at the KAPA Mall, the Korea Auto Parts Association’s
