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Industrial pump supply: describe the pump and duty

In short

A pump order should explain what must be moved, the duty it must meet and the information you already have. This guide helps a business describe a new or replacement pump, including slurry, dewatering, multistage and progressive cavity pumps. The builder writes your request; the supplier confirms the selection.

Build your requestAll guides

Start with the order you need

Buyers usually start by saying whether they need a replacement pump, a pump for a new installation, or help selecting equipment for a stated duty.

  • If the type is known, name it: slurry, dewatering, multistage or progressive cavity. If it is not known, describe the fluid and the job instead of guessing.
  • For a replacement, include the existing make, model and any documents you already have. Say whether the duty or site conditions have changed.
  • State whether the order is for the pump alone or also a motor, controls and other equipment. Ask the supplier to identify what is included.
  • This guide is for industrial supply. If you need a repair to an existing pump, describe that work separately. Household shopping, employment and training are different needs.

The fluid and duty belong together

KSB's centrifugal-pump guidance identifies the liquid's density, temperature, viscosity, solids and chemical properties, together with flow, head and suction conditions, as inputs to selection. Include the information your site already knows.[1]

Grundfos describes flow as liquid volume per unit of time, commonly expressed in m³/h, and head in metres. Its sizing guidance also relates the pump curve to the system's losses. A height figure alone is not a complete duty specification.[2]

Details to include in the request

Buyers usually collect the duty information they have and mark what still needs confirmation. These are examples of wording, not a pump selection or a calculated duty.[1][3]

Details to include in the request
DetailWhat to includeExample wording
Fluid and solidsThe fluid, known solids and operating temperature.Process water with fine abrasive solids; site data sheet available.
Flow and headKnown required values and units; say when either is unknown.Required flow 30 m³/h at total head 20 m. Please confirm against our duty sheet.
Operating conditionsSuction arrangement, power, connections, duty hours and controls.Continuous duty; please check the existing connections and power supply.
Existing equipmentMake, model, nameplate and existing documents.Replacement requested; nameplate details and drawings can be provided.

Confirm the supply and delivery scope

Common practice is to agree the equipment and delivery scope before ordering. The builder leaves space for the details the site knows; add other requirements directly to your request.

  • Give the number of pumps, the delivery town, the required date and any receiving-site instructions.
  • Ask for the proposed model, the duty it is intended to meet and the documentation supplied with it.
  • State any requirements for materials, seals, mounting, connections or site approvals. Ask the supplier to confirm these against the actual fluid and duty.
  • Say who will arrange installation, electrical connection and testing before first use. Include these in the request if you also need that work.

Build your pump supply request

Describe the pump and the duty you know. This tool writes a request you can send to a supplier, or post on Headcore. You can change every word.

Say whether this is a replacement, a new installation or a request for help selecting a pump. Leave unknown figures blank and describe the job in your own words.

What do you need the pump for?
Which pump type, if known?
How soon?

Free to post. Your request goes to companies that supply industrial pumps. Your company stays hidden until you choose who to talk to, and you review it before anything is posted.

Or go straight to the request form

Why each detail helps

  • The pump or the part: The make and model from the nameplate, and part numbers or the old part if you have them.
  • What it must do: The liquid it pumps, and the flow and head if you know them.
  • Fit: Mounting flange, shaft, rotation and ports, so it fits without changes.
  • Quantity and delivery: How many, where to, and by when.
As often written
Need an industrial pump.
With the questions answered
We need replacement industrial pumps for our business. Pump type: slurry pump. Fluid, solids and conditions: process water with fine abrasive solids. Number of pumps: 1. Required flow rate: 30 m³/h. Required total head: 20 m. Operating conditions: Continuous duty; existing mounting and connections to be checked. Delivery town or suburb: Wadeville. We would like delivery within the next two weeks.

Use the requirements for the actual pump

The cited KSB Etanorm manual requires operation within the specified limits and with the fluids stated in the product documents. It also prohibits operating that pump without fluid. These are requirements for that pump family, not a specification for other designs.[3]

  • The Etanorm manual requires suitably qualified personnel for installation, inspection and maintenance. Ask for the manual and installation requirements for the proposed equipment and agree who will carry out that work.[3]

How Headcore helps with this order

Keep your usual supplier in the mix. Headcore helps you find additional companies that can supply this.

  1. 01

    Describe what you need

    Start in your own words; the old pump's nameplate is a good start. You review the request before anything is posted.

  2. 02

    Reach companies that supply them

    Companies that supply industrial pumps and serve your area see the request. Each decides for itself whether to respond.

  3. 03

    Choose who to speak with

    Compare how they would approach it, reveal your company only to the ones you choose, and deal with them directly.

Questions buyers ask

Who sees my request?

Companies that do this specific work, within reach of your site. They see the job. Whether they also see your company name is your choice: you can stay anonymous until you pick who to talk to.

What if nobody responds?

Your request reaches companies that do this work within minutes. Each decides for itself whether to respond, so we cannot promise responses. If the work cannot wait, contact your usual suppliers as well.

What does it cost to post a request?

Posting a request is free. A supplier pays one token when it decides your request is worth answering. What you agree about the work is between you and the supplier.

Can I ask for an equivalent from another make?

Yes. Say so in the request, and give the ratings and mounting details so suppliers can offer an equivalent that fits.

Does Headcore sell or repair pumps?

No. Headcore is a matching system: it puts your request in front of companies that do this work, and you deal with the supplier directly. Keep your usual suppliers; use Headcore when they cannot help, or when the job is outside what they do.

What if I do not know the required flow or head?

Leave those fields blank. Describe what you need to pump, where it comes from and where it must go. Include existing documents if available and ask the supplier what information is needed to confirm the duty.

Start with what you know.

Answer a few questions and get a request ready to send, to your own repairer or on Headcore.

Build your request