Whirlpool is the largest domestic appliance manufacturer in the world and owns many brands. Some brands and appliances you will probably know are Whirlpool products but, many you will not as in Europe they have produced appliances for a number of different brands.
What you are looking for to ensure that any spare parts are 100% correct for your appliance is the 12NC number which is as shown below:
Just like cars, models change on production and over time with normally only minor incremental changes but some will directly affect the spare parts or components used in construction. Having this information is sometimes the only way to ensure compatibility of spare parts.