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Can you remake a broken or discontinued part from the old one?

By Terry Tan
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A customer's broken black projector bracket, snapped into two pieces, lying on artificial grass beside the new L-shaped bracket we modelled and 3D printed to replace it, with metal threaded inserts already fitted

Yes. If a part is broken, discontinued or simply impossible to buy, we can usually remake it from the old one: we measure it, draw it again in CAD, print a test piece to check the fit, then make the final part in the right material. This is called reverse engineering, and we do the design and the 3D printing in our own studio in Singapore.

Replacement part materials at a glance

Where the part lives and what it doesWhat we would usually make it inWhy that material suits it
Indoors, light duty: covers, knobs, clips, trimsPLA or PETG filamentClean, accurate and quick to print; PETG is the tougher of the two
Outdoors or in a car, in full sunASA filamentMade to stand up to sun and weather without going brittle
Takes a load, heat or a lot of wearNylon or carbon-fibre filamentsStiffer, stronger and more heat resistant than the everyday filaments
Has to bend, squeeze or gripTPU, a flexible filamentBends and springs back instead of cracking
Small, with fine detail or a smooth finishResin (SLA printing)Picks up detail and fine features a filament print cannot
Has to be metalMetal 3D printing or CNC machiningA real metal part, for strength, heat or a machined fit

Test print: a first copy we check against your original before making the final part. It is a normal step, not a sign that something went wrong.

Tell us about your part and we will suggest a material

What to bring: the old part, even in pieces

The old part is the best drawing we will ever get, so bring it, however broken. Pieces still show us the wall thickness, the hole positions and how it clipped in. Glue nothing back together first: a bad glue line hides the real shape.

If you cannot bring it in, send us:

  • Clear photos from the front, the back and each side, with a ruler or measuring tape beside the part.
  • The make and model number of the machine, appliance or vehicle it came from.
  • What the part does: what it holds, what it clips onto, whether it moves, and whether it gets hot or sits in the sun.
  • The part it mates with, if it is small enough to bring. Matching two real parts beats guessing from one.
Two pieces of a snapped black plastic projector bracket lying on artificial grass
A projector bracket that arrived in two pieces. Even broken, it showed us every hole and slot.

Remaking it: measure, model, test, then make

  1. Measure. For most parts we use callipers and a few gauges. When the shape is curved or complex, we scan it with our handheld 3D scanner and use the scan as a guide.
  2. Model. We draw the part again in CAD (computer-aided design software). We draw it as a clean, editable model rather than copying the scan as it is, so worn or broken areas come out as they should be. We can also improve the weak spot that made it break.
  3. Test. We print a test piece and check it against your original, or you try it in place.
  4. Make. Once the fit is right, we make the final part in the material that suits the job.

You do not need a 3D file to start. Making that file is the design part of the job, and we quote it per part.

A customer's four original white vent parts on a wooden table, two with a honeycomb grille and two with louvres
The customer's original vent parts, with no file
A grey CAD render of a rounded rectangular vent with angled slats, drawn from the customer's sample
One of them, redrawn in CAD

Send us photos of your part

Fit: a test print first is normal

Expect a test print, and do not worry when it needs a small change. Old parts wear, shrink and warp over the years, and the part they clip into has often moved too. A clip that is a fraction of a millimetre too tight will not snap in; one that is too loose rattles.

So we print once, check, adjust the model and print again if needed. A printed part also needs a little room built in where it meets another part. Our guide to tolerances and clearances explains how much.

Four grey 3D printed window latches, each with a hooked handle and a small metal pin, laid out on a pale blue table
Replacement window latches for an interior design firm, each one checked for function before it went out.

Material: match it to where the part lives

The material matters as much as the shape. A perfect copy in the wrong plastic will soften in a hot car or crack in the sun.

Still unsure? Our material guide walks through the choice, or just tell us what the part does and we will pick.

Two sun-faded, scratched original motorbike side panels at the top of a wooden floor, with two new smooth grey panels of the same shape below them
Sun-worn original motorbike panels above their replacements, printed in ASA, primed and painted. See the project

One part or a batch: both are fine

Most replacement jobs are one part, and that is fine. Once the model is right, though, more copies cost no extra design time, so it is worth asking whether you need spares. A building manager might replace one broken vent today and keep five on the shelf.

For larger runs, we print batches too. One customer sent four vent samples and took 160 printed parts. For runs of about 20 to a few hundred, silicone moulding can cost less per part, and past about 1,000, injection moulding usually does. We will tell you which suits your number.

A finished set of four white printed vent parts in a row on a white table, from an angled louvre at the back to a horizontal louvre at the front
One set from a batch of 160 vent parts, remade from the customer's samples. See the project

Risky parts: we will tell you honestly

We look at every request, and we will tell you honestly if a 3D printed part is not the right answer. That is most likely where a failure could hurt someone, for example a part that holds weight overhead or sits in a safety system. In that case we say so, and point you to the right route if we know one. For everything else, we are happy to take a look.

Lead times: design is quoted per job

Design time depends on the part. A simple bracket takes far less time to model than a complex housing, so we quote it per job.

For the making, as a rough gauge for a simple, low-complexity design: a normal-size FDM or SLA part (about 10 to 15 cm) takes 4 to 7 working days on Standard, 3 to 5 on Express, or 1 to 3 on Super Rush after a feasibility check. Ask us for an accurate date. More on timings in how long will my order take.

Already have a 3D file? Upload it for an instant price

Frequently asked

Can you 3D print a replacement for a broken part?

Yes, in most cases we can. We measure the old part, or scan it when the shape is complex, draw it again in CAD, print a test piece to check the fit, and then make the final part in a material that suits the job. Bring the broken part even if it is in pieces.

What do I need to send you?

The broken part itself is best, even in several pieces. If you cannot bring it in, send clear photos from a few angles with a ruler beside it, the make and model number of the machine it came from, and a line on what the part does and where it lives.

Do I need a 3D file?

No, you do not need a 3D file. Making the file is the reverse engineering part of the job, and we quote that design time per job. If you do have a file, upload it to the instant quote and skip that step.

Will the new part fit first time?

Often it does, but a test print first is normal and we plan for it. Old parts wear, shrink or warp, and a fraction of a millimetre can decide whether a clip snaps in. We check the test piece against the real thing, adjust the model if needed, and only then make the final part.

Which material should a replacement part be made in?

It depends on where the part lives and what it does. PLA or PETG suit indoor parts, ASA suits parts in the sun, nylon or carbon-fibre filaments suit parts that take a load, TPU suits parts that must bend, and resin suits small parts with fine detail. Metal parts are made by metal 3D printing or CNC machining.

Can you make more than one?

Yes, once the model is right, extra copies cost no more design time. We have printed a single bracket and we have printed a batch of 160 vent parts from one set of samples. For runs of about 20 to a few hundred, silicone moulding can cost less per part, and past about 1,000 injection moulding usually does; we will tell you which suits your number.

Are there parts you will not remake?

We look at every request and will tell you honestly if a 3D printed part is not the right answer. That is most likely where a failure could hurt someone, such as a part that holds weight overhead or sits in a safety system. In those cases we say so, and point you to the right route if we know one.

How long does a replacement part take?

Design time is quoted per job, because a simple bracket and a complex housing take very different time to model. For the printing, as a rough gauge for a simple, low-complexity design, a normal-size FDM or SLA part takes 4 to 7 working days on Standard. Ask us for an accurate date.

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