3D Printing Spare Parts – When It Makes Sense (and When It Doesn't)

We’ve all been there: a vital piece of equipment breaks down, only to find the manufacturer no longer makes the specific part you need. Or perhaps a plastic component on a cherished item simply snaps, rendering the whole thing useless. It’s frustrating, expensive, and contributes to unnecessary waste.

Enter 3D printing. The ability to create complex objects on demand makes it a seemingly perfect solution for producing replacement parts. In this article we will cover why 3D printing is the perfect solution for making spare parts, but also why in various cases it may not be practical.

As Coventry's 3D printing specialists, we often help individuals and businesses decide if 3D printing is the right answer for their specific needs. Often this involves spare parts for machinery, cars or kitchen cabinets.

Let's break down when it truly excels, and when you might need to look for other solutions.

When 3D Printing Spare Parts Makes Perfect Sense

1. For Obsolete or Discontinued Parts

This is the holy grail for 3D printed spare parts. If a manufacturer no longer produces a part, your options are limited to scouring eBay, buying an expensive used assembly, or fabricating a custom solution.

• Scenario: A classic car part, handle for an old drawer, or a worn plastic gear in an old machine breaks. The original parts have not been in production for years.

• The 3D Printing Solution: If you have the original broken part (or even a working counterpart), we can create a 3D CAD model of your part. This may involve 3D scanning the original part or manually measuring it. From the 3D model we can 3D print the replacement part for you.

  • Example: We recently helped a local business to replicate a classic car part that is impossible to find anywhere these days.

Replacement part for a classic car

2. For Custom-Designed or Enhanced Parts

Sometimes, the original part may not be up for the intended task, or you need to adapt an existing item for a new purpose.

• Scenario: The original bracket for a piece of manufacturing equipment was too weak and broke repeatedly. Or you need to modify a cover for an enclosure to install new buttons or screen.

• The 3D Printing Solution: We can design and print custom replacement parts that improves on the original design or helps to expand capabilities. This allows wide flexibility and tailored solutions.

  • Example:  Redesigning a bracket to include mounting for a vibration sensor on old machinery to monitor it's health status.

3. For Temporary Fixes

Often 3D printed parts can be invaluable tool as a stop-gap measure.

• Scenario: A critical non-load-bearing part breaks on a production line, and a replacement will take weeks to arrive.

• The 3D Printing Solution: We can quickly print a temporary, functional spare to keep operations running while you wait for the official replacement.

When 3D Printing Spare Parts May Not Make Sense

1. For products that are still in production and spare parts are available.

Often manufacturers put significant markups on spare parts, making them expensive. This is where 3D printing seems like a good option for making cheaper spare parts. However, more often than not buying the existing spares is likely to be cheaper than having just a few custom 3D printed.

• Why: For one or couple of parts, a big part of the cost is creating a custom 3D model that is required for 3D printing. This can often take hours of modelling time and require a prototypes to get all the fits right. OEM parts also guarantee a good fit as well as use the original materials.

  • Example: A replacement cover for electronics enclosure costs £45 from OEM, but would only cost £25 to 3D print. However, on top of the print cost there is a few hours of reverse engineering time as well as testing bringing the total cost much higher.

• Solutions: other than buying the original replacement part you can try find an existing model of your part. Here is a list of some of them:

• printables.com

• makerworld.com

• thingiverse.com

• thangs.com

• yeggi.com

2. For Safety-Critical or Certificated Parts

Parts that are crucial for safety (e.g., in aerospace, medical implants, or structural components under immense load) often require specific material certifications and manufacturing processes that current 3D printing may not always meet.

• Why: Even if the material properties are theoretically similar, the layer-by-layer nature of 3D printing can introduce anisotropic properties (meaning strength varies by direction) or microscopic voids that might not be acceptable for strict safety standards.

• Rule of Thumb: If a part failure could lead to serious injury or catastrophic damage, consult with certified manufacturers first.

3. For Parts Requiring Extreme Specific Properties (e.g., Extreme Heat, Chemical Resistance)

While 3D printing materials are improving, some highly specialized industrial applications still require materials that are difficult or impossible to print reliably (e.g., certain high-performance metals or ceramics).

• Why: While we offer materials like ASA, Nylon, PC and flame retardant PETG, which have excellent properties, they might not match the very specific thermal or chemical resistance of certain niche industrial uses.

• Rule of Thumb: For extreme environmental demands, discuss your specific needs with us or the original manufacturer.

Making the Right Choice for Your Spare Part

3D printing is a powerful solution for keeping equipment running, reducing waste, and empowering innovation. Knowing when and where to apply it is key to a successful outcome.

Do you have a broken part that needs replacing? Or an idea for an improved component? Contact our expert team in Coventry today. We'll help you assess if 3D printing is the right solution for your spare part challenge and provide a free, no-obligation quote.