Can this part be remade? Checker
Answer six questions about the broken part. The checker tells you whether it is a sensible job for a maker with a 3D printer, CNC machine or laser cutter, suggests a material, and stops you when the part is safety-critical and should be a certified original.
It is a first filter, not an engineering sign-off. A maker who sees your photos and measurements has the final say, and may decline.
How to use this calculator
- Start with what it is from and what it does. A cosmetic cap and a gear in the same appliance get very different answers.
- Tick any safety category honestly. If the part belongs to brakes, steering, gas, mains electrics, pressure, childcare, medical, structural or battery systems, the checker stops: those parts must be certified originals.
- Say how warm and wet it gets. Heat and sunlight decide the material more than anything else. A clip inside a car parked in the sun needs a different plastic from one inside a wardrobe.
- Pick what you can give the maker. The broken original is best. Photos with a ruler in shot and caliper measurements come next.
- Read the verdict, then post. If the part is a candidate, the button takes you to The Spool List with your answers attached, so you can describe the part and get quotes.
Broken part in your hand?
Photograph it, measure it, post it once.
Post the part free on The Spool List. Makers quote with a price and a lead time, and the platform holds your payment until you confirm delivery.
Questions about this calculator
Can any broken plastic part be 3D printed?
Many can: clips, catches, knobs, covers, brackets, feet, trim and small gears are common jobs. Safety-critical parts (brakes, gas, mains electrics, pressure, childcare, medical, structural, batteries) should not be remade by a maker, and parts that get very hot are usually better machined in metal or bought new.
Why does the checker refuse some parts?
Because a failure could hurt someone. The Spool List’s own guidance is that parts for brakes, gas, structural loads or medical implants should come from certified suppliers. A UK government research paper on 3D-printed spare parts (BEIS/OPSS, September 2020) lists risks such as weak layer bonding, porosity and the effects of moisture, UV and ageing.
Which plastic should I ask for?
For most indoor clips and brackets, PETG. For sun, outdoor use or hot car interiors, ASA. For gears, hinges and anything that wears, nylon. For seals, feet and bumpers, flexible TPU. PLA suits indoor, low-heat cosmetic pieces only. The maker may suggest something else once they see the part.
Is the answer a guarantee that the part will work?
No. It is a first filter. Fit and strength depend on the measurements, the material and the process, and a maker may need a test piece. Agree in writing what the part must do before you accept a quote.