Introduction
Every household has at least one appliance or piece of furniture held together by a small plastic component that the manufacturer considers disposable. When that clip, bracket, hinge or knob breaks, the replacement options are often frustrating: the manufacturer wants £25 plus shipping for a part that cost pennies to make, the model has been discontinued so no official spares exist, or the part is only available as part of a full assembly that costs more than the appliance is worth. 3D printing sidesteps all of these problems. A broken part can be measured, modelled and printed in a material that matches or exceeds the strength of the original — usually within 24 to 48 hours and for a fraction of the cost.
Why This Happens
Manufacturers injection-mould small plastic parts from materials chosen for cost and speed of production, not long-term durability. Clips and brackets are often made from polypropylene or ABS blended with recycled content, which becomes brittle over time — especially in appliances exposed to heat, moisture or UV light. A fridge shelf bracket that sits near the cooling element for years slowly degrades. A washing machine door latch that flexes thousands of times eventually cracks at the stress point. A vacuum cleaner latch exposed to impacts wears through its thin walls.
The business model behind spare parts also contributes. Many manufacturers deliberately limit the availability of individual components to push customers toward buying a new unit. When spares are available, the pricing is often disproportionate to the part’s size and complexity. A replacement clip that weighs three grams and takes seconds to mould can retail for £15–30 because there’s no competition. 3D printing breaks this model by making it possible to produce a single custom part without tooling, minimum order quantities, or manufacturer cooperation.
The materials used in modern FDM 3D printing are more than adequate for most household replacement parts. PLA (Polylactic Acid) is stiff, easy to print and suitable for decorative or low-stress applications. PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) offers better impact resistance, flexibility and heat tolerance — making it the go-to choice for functional parts that need to flex, clip or withstand temperatures up to around 80°C. For parts that need even higher heat resistance, materials like ABS and ASA are available, though they require an enclosed printer.
What Can Be 3D Printed?
Not everything is suitable for 3D printing, but the list of things that are is longer than most people expect. Here are the most common replacement parts we print for customers:
Kitchen and appliances:
- Fridge shelf brackets and retaining clips
- Dishwasher rack clips and wheel holders
- Washing machine door handle parts
- Microwave turntable couplers
- Oven knob replacements
- Coffee machine drip tray holders
Furniture and fittings:
- Shelf support pegs and clips
- Wardrobe rail brackets
- Drawer runners and guides
- Table leg caps and feet
- Cabinet hinge bushings
- Curtain rail brackets and end caps
Electronics and gadgets:
- Laptop hinge covers and port covers
- Remote control battery covers
- Cable management clips and organisers
- Phone and tablet stand parts
- Speaker grille replacements
DIY and garden:
- Tool storage hooks and holders
- Replacement handles for garden tools
- Window blind brackets
- Fence post caps
- Hose connectors and adapters
Toys and hobbies:
- Board game replacement pieces
- Action figure replacement parts
- Drone landing gear and camera mounts
- Model railway accessories
How the Process Works
If a Design Already Exists
Many common replacement parts have already been designed by the 3D printing community and shared freely online. Sites like Printables (printables.com), Thingiverse (thingiverse.com) and Thangs (thangs.com) host thousands of replacement part designs, searchable by appliance brand and model number.
- Search for your part using the appliance brand, model number and part description (e.g. “Bosch dishwasher rack clip SPS46MI00G”).
- If a matching design exists, download the STL or 3MF file.
- Bring or send the file to us, and we print it in the appropriate material and colour.
This route is the fastest and cheapest because no design work is needed.
If a Custom Design Is Needed
When no existing design matches your part, we create one from scratch:
- Bring or post the broken part — even if it’s in pieces, we can measure and reconstruct it. Clear photos with a ruler for scale also work if posting isn’t practical.
- We measure and model the part using CAD software, matching the original dimensions. If the original design had a weakness (a thin wall or a sharp stress corner), we can reinforce it in the new version.
- We print a test fit in draft quality so you can check the dimensions before committing to a final print.
- We print the final part in the chosen material and colour. Most parts are ready within 24–48 hours.
Our 3D Printing & Design Service handles the entire process — you don’t need any design skills or software.
Choosing the Right Material
The material choice depends on what the part needs to do:
| Material | Best For | Heat Resistance | Flexibility | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | Decorative parts, shelf pegs, covers, low-stress clips | Up to ~55°C | Low (brittle) | Lowest |
| PETG | Functional clips, brackets, handles, anything that flexes | Up to ~80°C | Moderate | Low |
| ABS | Parts near heat sources, automotive clips, high-impact items | Up to ~100°C | Moderate | Medium |
| Nylon | High-stress mechanical parts, gears, living hinges | Up to ~110°C | High | Higher |
For most household replacement parts, PETG is the best all-round choice. It’s strong enough for functional use, flexible enough not to snap on first use, and heat-resistant enough for most kitchen and bathroom applications. PLA is fine for decorative parts, shelf pegs, and anything that won’t bear significant load or sit near a heat source.
What Should Not Be 3D Printed
3D printing is versatile, but it has limits. Do not use 3D printed replacements for:
- Gas appliance components — any part that forms part of a gas seal or burner assembly. These are safety-critical and must be manufacturer-approved.
- Electrical enclosures or insulation — standard 3D printing materials are not rated for electrical insulation. Parts that sit inside mains-voltage appliances near live contacts should be sourced from the manufacturer.
- Structural load-bearing parts — a bracket that holds up a shelf is fine; a bracket that supports a wall-mounted TV or a child’s car seat is not. FDM prints have inherent layer-line weakness that makes them unsuitable for safety-critical structural loads.
- Food-contact surfaces for repeated use — whilst PLA is derived from plant starch, the layer lines in FDM prints trap bacteria. For single-use items this is acceptable, but for items like cups, bowls or utensils intended for repeated use, injection-moulded food-safe alternatives are better.
When to Call a Professional
If you own a 3D printer and want to print your own replacement parts, you’ll need to be comfortable with CAD software (Blender, Fusion 360, or TinkerCAD) and have your printer calibrated well enough to produce dimensionally accurate parts. Functional replacement parts need tighter tolerances than decorative prints — a bracket that’s 0.5 mm too wide won’t clip in, and one that’s 0.5 mm too narrow will be loose.
If you don’t own a printer, don’t have design skills, or simply want the part done without the learning curve, our 3D Printing & Design Service handles everything. Bring or post the broken part (or send photos with measurements), and we take care of the design, material selection, printing and test fitting. We’re based in South West London and cover Putney, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Clapham, Fulham, Battersea and surrounding areas. Small prints start from £5.
If you’ve recently bought a 3D printer and want to print replacement parts yourself but can’t get reliable results, our 3D Printer Setup & Calibration service will get your machine tuned for accurate, repeatable prints.
Prevention Tips
Keep broken parts even if they’re in pieces. The fragments are the best reference for creating a replacement. Store them in a labelled bag so you can find them when you’re ready to order a print.
Note the appliance brand and model number before you need it. Having the model number makes it far easier to search online repositories for existing designs. You’ll usually find it on a sticker inside the door, on the back panel, or in the manual.
Photograph parts before they break if they look fragile. If you notice a clip, bracket or hinge that’s starting to crack or discolour, take a few photos with a ruler next to it for scale. This makes the design process faster and cheaper if the part fails completely later.
Ask about reinforced designs when ordering a replacement. If the original part broke because of a design flaw — a wall that was too thin or a corner without enough radius — a 3D printed replacement can be made stronger than the original by adding material where it matters.