Home / Ideas / Replacement parts for discontinued products

Replacement parts for discontinued products

The small plastic or metal part that broke on a product the manufacturer no longer supports.

Open this brief in the Studio   Find cnc machining manufacturers

Who buys it

Owners of appliances, tools and vehicles with a single broken part.

The product

Reverse-engineered, measured replacement parts, sold per part number or by photo and dimensions.

Why it fits vibe manufacturing

The original maker will not make the part, and the customer will pay far more than the part's material cost. Measuring is easy because a broken original is in hand.

How to build it

  1. Pick one product family with many owners and a common failure.
  2. Measure the part with calipers and model it as code.
  3. Test the printed or machined part on the real product.
  4. List it with the compatible models and a clear fit guarantee.
  5. Keep a catalogue and add the next failure part.

The steps follow the 13-step playbook.

Cost lines to price

LineHow to get the number
Printed or machined single partservice quote
Packaging and letter shippinglow
Customer support timehidden cost: price it
Returns for poor fitbudget a percentage

Put real quotes into the cost calculator to find the price for your margin.

Risks and the boring part

Check trademark and design-right rules before using brand names or copying protected designs; safety-relevant parts (brakes, pressure, heat) are a poor starting point.

General information only, not engineering, legal or compliance advice. Check requirements for your product and market.

More ideas

Made-to-measure pet doors and gates

A product that has to fit one specific doorway, sold with the customer's own measurements.

Custom metal signs and house numbers

Laser-cut names, numbers and logos, sold as a configurator.

Parametric desk stands and monitor risers

Workspace furniture sized to the customer's desk, monitor and setup.

Get new playbooks and design drops

One short email when we publish a new guide or a new parametric design. No spam, unsubscribe any time.