Obsolete. Discontinued. Still Needed.
An obsolete component can be manufactured from the original part, because obsolescence is a supply problem rather than an engineering one — the equipment still runs and the part is still perfectly makeable.
- Situation /
- Planned work
- Steps /
- 5 to get moving
- Bring /
- 4 things
- Call /
- 337-837-2314
An obsolete component can be manufactured from the original part, because obsolescence is a supply problem rather than an engineering one — the equipment still runs and the part is still perfectly makeable.
The machine works. The part does not, and nobody sells it. The product line ended, the manufacturer was acquired or closed, or the tooling was scrapped. This is the single most common reason working equipment gets replaced years before it needed to be.
What to do
- 01
Confirm it is genuinely unavailable
Check the OEM, aftermarket suppliers and surplus dealers first. If somebody stocks it, buying it is nearly always cheaper than having it made.
- 02
Work out how many you will ever need
This changes the economics completely. The setup is the expensive part of a machined component, so five pieces frequently cost far less than five times one. If this part has failed before, it will fail again.
- 03
Send the original, worn or not
A worn original is still the best specification available. It is measured, and the design dimensions are recovered from unworn areas and mating parts.
- 04
Consider improving it
If the part failed early or repeatedly, the replacement does not have to be identical. A different material, a larger fillet radius or a harder surface can address the reason it failed in the first place.
- 05
Keep the drawing
Once a drawing exists, the part is no longer obsolete for you. The next one is a repeat order at a lower price with no engineering time.
Questions People Ask
Can obsolete parts be manufactured?
- Almost always. Obsolescence means nobody is selling the part, not that it cannot be made. A machine shop can produce it from the original component, and once a drawing exists it can be made again at any time.
Is it cheaper to machine an obsolete part or replace the equipment?
- Machining a replacement component is very often a small fraction of the cost of replacing the machine it belongs to. That calculation changes if several components are near the end of their life at once.
Should I order more than one?
- Usually. Setup is the dominant cost on a machined part, so additional pieces are far cheaper than the first. If a part has failed once, having a spare on the shelf is normally worth it.
Send us the part.
337-837-2314 — or send photographs and we will tell you what we can do.