Correct batches of skimmer fittings, main drains and light flanges no longer in production
Not a single part, but three batches of 50 standard pool fittings that vanished from the market: 150 spares ready for a pool renovation project, reproduced without any mould.
Anonymized at the customer's request
The problem: three standard spares no longer available
When you renovate a pool built years ago, the problem is rarely a single one. Here the customer needed three different hydraulic components — skimmer fittings, main drains and light cover flanges — all belonging to a series that was now out of production. They had been standard parts in their day, fitted on many systems, but the manufacturer had discontinued that line and there was no trace of them left on the market.
The constraint was not to find a part that merely looked similar: the new components had to match the seats, holes and geometries already present in the existing system, otherwise the worksite would have stalled. And one piece per code was not enough: jobsite quantities were needed, enough parts to cover every point of the system being renovated, plus a few spares.
The solution: reproduce the batches, not the single part
We approached the request as a small batch production, not as three separate repairs. For each of the three codes we rebuilt the geometry starting from the original components and the system's measurements, then 3D printed a batch of 50 pieces. No moulds, no dedicated tooling: this is the advantage of 3D printing when quantities are those of a worksite and not of a large factory.
For parts exposed to water and sun, it is standard NOC practice to lean towards technical polymers resistant to immersion and UV rays, such as ASA, so that the spare lasts as long as the rest of the system. In this case we worked with a technical polymer suitable for pool use, making sure each piece was equivalent to the out-of-production original in shape and function.
Rebuilding the three codes
Starting from the original parts and the system's measurements, we rebuilt the geometries of the skimmer fittings, main drains and light cover flanges, checking seats, holes and couplings.
Production in batches of 50
Each code was printed in batches of 50, for a total of 150 spares: the correct quantities to cover the whole worksite without ordering a mould.
Check and shipping
Once equivalence with the originals was verified, the 150 parts were packed and shipped directly to the worksite, ready to be fitted.
Lead time
From the order, received in July 2025, to delivery only about a week passed: in seven days the 150 spares were ready and shipped to the worksite, a turnaround that would be unthinkable for restarting an out-of-production line with traditional moulds.
The outcome
- 150 spares delivered: 50 skimmer fittings, 50 main drains and 50 light cover flanges, all equivalent to the out-of-production originals.
- A complete renovation project: enough quantities for every point of the system, with spares for the future.
- No moulds and no dedicated tooling: correct batches obtained directly in 3D printing.
- Parts ready on site in about a week from the order.
The customer wasn't looking for a single part, but for three entire batches that had become impossible to find. We treated the request as a small production run: 50 pieces per code, ready on site in a week and without ordering a mould.
Frequently asked questions
Can you reproduce out-of-production pool spares in quantity too?
Yes. In this case we produced batches of 50 pieces for each of the three codes, for a total of 150 spares. 3D printing lets us make jobsite quantities without having to build a mould.
Do the reproduced parts match the existing system?
We rebuild the geometry from the originals and the system's measurements, so that seats, holes and couplings match the out-of-production components to be replaced.
What material do you use for parts exposed to water and sun?
We use technical polymers suitable for pool use; for the most exposed parts it is standard practice to opt for materials resistant to immersion and UV rays, such as ASA, so that the spare lasts over time.
Need a batch of out-of-production spares?
Whether it is a single part or whole batches for a worksite, we reproduce pool hydraulic components that are no longer available on the market. Send us your parts or measurements and we'll tell you right away how to proceed.