3d Printing Plastic Parts?

DiscoJax · 04-21-2024, 06:47 PM

I went to price out some lower front covers for my e85 51717168996 and 51717168995 and about choked when I saw the price. Before I pull the trigger on $500 of plastic, anybody have 3d printing files for these?

Westersund · 04-21-2024, 09:58 PM

Which parts are you talking about?

mmm-five · 04-22-2024, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westersund

Which parts are you talking about?

From the part numbers, I think it's the corner pieces that always break...(see #6).

Westersund · 04-22-2024, 04:46 AM

Don’t think anyone want to reproduce the entire thing with 3D-printing, but if it’s only a small part that’s needed it would be easier.

DiscoJax · 04-22-2024, 06:47 PM

Yeah just those corner pieces. I priced them out and they are $300 each!

Westersund · 04-23-2024, 01:49 AM

If you can be more specific what breaks I might be able to make something.

DiscoJax · 04-23-2024, 07:01 AM

Thanks. These are the parts I am referring to.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...z4-51717168996

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ft-51717168995

Happy to pay for them. I was getting ready to purchase them off of FCP Euro for $300 each but if you can make them cheaper that would be great!

Westersund · 04-23-2024, 08:55 AM

So the entire thing, that's not something you can just 3D-print. Even if 3D-scanned it would be too big for most printers to print it in 1 piece. And a 3D-printed part would be weaker (at the same thickness) because of the layer lines.

DiscoJax · 04-23-2024, 05:20 PM

Got it. I figured that was a long shot but thought I would throw it out there before dropping $600 on 2 plastic trays. Thanks for the reply!

spielnicht · 04-24-2024, 10:58 AM

You might want to check-out car-part.com. You might get lucky and for a good price.

86Zed · 04-25-2024, 08:12 AM

I 3D print high quality parts regularly for my day job. Something that size in a durable, high res material is going to be 4-5x the price. There is a reason these are molded. No Longer Available so better find one in inventory while ya can.

chickdr · 04-25-2024, 11:09 PM

It seems like somebody would pick up the mantle and start making these parts again. There are a lot of E85/86 Z4's still on the road and these types of parts are going to be needed.

Efthreeoh · 04-28-2024, 09:00 AM

$273.71 for either left or right side at getbmwparts.com. Some places say unavailable.

04-21-2024, 06:47 PM	#1
DiscoJax Enlisted Member 8 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2005 BMW Z4 3.0i Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Jacksonville iTrader: (0)	3d Printing Plastic Parts? I went to price out some lower front covers for my e85 51717168996 and 51717168995 and about choked when I saw the price. Before I pull the trigger on $500 of plastic, anybody have 3d printing files for these?
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04-21-2024, 09:58 PM	#2
Westersund Captain 506 Rep 880 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hallstahammar iTrader: (1)	Which parts are you talking about? __________________ BMW M2 LCI -18 \| BMW 520DA Touring M-Sport -12 \| BMW Z4 M Coupe -06 \| BMW M3 -02 \| BMW Z3 Coupe -99 \| BMW 740i/6 -96 \| BMW M5 3.8 -92 \| BMW M535i -87
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04-22-2024, 04:46 AM	#4
Westersund Captain 506 Rep 880 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hallstahammar iTrader: (1)	Don’t think anyone want to reproduce the entire thing with 3D-printing, but if it’s only a small part that’s needed it would be easier. __________________ BMW M2 LCI -18 \| BMW 520DA Touring M-Sport -12 \| BMW Z4 M Coupe -06 \| BMW M3 -02 \| BMW Z3 Coupe -99 \| BMW 740i/6 -96 \| BMW M5 3.8 -92 \| BMW M535i -87
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04-22-2024, 06:47 PM	#5
DiscoJax Enlisted Member 8 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2005 BMW Z4 3.0i Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Jacksonville iTrader: (0)	Yeah just those corner pieces. I priced them out and they are $300 each!
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04-23-2024, 01:49 AM	#6
Westersund Captain 506 Rep 880 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hallstahammar iTrader: (1)	If you can be more specific what breaks I might be able to make something. __________________ BMW M2 LCI -18 \| BMW 520DA Touring M-Sport -12 \| BMW Z4 M Coupe -06 \| BMW M3 -02 \| BMW Z3 Coupe -99 \| BMW 740i/6 -96 \| BMW M5 3.8 -92 \| BMW M535i -87
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04-23-2024, 07:01 AM	#7
DiscoJax Enlisted Member 8 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2005 BMW Z4 3.0i Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Jacksonville iTrader: (0)	Thanks. These are the parts I am referring to. https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...z4-51717168996 https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ft-51717168995 Happy to pay for them. I was getting ready to purchase them off of FCP Euro for $300 each but if you can make them cheaper that would be great!
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04-23-2024, 08:55 AM	#8
Westersund Captain 506 Rep 880 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hallstahammar iTrader: (1)	So the entire thing, that's not something you can just 3D-print. Even if 3D-scanned it would be too big for most printers to print it in 1 piece. And a 3D-printed part would be weaker (at the same thickness) because of the layer lines. __________________ BMW M2 LCI -18 \| BMW 520DA Touring M-Sport -12 \| BMW Z4 M Coupe -06 \| BMW M3 -02 \| BMW Z3 Coupe -99 \| BMW 740i/6 -96 \| BMW M5 3.8 -92 \| BMW M535i -87
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04-23-2024, 05:20 PM	#9
DiscoJax Enlisted Member 8 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2005 BMW Z4 3.0i Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Jacksonville iTrader: (0)	Got it. I figured that was a long shot but thought I would throw it out there before dropping $600 on 2 plastic trays. Thanks for the reply!
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04-24-2024, 10:58 AM	#10
spielnicht Petrolhead 440 Rep 808 Posts Drives: 24 X3 M40i/14 550i/08 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Virginia iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 BMW Z4 3.0si [9.67] 2014 BMW 550i [6.00] 2024 BMW X3 M40i [9.25]	You might want to check-out car-part.com. You might get lucky and for a good price. __________________ . 2024 X3 M40i 2014 550i 2008 Z4 3.0si 6MT 2011 Z4 35si (sold)
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04-25-2024, 08:12 AM	#11
86Zed Get off my lawn 934 Rep 1,160 Posts Drives: 6MT Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: USA iTrader: (7) Garage List 2022 BMW X3 M40i [10.00] 2011 BMW 135i [0.00] 2007 BMW Z4M Coupe [0.00] 1991 BMW 318is [0.00]	I 3D print high quality parts regularly for my day job. Something that size in a durable, high res material is going to be 4-5x the price. There is a reason these are molded. No Longer Available so better find one in inventory while ya can. Last edited by 86Zed; 04-25-2024 at 08:23 AM..
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04-25-2024, 11:09 PM	#12
chickdr Lieutenant Colonel 140 Rep 1,991 Posts Drives: 2006 M Roadster Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buford, GA iTrader: (0)	It seems like somebody would pick up the mantle and start making these parts again. There are a lot of E85/86 Z4's still on the road and these types of parts are going to be needed.
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04-28-2024, 09:00 AM	#13
Efthreeoh General 17365 Rep 18,762 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	$273.71 for either left or right side at getbmwparts.com. Some places say unavailable. __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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