<p>Yes, you can print most of the parts (electronics, linear guide rails, ball bearings and nuts and bolts, etc cannot be printed). Actually this was exactly the purpose of <a href="https://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap" rel="noreferrer">RepRap.org</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>RepRap is humanity's first general-purpose self-replicating
  manufacturing machine.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Since many parts of RepRap are made from plastic and RepRap prints
  those parts, RepRap self-replicates by making a kit of itself - a kit
  that anyone can assemble given time and materials.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There have been attempts in the past to even replicate the frames of printers (e.g. <a href="https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/dollo-3d-printer-kickstarter/amp/" rel="noreferrer">Dollo 3D</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;url=%23&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiDrK3Ew8nfAhWBEVAKHcT8CKYQwqsBMAN6BAgLEAU&amp;usg=AOvVaw0VTJzWxrN8ZFOD4xbU2nov" rel="noreferrer">Snappy</a>, but such designs are not very successful, printed frames are more flexible than metal frames.</p>

<hr>

<p><sub><em>I have built 2 custom printers myself using other printers to print parts and printed all printer parts for several others. It is possible to print <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2476782" rel="noreferrer">your own linear bearings from POM</a>, I prefer these over the noisy metal bearings.</em>
</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-29T20:34:04.337Z
2018-12-31T07:35:44.407Z
2018-12-31T07:35:44.407Z
0scar
<blockquote>
  <p>Can a 3D printer make a 3D printer?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Not without a bunch of other parts</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Could you use a 3D printer to make 3D printers parts?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>To some extent.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>What is the most of a 3D printer that can be built this way </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Basically you you can't print the precision mechanical guides, you can't print the electronics, you can't print the parts that need to get hot, you can't print the motors, you can't print the lead-screws or toothed belts. Printing the whole main frame doesn't seem to be very practical either.</p>

<p>Afaict what you are left with is mostly printing the pieces that join all the functional elements of the printer together. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-30T16:04:49.740Z
2018-12-30T16:04:49.740Z
Peter Green
<p>Yes, printers can print printer parts. With the right design, all non-metal/non-electronic parts can be printed on an FDM printer, and a laser-sintering based printer (SLS/DMLS) can even produce metal parts, as long as they fit the printbed. The fact, that a printer can create all the fastenings to build a new printer with just the electronics and linger extrusions/rods/rails is actually the core of the <a href="https://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RepRap</a> philosophy.</p>

<p>Some early printers, like the Mendel, did use just materials from home depot and printed joiners together with the electronics.</p>

<p>As a result, all joiners can be printed as replacements or improvements. There is a second limit though: Very small printers might not be able to print parts of the size needed to replicate the parts that they are made from. A common 200x200x200 mm printer can replicate almost all fasteners that comprise it, but the frame will have to be made from sheets of metal, wood, extrusions or rods and the movement system will need rails, rods or extrusions.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-30T01:43:32.737Z
2019-01-12T19:23:51.077Z
2019-01-12T19:23:51.077Z
Trish
<p>You can print some of it but not all, as 3d printers can't print metal or silicon to make the boards and frame.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-12T18:16:09.687Z
a laser-sinter printer can print metal and ceramics, and TPU is a printable material close to silicon (the flexible material!). Some filaments are even conductive. But you can not print complex electronics.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-24T06:26:02.130Z
Also, you can't make the nozzle or any other metal parts
Pinak Paliwal
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-12T17:16:32.233Z
2019-01-12T17:16:32.233Z
Pinak Paliwal
<p>Could you use a 3D printer to make a 3D printer's parts? What is the most of a 3D printer that can be made this way? Could parts that break be replaced this way?</p>

<desktop-printer><replacement-parts><replicating-printers>
Can a 3D printer make a 3D printer?
Muze
# Can a 3D printer make a 3D printer?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-29)

Could you use a 3D printer to make a 3D printer's parts? What is the most of a 3D printer that can be made this way? Could parts that break be replaced this way?

**Tags:** desktop-printer, replacement-parts, replicating-printers

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-12-29. Score: 16

Yes, you can print most of the parts (electronics, linear guide rails, ball bearings and nuts and bolts, etc cannot be printed). Actually this was exactly the purpose of [RepRap.org](https://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap):

> RepRap is humanity's first general-purpose self-replicating
> manufacturing machine.

and:

> Since many parts of RepRap are made from plastic and RepRap prints
> those parts, RepRap self-replicates by making a kit of itself - a kit
> that anyone can assemble given time and materials.

There have been attempts in the past to even replicate the frames of printers (e.g. [Dollo 3D](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/dollo-3d-printer-kickstarter/amp/) or [Snappy](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=2ahUKEwiDrK3Ew8nfAhWBEVAKHcT8CKYQwqsBMAN6BAgLEAU&usg=AOvVaw0VTJzWxrN8ZFOD4xbU2nov), but such designs are not very successful, printed frames are more flexible than metal frames.

---

*I have built 2 custom printers myself using other printers to print parts and printed all printer parts for several others. It is possible to print [your own linear bearings from POM](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2476782), I prefer these over the noisy metal bearings.*


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-12-30. Score: 7

> Can a 3D printer make a 3D printer?

Not without a bunch of other parts

> Could you use a 3D printer to make 3D printers parts?

To some extent.

> What is the most of a 3D printer that can be built this way

Basically you you can't print the precision mechanical guides, you can't print the electronics, you can't print the parts that need to get hot, you can't print the motors, you can't print the lead-screws or toothed belts. Printing the whole main frame doesn't seem to be very practical either.

Afaict what you are left with is mostly printing the pieces that join all the functional elements of the printer together.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-12-30. Score: 7

Yes, printers can print printer parts. With the right design, all non-metal/non-electronic parts can be printed on an FDM printer, and a laser-sintering based printer (SLS/DMLS) can even produce metal parts, as long as they fit the printbed. The fact, that a printer can create all the fastenings to build a new printer with just the electronics and linger extrusions/rods/rails is actually the core of the [RepRap](https://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap) philosophy.

Some early printers, like the Mendel, did use just materials from home depot and printed joiners together with the electronics.

As a result, all joiners can be printed as replacements or improvements. There is a second limit though: Very small printers might not be able to print parts of the size needed to replicate the parts that they are made from. A common 200x200x200 mm printer can replicate almost all fasteners that comprise it, but the frame will have to be made from sheets of metal, wood, extrusions or rods and the movement system will need rails, rods or extrusions.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-01-12. Score: 1

You can print some of it but not all, as 3d printers can't print metal or silicon to make the boards and frame.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: a laser-sinter printer can print metal and ceramics, and TPU is a printable material close to silicon (the flexible material!). Some filaments are even conductive. But you can not print complex electronics.  
> **username_4**: Also, you can't make the nozzle or any other metal parts  

---

