Fixing an old dishwasher with modern technology

Not so long ago our dishwasher started showing its age. The parts for mounting the wheels started breaking off. Instead of replacing the entire dishwasher, or searching for original parts for weeks in a row, I decided to 3D print these parts instead. It has been almost 10 years since I did any 3D modeling, and this seemed like the ideal project for picking up a lost hobby, perfect for 3D printing some parts that will be used on a daily basis.

Download the 3D model

3D modeling

In order to start modeling I used the nowadays pretty popular free and open source 3D software Blender. Back in the days it wasn't as well known as it is in 2022. I personally used it for the first time in 2001, more than 20 years ago. Compared to 2001 the software and the community certainly have improved leaps and bounds. If you'd like to compare, it's even possible to download previous versions all the way back to version 1.0.

Printing the final result was possible by using a service called Hubs. It supports printing PA-12 which is ideal for this use case. The definition on the Hubs website is as follows:

HP PA (polyamide) 12 is strong thermoplastic for functional prototyping and final parts. It produces high-density parts with excellent chemical resistance to oils, freases, aliphatic hydrocarbons an alkalies. This material achieves watertight properties without any additional post-processing.

3D printing

The end result is fantastic. It's solid and printed with the finest detail. Hubs delivered it just 2 weeks after placing the order.

This is how it's mounted on the lower dishwasher rack, ready to be used again for at least a couple years.

In case you'd like to have a look, you can download the final 3D file below. Note that you will need to have Blender installed as well in order to open it. Don't worry, like I mentioned before it's free and open source software.

Download the 3D model