The Humble Tile
Reverse Engineering a Discontinued Part
A customer approached us needing a replacement for an old, discontinued tile. The goal was to create a matching pair so the damaged tiles could be replaced and repainted to blend seamlessly with the original surface.
The Challenge
Using a photograph of the tile’s edge, we captured its unique profile and imported it into CAD software. Accurate physical measurements were taken and used to scale the image, allowing us to precisely trace and recreate the original shape.
Capturing the Tile Profile Rapid Prototyping & Adjustments
The traced profile was extruded to the required dimensions, and a rapid test print was produced in under two minutes. After checking fit and alignment, minor adjustments were made before final production.
The result was a faithful recreation of a tile that can no longer be purchased—simple, accurate, and effective. The customer received a replacement that perfectly matched the original tile, ready for installation and repainting on their end.
