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Replacement parts

No drawing? How to have a casting made from a sample or worn part

Many replacement castings have no usable drawing: the equipment is old, the original supplier has closed, or the OEM will not release the file. If you still have the part, it can be measured and scanned, turned into a drawing you approve, and then cast in batches. This guide explains each step and what only you can decide.

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JK Casting · Buyer resource · Updated 26 October 2026

When this route fits

Making a part from a sample works when three things are true:

  • The part is a casting, or can sensibly be made as one.
  • You have the physical part: an unused spare, or the least-worn part from the equipment.
  • You need batch or repeat quantities. A cast part needs tooling before the first casting can be poured, so this route does not suit a single piece.

JK Casting measures and 3D-scans the sample, prepares a drawing for your approval, and then quotes tooling and production against that drawing.

The route from sample to batch

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From sample to batch (schematic)
  1. Sample and part information
  2. Measurement and 3D scan
  3. Drawing for approval
  4. Tooling
  5. First-article check
  6. Batch production

1. Send the sample and everything you know

Send the best sample you have. A spare that was never installed is ideal; a worn part works if the critical surfaces are still readable. Add the equipment model, any part number or casting marks, photos of the part installed, the mating parts it fits, the material if known, and the quantity you need per batch and per year.

2. Measurement and scanning

The sample is measured and 3D-scanned, and a drawing is drafted from the data. Worn areas are not copied as they are: bores, seats and faces are restored to their nominal size, usually by checking them against the mating parts or standard sizes. Agree which dimensions were reconstructed rather than measured, and check those first.

3. Decide what the sample cannot tell you

A part shows its shape, not its full specification. You decide the material grade and standard, the tolerances on critical features, which surfaces are machined, heat treatment and surface finish. If the material is unknown, a chemical analysis of the original part can help choose a grade; agree who arranges it.

4. Approve the drawing before tooling

Review the drawing against the sample and the equipment, then approve a numbered revision. That revision becomes the reference for tooling, first-article inspection and every later batch, so corrections are cheapest at this point.

5. Tooling, first articles, then batches

Tooling is made to the approved drawing. The first castings are inspected against the drawing and should be fit-tested on the equipment before batch release. Repeat batches are made to the same drawing revision. The sample approval checklist shows how to record the first-article review.

Illustrative example: a worn bearing housing

A maintenance buyer needs 40 bearing housings a year for machines whose drawings were lost. They send the least-worn housing, the bearing size, the shaft diameter and photos of the housing installed. The bore is drawn to the bearing’s standard size instead of the worn size, and the bolt holes are checked against the machine base. The buyer confirms the material grade and the machined surfaces, approves revision A of the drawing, and the first articles are fitted on a machine before the batch order is released.

Information to collect

  • The sample part, or the least-worn part available
  • Equipment make, model and the part’s position in it
  • Part number or casting marks, if any
  • Mating parts and the dimensions that must fit
  • Material grade and standard, or what is known about it
  • Machined surfaces, tolerances and surface finish
  • Batch quantity and annual demand
  • Inspection and documents required

Use the RFQ readiness checklist or send photos of the part directly to start the review.

Related guides: Changing casting suppliers · Casting tooling costs · Replacement metal parts

Frequently asked questions

Can you make a casting without a drawing?

Yes. JK Casting can measure and 3D-scan a physical sample, prepare a drawing for your approval and cast the part to that drawing. The route is meant for batch or repeat quantities.

Will the new part be identical to the original?

The new part follows the approved drawing. Worn areas are restored to nominal size rather than copied, and the first articles should be fit-tested on the equipment before the batch is released.

Can you make a single piece from my sample?

A cast part needs tooling before the first casting is poured, so one piece is rarely economical. For a single piece, ask whether machining from solid material is more practical.

Can I start with photos instead of the part?

Photos and key dimensions are enough to start a review and judge the route. A reliable drawing for tooling normally needs the physical part.