A lot of jobs arrive as a photo of something broken. Printing a plastic stand-in is the fastest way to find out the holes are in the wrong place, before anyone buys plate.
A sensible sequence
- Model the part, or bring the worn one in.
- Print a fit check. Change the file while the change is still free.
- When the geometry is settled, nest it on the bed and cut it in metal, rubber, stone, or plastic sheet.
Read prototyping or 3D printing.