Custom 3D Printed Solution for a Professional Coffee Machine ☕
A client contacted me with a very specific problem on a professional Suisse coffee machine capable of serving both coffee and hot chocolate.
The machine worked well, but there was one recurring issue: coffee beans were accidentally reaching the chocolate powder compartment. Once inside, they could get stuck in the mechanism and eventually break the chocolate gear.
Instead of replacing parts repeatedly or accepting the problem as “normal wear,” the goal was to design a custom 3D printed solution that could prevent coffee beans from entering the chocolate compartment while still allowing the chocolate powder to flow correctly.
Understanding the client’s need
The client needed a practical and reliable solution for a machine used in real working conditions.
The problem was not cosmetic. It was functional. Coffee beans were entering the wrong compartment, getting stuck, and causing mechanical damage inside the chocolate dispensing system.
The solution needed to:
Fit inside the existing chocolate compartment
Prevent coffee beans from passing through
Allow chocolate powder to flow naturally
Be easy to install and remove if needed
Stay simple, robust, and suitable for 3D printing
This is exactly the kind of problem where custom 3D modeling and 3D printing can be very useful: creating a part that does not exist as a standard spare part, but solves a very specific issue.
Designing the concept
Before starting the 3D model, the main challenge was to find the right balance between protection and flow.
A solid cover would have stopped the coffee beans, but it would also block the chocolate powder. So the idea was to create a second internal cover with hundreds of small openings.
The openings had to be large enough to let the chocolate powder fall through, but small enough to stop coffee beans from entering the compartment.
For this design, I chose a hexagonal pattern. Hexagons are visually clean, efficient, and provide a good balance between open area and structural strength.
3D modeling the solution
Once the concept was clear, I created the part in 3D.
The insert was designed to sit inside the chocolate compartment like a secondary protective cover. The shape had to match the available space inside the machine, while leaving enough clearance for the chocolate powder to move correctly.
The key feature of the design is the hexagonal hole pattern. Instead of using a few large holes, the part uses many smaller openings to create a filter-like surface.
This allows the chocolate powder to pass through while preventing larger coffee beans from falling into the mechanism.
Final result
The final part is a custom 3D printed protective insert designed specifically for the chocolate compartment of the coffee machine.
It works as a secondary cover: coffee beans are blocked before they can reach the chocolate gear, while the chocolate powder can still pass through the hundreds of hexagonal openings.
This simple custom part helps protect the machine, reduce the risk of repeated failures, and extend the life of the chocolate dispensing mechanism.
It is a good example of how 3D printing can be used not only to create new objects, but also to repair, improve, and adapt existing machines.
Need a custom 3D printed solution?
Do you have a machine, tool, or product with a specific problem that standard spare parts cannot solve?
Feel free to contact us. We can help you design and manufacture custom 3D printed parts, from the first idea to the final functional prototype.