Answers.Body: <p>If a part hasn't been included in a set for some time, there's always a chance 
  it may be in a future set. It's unlikely that a part that was last seen in a set over 30 years ago would still be in production. <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=630" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bricklink</a> will list the years the part was included in a set.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Certain elements may have been replaced by a superior mold for one
  more reasons. The <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3062a" rel="nofollow noreferrer">old round 1x1 brick</a> was replaced with a brick of the same name <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3062b" rel="nofollow noreferrer">which had an open stud</a>.</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/q9fYh.gif" alt="Old mold"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GPnW9.gif" alt="New mold"></p></li>
  <li><p>In some cases an element (a faulty piece of electronic equipment/pneumatics) may be recalled by The Lego Group and replaced with an updated part. Lego would no longer product a part that was hazardous or faulty. A list of currently recalled products can be found on <a href="http://service.lego.com/en-us/product-recalls" rel="nofollow noreferrer">LEGO's customer support site</a>.</p></li>
  </ul>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-16T16:47:50.290Z
Answers.Text: It might not be entirely accurate, but it seems the majority of parts found in [this search query](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&q=old&catLike=W&sortBy=D&sortAsc=A&catType=P) are discontinued.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-16T18:00:29.767Z
Answers.Text: That's a pretty good search query.
Answers.UserDisplayName: LarsTech
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-16T22:52:26.030Z
Answers.Text: Yes a good example of parts re-appearing are the Technic ski-poles that have reappeared on the latest X-wing model.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T10:15:11.997Z
Answers.Text: The cost for producing an old element again is presumably lower than the cost to develop a new element altogether, as long as the molds still exist (monorail parts molds are rumoured to have been destroyed, for example).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-20T15:17:43.377Z
Answers.Text: Given that the molds get worn out and need to be replaced after so many production runs, I think you can safely assume that a part is out of production if it hasn't been used in a set for at least 10 years - maybe less.
  
  Lego do have an internal 'bible' of parts that designers can use, but they haven't published this.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Frankie Roberto
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-16T16:43:40.360Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-02-26T10:13:33.310Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-02-26T10:13:33.310Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Answers.Body: <p>I don't know about <em>official</em> word, but according to <a href="http://bricklink.com">BrickLink</a>, that <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=630">Conveyor Belt</a> hasn't been included as <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=630&amp;v=1&amp;in=S&amp;srt=0&amp;srtAsc=A&amp;ov=Y">part of a set since 1975</a>, so I think it's safe to say that it's not in production any more.</p>
  
  <p>However, if you're looking to buy one, <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemID=2121">people are selling them</a>.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-16T15:36:02.713Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-02-16T15:36:02.713Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Dave DeLong
Answers.Body: <p>The best way to get an authoritative answer would be to contact the LEGO customer service and ask if you can get a replacement for the part. They do have the necessary software to check if a part is available or not, but you'll need to describe the part as unambiguously as possible. Also, they may not always make a distinction between different versions of a part if there is no functionnal difference.</p>
  
  <p>I believe LEGO certified professionals may have access to that information too, but if they do it's extremely likely that they are bound by a non-disclosure agreement about it.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T11:42:13.830Z
Answers.Text: Sadly asking for replacement parts isn't (wasn't) a guaranteed way to check as some parts are not available for replacement - I bought a damaged box from a supermarket that was missing a hinge plate [part:6134:4] . LCS were unable to supply a replacement as "not all parts are available as replacements as the inventory we'd need to carry would be huge". This was some time ago, so things may have changed.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T11:56:13.060Z
Answers.Text: Honestly, I translate what you were told as "Sorry, that part is currently not in production". I'm fairly sure you can order most parts currently in production, with some specific exceptions. They don't have a separate inventory for replacement parts, it comes straight from their regular stock.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T12:48:16.477Z
Answers.Text: Well, the part in question had been in almost constant production [since 1991](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?itemType=P&itemNo=6134&in=A&v=0&oV=Y&colorID=5&srt=2&srtAsc=A) in the colour I needed :(
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T13:05:24.177Z
Answers.Text: Hummm... indeed, that element doesn't look like it could have been out of production at any time. So either you managed to call at a time when it was not in production if there ever was such a time (maybe end 2005?), either I'm utterly wrong (it has happened before).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T13:24:30.380Z
Answers.Text: Either of those are possible - it was some time ago, and things may have changed - however I got the impression from the response that they generally had access to "common missing elements" and the stuff from Pick-a-Brick, which was much more limited than it is now - it was back around 2002/3/4 IIRC ;)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-02-17T10:10:42.347Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-02-17T10:10:42.347Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Body: <p>Is there a way to know if Lego has officially stopped making a certain Lego element?</p>
  
  <p>As an example, from the 580 Lego set, I haven't seen this conveyor belt (along with those wheels and the "Legoland" stamped brick, etc) since the 1970's, so I assume it's out of production:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/NUWX1.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>
  
  <p>But is there any official word from Lego that certain elements are no longer in production?</p>
  
Tags: <piece-information><discontinued>
Title: How to find out if an element is out of production
UserDisplayName: LarsTech
ThreadText: # How to find out if an element is out of production
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-16)
  
  Is there a way to know if Lego has officially stopped making a certain Lego element?
  
  As an example, from the 580 Lego set, I haven't seen this conveyor belt (along with those wheels and the "Legoland" stamped brick, etc) since the 1970's, so I assume it's out of production:
  
  ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/NUWX1.png)
  
  But is there any official word from Lego that certain elements are no longer in production?
  
  **Tags:** piece-information, discontinued
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-16. Score: 7 | Accepted answer
  
  If a part hasn't been included in a set for some time, there's always a chance
  it may be in a future set. It's unlikely that a part that was last seen in a set over 30 years ago would still be in production. [Bricklink](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=630) will list the years the part was included in a set.
  
  * Certain elements may have been replaced by a superior mold for one
    more reasons. The [old round 1x1 brick](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3062a) was replaced with a brick of the same name [which had an open stud](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3062b).
  
    ![Old mold](https://i.sstatic.net/q9fYh.gif)![New mold](https://i.sstatic.net/GPnW9.gif)
  * In some cases an element (a faulty piece of electronic equipment/pneumatics) may be recalled by The Lego Group and replaced with an updated part. Lego would no longer product a part that was hazardous or faulty. A list of currently recalled products can be found on [LEGO's customer support site](http://service.lego.com/en-us/product-recalls).
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: It might not be entirely accurate, but it seems the majority of parts found in [this search query](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&q=old&catLike=W&sortBy=D&sortAsc=A&catType=P) are discontinued.  
  > **username_0**: That's a pretty good search query.  
  > **username_2**: Yes a good example of parts re-appearing are the Technic ski-poles that have reappeared on the latest X-wing model.  
  > **username_3**: The cost for producing an old element again is presumably lower than the cost to develop a new element altogether, as long as the molds still exist (monorail parts molds are rumoured to have been destroyed, for example).  
  > **username_4**: Given that the molds get worn out and need to be replaced after so many production runs, I think you can safely assume that a part is out of production if it hasn't been used in a set for at least 10 years - maybe less.  Lego do have an internal 'bible' of parts that designers can use, but they haven't published this.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2012-02-16. Score: 7
  
  I don't know about *official* word, but according to [BrickLink](http://bricklink.com), that [Conveyor Belt](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=630) hasn't been included as [part of a set since 1975](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=630&v=1&in=S&srt=0&srtAsc=A&ov=Y), so I think it's safe to say that it's not in production any more.
  
  However, if you're looking to buy one, [people are selling them](http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemID=2121).
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2012-02-17. Score: 4
  
  The best way to get an authoritative answer would be to contact the LEGO customer service and ask if you can get a replacement for the part. They do have the necessary software to check if a part is available or not, but you'll need to describe the part as unambiguously as possible. Also, they may not always make a distinction between different versions of a part if there is no functionnal difference.
  
  I believe LEGO certified professionals may have access to that information too, but if they do it's extremely likely that they are bound by a non-disclosure agreement about it.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Sadly asking for replacement parts isn't (wasn't) a guaranteed way to check as some parts are not available for replacement - I bought a damaged box from a supermarket that was missing a hinge plate [part:6134:4] . LCS were unable to supply a replacement as "not all parts are available as replacements as the inventory we'd need to carry would be huge". This was some time ago, so things may have changed.  
  > **username_3**: Honestly, I translate what you were told as "Sorry, that part is currently not in production". I'm fairly sure you can order most parts currently in production, with some specific exceptions. They don't have a separate inventory for replacement parts, it comes straight from their regular stock.  
  > **username_2**: Well, the part in question had been in almost constant production [since 1991](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?itemType=P&itemNo=6134&in=A&v=0&oV=Y&colorID=5&srt=2&srtAsc=A) in the colour I needed :(  
  > **username_3**: Hummm... indeed, that element doesn't look like it could have been out of production at any time. So either you managed to call at a time when it was not in production if there ever was such a time (maybe end 2005?), either I'm utterly wrong (it has happened before).  
  > **username_2**: Either of those are possible - it was some time ago, and things may have changed - however I got the impression from the response that they generally had access to "common missing elements" and the stuff from Pick-a-Brick, which was much more limited than it is now - it was back around 2002/3/4 IIRC ;)  
  
  ---
  
  