Most Common Parts that remain missing from LDraw
2025-01-06, 23:41 (This post was last modified: Today, 6:21 by tom alphin.)
2025-01-06, 23:41 (This post was last modified: Today, 6:21 by tom alphin.)
Happy 2025!
As some folks here know, I launched a LEGO Parts Guide in 2024 which includes detailed analytics to determine the 'most common' parts based on # pieces produced across all sets, # sets using the part, # colors produced in, # of years produced. The default sort is the "Overall Rank" which is a 'hybrid' ranking metric that factors in both #pieces & #colors.
I wanted to start a new list to capture very common LEGO parts which remain missing from LDraw. In particular, I'd love to see the roughly 100 parts (out of the top 2000 parts of all time) which aren't in LDraw yet!
I stopped at #1500 for now, but there are a lot more you can find in the programmatically-generated list at https://brickarchitect.com/parts/not-in-ldraw.php
---Tom Alphin
P.S. Interestingly, I am observing about the same number of missing LDraw Parts when scoping my list to sets from the past 5 years (113 parts without an image) as when I scope to sets released across all years (87 parts without an image).
It's super interesting to see how LEGO parts fit into a typical long-tail distribution with the vast majority of LEGO pieces being produced representing just a small number of the most common moulds. Maybe I can do an article with some tables showing this long-tail distribution and how it correlates to parts which have / don't have 3d models in LDraw as well.
As some folks here know, I launched a LEGO Parts Guide in 2024 which includes detailed analytics to determine the 'most common' parts based on # pieces produced across all sets, # sets using the part, # colors produced in, # of years produced. The default sort is the "Overall Rank" which is a 'hybrid' ranking metric that factors in both #pieces & #colors.
I wanted to start a new list to capture very common LEGO parts which remain missing from LDraw. In particular, I'd love to see the roughly 100 parts (out of the top 2000 parts of all time) which aren't in LDraw yet!
- #1064 - Large Figure Foot, Type 2 (Part 90661)
- #1221 - Rubber Band Small 13mm (Square Cross Section) (Part 71509)
- #1231 - Belville, Equipment, Bow Small (Part 30112c)
- #1278 - Helmet, Sports [Plain] (Part 93560)
- #1349 - Large Figure Head Connector Block 3 x 4 x 1 2/3 (Part 32553)
- #1388 - 2×2 Clikits Star (Part 45463) - Feelings about Clikits aside, this was a very common part despite only being used in sets from 2003-2005
- #1462 - String Cord Thin 50cm (Part 56823c50) - How should I think about String within LDraw? Is it assumed that people just use LSynth?
- #1478 - Duplo Bed 3 x 5 x 1 2/3 (Part 4895) - I don't think the other DUPLO beds (part 4886) is in LDraw either.
- #1484 - Clikits Icon, Star 2 x 2 Large with Pin (Part 45462)
- #1520 - Duplo Drawer 2 x 2 with Semicircle Cutout (Part 6471)
- #1529 - Rubber Band Medium (Square Cross Section) Thin Cut (Part 70012)
- #1551 - Clikits Icon, Star 2 x 2 Small, with Hole (Part 46286)
- #1555 - Duplo Suitcase (Part 6427) OR #2203 Duplo Suitcase / Bag (Part 20302)
- #1608 - Clikits Icon, Heart 2 x 2 Large with Pin (Part 45449)
I stopped at #1500 for now, but there are a lot more you can find in the programmatically-generated list at https://brickarchitect.com/parts/not-in-ldraw.php
---Tom Alphin
P.S. Interestingly, I am observing about the same number of missing LDraw Parts when scoping my list to sets from the past 5 years (113 parts without an image) as when I scope to sets released across all years (87 parts without an image).
It's super interesting to see how LEGO parts fit into a typical long-tail distribution with the vast majority of LEGO pieces being produced representing just a small number of the most common moulds. Maybe I can do an article with some tables showing this long-tail distribution and how it correlates to parts which have / don't have 3d models in LDraw as well.
