Reverse Engineering

AMRCC member practitioner of this technology

• Reverse Engineering By 3D Scanning
• Examples Of Reverse Engineering
• Benefits of Scanning
• CAD Models May Not Exist
• As-built Parts May Deviate From the Original Design
• Sometimes the More Conventional Prototype Method Is Still Better

Reverse Engineering By 3D Scanning.

A 3D scanner is a device that records high-density 3D point measurements on the surface of an object. Millions of points can be digitized to describe the object's surface. Many scanners utilize optical techniques that allow these 3D point measurements to be recorded at extremely high speeds without contacting the object's surface.

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Examples Of Reverse Engineering

The advancements in 3D scanning, computing power and specialized software applications have made possible some amazing processes in product design, competitive benchmarking, rapid prototyping and product verification:

   1. An object can be scanned and duplicated using rapid prototyping or rapid milling in a matter of days rather than weeks or months using traditional techniques.

   2. An object can be scanned, processed and imported into a CAD system for analysis or to design tooling for production in a couple of days rather than several weeks using traditional techniques.

   3. A hand-crafted concept model can be scanned, processed and imported into a CAD system for continuing product development or for feasibility studies in a couple of days rather than several weeks using traditional techniques.

   4. Scanners can be used for thorough, high-density geometric inspection of an objects form rather than the traditional technique of inspecting only a few critical features. Having more information about the quality of a part is nice, but thorough information also helps to fix the problem because you can "see" exactly what is happening (i.e. warpage, stretching, etc.)

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Benefits of Scanning

The benefits that scanning brings to these applications are made possible due to the sheer quantity of data that is able to be easily captured in a relatively short period of time. This high-density scan data not only allows design, manufacturing and inspection processes to be faster and more accurate, but it also allows new, more automatic techniques to be used. This results in extreme timesavings and also lower skill requirements by the users.

Reverse engineering is one of the more obvious uses of 3D scanning and has probably benefited the most from this technology. Quite often companies have products or parts that they need to turn into CAD models. There are varied reasons people might need to do this.

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CAD Models May Not Exist

Some manufacturers need CAD models of production parts or subassemblies to incorporate into a new product. The automotive industry, for example, frequently uses existing parts or subassemblies in new models with only slight modifications. Lack of CAD models may occur for a couple of reasons. The product may originally have been designed with a combination of drafting and physical modeling techniques or the CAD data may have been lost.

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As-built Parts May Deviate From the Original Design

It is not uncommon for production parts to vary from the original CAD data either from different CNC processes or from making on the fly changes during the manufacturing process. When these deviations result in failures it is important to replicate the failed geometry to properly analyze the reason for the failure. Quite often the best and fastest method to do this is by scanning the actual part and running an FEA. Conversely if the as-built geometry is satisfactory, the designers may want accurate CAD data of the part for use in future designs or just for accurate records.

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Sometimes the More Conventional Prototype Method Is Still Better

Designers may elect to work in physical media such as clay and hand poured molds. This also allows the character and design intent to be more accurately captured in the final prototype model. The challenge is then to retain these features when the CAD data is created. CAD systems are great tools for modeling regularly shaped parts such as rounds, flats or sheet-metal enclosures. However, it is much more difficult to capture the designer intent on parts or products that have multi curved surfaces and/or fine detail. This is where utilizing a scanning process along with the appropriate software to create the CAD data can reap dividends in being able to better capture the original design intent.

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AMRCC member practitioner of this technology

The companies listed below, are willing to discuss their hands-on Reverse Engineering experiences with you. Please feel free to use the email contact feature below to notify them of your interest. You will be contacted by the company's expert with that software to address your questions at their first convenience.

Company: HON INDUSTRIES, Muscatine, IA

HON INDUSTRIES includes: HON Company, Allsteel, Gunlocke, Maxon, Holga, HON International, Heat-N-Glo, Heatilator, Aladdin.

Reverse Engineering capabilities: No in-house operations. Currently use external service providers.

Process experience: Knowledge of several processes and service providers.

For additional information from this current user, contact: HNI Corporation

Company: Rockwell Collins, Inc. Cedar Rapids, IA

Reverse Engineering capabilities: No in-house operations. Currently use external service providers.

Process experience: Knowledge of several processes and service providers.

For additional information from this current user, contact: ROCKWELL COLLINS INC.

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