Are your outdated machines or equipment in need of repair or replacement parts? Or maybe your product would be perfect if it was only a little bigger or smaller in size?
Reverse engineering can help you recreate outdated parts to keep your machines running longer. There’s no need to replace the whole machine when you can reproduce the malfunctioning part and have it manufactured for you instead. This same process makes resizing and minor adjustments to parts simpler as well.
However, not every part or product is a good candidate for reverse engineering. Keep reading to find out if reverse engineering is a good choice for you.
Limitations of Reverse Engineering: Will it Work For You?
What is Reverse Engineering?
Reverse engineering is the process of disassembling an object to analyze its construction and discover the materials its made out of. It’s useful for a wide variety of industries, but it offers some unique benefits for manufacturers.
The Benefits of Reverse Engineering in Manufacturing
Reverse engineering is useful in manufacturing for a variety of reasons. Some of these include:
Replicating Legacy Parts
If you have a machine with components that are outdated and in need of repair, reverse engineering will help you determine how it was made so it can be replicated and reproduced.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer Complications
If the OEM is out of business or has lost the original design measurements, you can use reverse engineering to recreate the product.
Making Product Improvements
Having your product captured in digital form is useful for making improvements and modifications to the design.
Checking out the Competition
You can reverse engineer a competitor’s product to find out how it works and use that information to spark inspiration for new products.
Performing Additive Manufacturing
Reverse engineering allows 3D models to be created, which is crucial for additive manufacturing.
Pros and Cons of Reverse Engineering
Pros
Cons
Recommended Reading: Common Uses for Reverse Engineering
Will Reverse Engineering Work For You?
When deciding if reverse engineering is right for your project, there are a few questions you should ask yourself.
What condition is the existing part or product in? If there are signs of wear such as warping, cracks, missing pieces, or other surface damage, it would be difficult for a 3D machine to get an accurate scan of it.
How big is it? Tiny objects are challenging to reproduce.
How complicated is the design? If an object is too complicated for the machine to scan, it could cause software errors.
Does the object have an existing patent? Make sure you have the appropriate rights and permissions before reproducing products and components.
How Does Reverse Engineering Work?
Reverse engineering an object has become much simpler with the help of 3D scanners. These scanners allow you to get more accurate measurements and will work with a wide range of objects.
Scan the Object
A 3D scanner creates a cloud of data points that represent the surface of the object that is being reverse engineered. Our Faro Focus S150 allows us to capture massive amounts of data and export geometries into multiple design software packages and take accurate measurements of just about anything. The reverse engineering software can analyze the likelihood of error at each point in the model. This helps to determine where the digitized model may need some human eyes to make sure the model fits the original piece.
Convert the Data
The dedicated software package turns the data into a smooth mesh that can be fed into a CAD program.
Make adjustments
Once the data has been fed into the CAD program, an engineer can work with it to make any adjustments that might be necessary and save it for manufacturing. This can lead to any of your current machining and fabrication techniques. At this point, the process has reached the same point as starting with an idea or drawing and creating a 3D model from scratch.
Create the Product
Once the digital model is created, you can physically reproduce the item through manufacturing using plastics, polymers, carbon fiber, metals, or other materials. With techniques ranging from machining, die casting, and even 3D printing.
Steer Clear of Patent Infringement
If the object you want to reverse engineer is patented, you will have some limitations. It cannot be reverse-engineered for duplication purposes. This means if you want to recreate a part for your machine, it’s illegal if that part has a patent, and you don’t have permission from the patent owner. Visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office website to find out more about patents and how to look them up. Patent infringement cases frequently occur in the automotive industry. The following is an example of a lawsuit between ABPA and Ford.
ABPA vs. Ford
Ford blocked the production and sale of some of its non-OEM parts by ABPA. They claimed those parts infringed on some of their design patents. ABPA claimed that Ford “uses design patents on automotive body repair parts to limit their distribution and increase the cost of the repair parts.”
On July 23, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concluded that the design patents were not invalid for non-ornamentality under 35 U.S.C. § 171, and rejecting related exhaustion and repair unenforceability theories.
We are not attorneys. The advice offered in this section is based purely on our experience with our customers. Always consult an attorney if you aren’t sure if a part is legal to reproduce.
Get Started on Your Project
Do you have a product or part that needs to be reverse engineered? Our Faro CMM’s are equipped with Laser Line 3D Scanning. This allows us to quickly complete CAD to part comparison and reverse engineering projects on the go. We can reverse engineer any project from small parts to full assembly plants, or even vehicles.
Request more information to get started on your project today.