Reverse engineering is the process by which an existing item is “de-structured” to see how it is made and how it functions. Sometimes it’s in order to replicate an object made by another manufacturer, while in other instances it may be an exercise in value analysis or improving the design. A popular reason, these days, is the reintroduction of ‘retro’ designs, in a way that remains authentic to the original but incorporates new rules regarding health and safety, or REACH compliance.
When a CEO gets a great idea about something, maybe a competitor’s product or something his great-grandfather made a century ago, computer aided imaging is often low on the agenda. But it’s a good idea to understand at least some of what is involved, starting with the reverse engineering services offered today.
Reverse engineering is nothing new, but without blueprints of the original to hand, often quite tricky. However, it becomes easy if there are tools to generate 3D images of the components. Companies offering CAD CAM services have made reversible engineering feasible and cost-effective, generating 3D graphic images (sometimes using CAD animation) of the physical parts and using CAM (Computer Aided Modelling) tools to create the finished version onscreen.
For example, before something can be reverse-engineered it needs to be measured so it can be recreated as an accurate 3D model. There are lots of high-tech ways to do this, none of them involving a ruler. CAD engineering tools have improved tremendously in recent years, allowing companies like us at Enventure Technologies to offer CAD CAM services at highly preferential rates.
