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Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering is defined as the process

of obtaining a geometric CAD model from 3-D points
acquired by scanning existing parts.

It also can be defined as

The process of redesigning an existing part, subassembly, or

product, without drawings, documentation, or a computer
model is known as reverse engineering.

Actually the reverse of the engineering process, going from a

finished product to design.

Used to digitize old parts and systems.

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Reverse Engineering

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Antikythera mechanism

A famous example of reverse

engineering
Ancient mechanical computer
Discovered in wreck in 1900, dated
around 150-100 BC

When it was discovered

After Reverse Engineering

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Why Use Reverse Engineering?

To bring existing physical geometry into 3D record.
Benchmarking of the given product.
The original manufacturer no longer exists, but a customer needs the product.
The original product design documentation has been lost or never existed.
Inspection and/or Quality ControlComparing a fabricated part to its CAD
description or to a standard item.

Some bad features of a product need to be eliminated.

Might indicate where a product should be improved.
Strengthening the good features of a product based on long-term usage.
Analyzing the good and bad features of competitors products.

Exploring new avenues to improve product performance and features.

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Reverse Engineering- Process Flow Chart

Scanning the physical part

Mesh data preparation

CAD modeling procedure

Stage wise deviation

analysis and report

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SCANNING THE PHYSICAL PART

Scanner
Part to be scan

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Obtain multiple views from a 3D scanner
Register views to a single 3D point set
Triangulation

Triangle set

Point set
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MESH DATA PREPARATION

Usually when scanning, some unwanted data will be captured in the form of noise so cleaning
of scan data is necessary before Meshing.
Unwanted data is removed.
to reduce the scan data size and optimize the data for fast processing of model decimation is
done.
Illustration
Noise

After noise removal

Before noise removal

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Healing of Mesh data

Mesh data will be exported as STL data.
STL data will be imported for modeling.
Healing of the STL data will help to remove unwanted holes and
appropriate boundary preparation
Holes

Before Healing

After Healing
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CAD modeling procedure

CAD modeling includes mainly two approaches

1. Feature-based modeling or Non-parametric.
2. Parametric-based modeling or History-based modeling

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1. Feature-based modeling or Non-parametric.

Hard to detect features
free form surfaces and organic models

Mesh data

Feature recognition

Cad data

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Deviation

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2. Constraint-based modeling or History-based modeling

Store the complete history of the model building operations.

Edit object by changing the history and replaying it(or relevant part of it).
Edit operations are simpler and more robust.
But complete history often contains irrelevant information.

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Constraint-based modeling or History-based modeling

Example: Coffee pod

STEPS
1. Align the scan data to a fixed plain.
2. Select a plane to obtain mesh sketch
3. All Sketches should be constrained.

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Example for a fully constrained sketch.

Sketch Deviation

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Stage wise deviation analysis

In each stage compare the scan data along with the constrained sketch and correct it
according to the deviation
When a feature is generate compare it with scan data and correct it according to deviation
in case if deviation is not clear in previous step.
This process will help to eliminate most of the mistake usually committed while
constraining a sketch And it will reduce the time taken for doing complete quality check

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Stage wise deviation analysis

Before giving the fillet

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After giving the fillet

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SUMMERY: Reverse Engineering of a Coffee pod

Physical Part

Scan Data

Deviation Report

CAD Model
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Conclusion

Reverse engineering
Interesting applications directly relevant to industry problems
Involves many core issues
Reverse perspective provides new insights in process
Design intent essential for working on high abstraction levels

Contact us, If you are interested on reverse engineering, CAD,

geometry, graphics and simulations.

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Thank you

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