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Reverse Engineering Notes

reverse engineering -open elective

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101 views

Reverse Engineering Notes

reverse engineering -open elective

Uploaded by

bibliophileonthesamepage
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering (RE) is the process of taking something (a device, an electrical component, a software
program, etc.) apart and analyzing its workings in detail, usually with the intention to construct a new device or
program that does the same thing without actually copying anything from the original.
Resulting knowledge gained through the reverse-engineering process can then be applied to the design of similar
products and that capitalizing on successes and learning from the shortcomings of existing designs is
the objective of reverse engineering.

What Is Reverse Engineering?


Engineering is the profession involved in designing, manufacturing, constructing, and maintaining of products,
systems, and structures.
At a higher level, there are two types of engineering: forward engineering and reverse engineering.
Forward engineering is the traditional process of moving from high-level abstractions and logical designs to the
physical implementation of a system. In some situations, there may be a physical part without any technical
details, such as drawings, bills-of-material, or without engineering data, such as thermal and electrical
properties.
The process of duplicating an existing component, subassembly, or product, without the aid of drawings,
documentation, or computer model is known as reverse engineering

.Reverse engineering can be viewed as the process of analyzing a system to:


1.Identify the system's components and their interrelationships
2.Create representations of the system in another form or a higher level of abstraction
3.Create the physical representation of that system
04:01

Reverse engineering is very common in such diverse fields as software engineering,


entertainment, automotive, consumer products, microchips, chemicals, electronics, and mechanical designs.

For example, when a new machine comes to market, competing manufacturers may buy one machine and
disassemble it to learn how it was built and how it works.

A chemical company may use reverse engineering to defeat a patent on a competitor's manufacturing process.
In civil engineering, bridge and building designs are copied from past successes so there will be less chance of
catastrophic failure.
In software engineering, good source code is often a variation of other good source code.

Rapid product development(RPD) refers to recently developed technologies and techniques that assist
manufacturers and designers in meeting the demands of reduced product development time. For example,
injection-molding companies must drastically reduce the tool and die development times. By using reverse
engineering, a three-dimensional product or model can be quickly captured in digital form, re-modeled, and
exported for rapid prototyping/tooling or rapid manufacturing

Following are reasons for reverse engineering a part or product:

1.The original manufacturer of a product no longer produces a product


2.There is inadequate documentation of the original design
3.The original manufacturer no longer exists, but a customer needs the product
4.The original design documentation has been lost or never existed
5.Some bad features of a product need to be designed out.
For example, excessive wear might indicate where a product should be improved
6.To strengthen the good features of a product based on long-term usage of the product
7.To analyze the good and bad features of a competitor's' product
8.To explore new avenues to improve product performance and features
9.To gain competitive benchmarking methods to understand competitor's products and develop
better products
10.The original CAD model is not sufficient to support modifications or current manufacturing methods
11.The original supplier is unable or unwilling to provide additional parts
12.The original equipment manufacturers are either unwilling or unable to supply replacement parts, or demand
inflated costs for sole-source parts
13.To update obsolete materials or antiquated manufacturing processes with more current, less-expensive
technologies.

The following are the steps of the reverse engineering process:

Reverse Engineering Process.

Prediction
●What is the purpose of this product?
●How does it work?
●What market was it designed to appeal to?
●List some of the design objectives for the product.
●List some of the constraints that may have influenced the design.

b. Observation
●How do you think it works?
●How does it meet design objectives (overall)?
●Why is it designed the way it is?

c. Disassemble
●How does it work?
●How is it made?
●How many parts?
●How many moving parts?
●Anysurprises

d. Analyze
●Carefully examine and analyze subsystems (i.e. structural, mechanical, and electrical) and develop annotated
sketches that include measurements and notes on components, system design, safety, and controls.

e. Test
●Carefully reassemble the product.
●Operate the device and record observations about its performance in terms of functionality (operational and
ergonomic) and projected durability.

f. Documentation
●Inferred design goals
●Inferred constraints
●Design (functionality, form (geometry), and materials)
●Schematic diagrams
●Lists (materials, components, critical components, flaws, successes, etc.)
●Identify any refinements that might enhance the product’s usefulness.
Scanning Phase:

- Selecting the correct scanning technique involves considering factors


such as part complexity, material properties, and desired level of detail.
- Preparation of the part may involve cleaning, applying contrast agents,
or positioning aids to enhance scanning accuracy.
- Non-contact scanners offer advantages in terms of speed and versatility
but may struggle with certain surface types or materials.
- Contact scanners are more precise but can be slower and are limited by
the physical properties of the probe material.
- Some scanning devices integrate with CNC machines, enabling seamless
integration of scanning and machining processes.
- The choice between contact and non-contact scanners depends on
factors like accuracy requirements, surface characteristics, and budget
constraints.

Point Processing Phase:

- Noise reduction in point cloud data is essential for creating accurate


geometric models.
- Filtering algorithms are used to remove outliers, smooth surfaces, and
simplify complex geometries.
- Merging multiple scan data sets requires careful alignment and
registration to ensure continuity and accuracy.
- Proper planning of multiple scans minimizes the need for extensive point
processing and reduces the risk of errors during data fusion.
- Commercial software offers a range of tools for point processing,
allowing users to customize workflows according to their specific needs.
- Output formats for point cloud data include industry-standard formats
like XYZ, as well as proprietary formats supported by RE software.

Geometric Model Development Phase:

- Surface fitting algorithms play a crucial role in converting point cloud


data into CAD models.
- CAD systems may not natively support handling large point cloud data
sets, necessitating the use of specialized RE modules or standalone
software.
- Feature-based algorithms are emerging to facilitate interaction with
point cloud data, enabling engineers to create solid models directly within
CAD environments.
- Applications of RE range from replicating existing parts to analyzing
deviations between designed and manufactured components.
- Customized artificial joints, based on patient-specific data, demonstrate
the potential for personalized medical solutions through RE.
- Output formats for geometric models include standard formats like IGES
and STL, as well as specific formats optimized for CNC machining (e.g.,
ISO G Code).

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