Application of additive technology and reverse engineering in the realization of damaged obsolete parts

Abstract

Reverse engineering (RE) aims to design a new replacement part based on the existing part. The goal is to perform a quality reproduction of the physical part with the best possible mechanical characteristics aiming to find optimal solutions regarding the shape and dimensions of the part. The procedure is implemented through a series of steps: creating a digital 3D model, improving model parameters, and realizing products using additive technologies. In this paper, a review and implementation of the fundamental methodologies of RE were carried out on the example of a damaged protective cover with an unknown geometry and material essential for the function of a discontinued device with no technical documentation and spare parts. An optical scanning method, 3D CAD, FEA, and additive manufacturing were used to realize the reproduced part. It was shown that by utilizing RE the lifecycle of the device could be significantly extended with minimal cost.