Reverse Engineering of Machine Parts for Leading American Tools Manufacturer

Our Client – Machine Tools Distributor and Services Company

The client is an American company dealing with different types of industrial machinery and its services. With a vast range of services, the client is a reliable name in the field of sales, manufacturing, and service of CNC tools, manual machine tools, and machine calibration.

Six decades into the tools distribution and manufacturing business, they even assist their customers in buying the right set of machinery for industrial automation. Having worked on hundreds of projects, the client has served numerous organizations in the Aerospace, Oil & Gas, Defense, Energy, Medical, and Automotive industries.

Requirements for 3D Parametric Modeling of Machine Parts

After an online inquiry and discussion with IndiaCADworks’ mechanical engineering team, the client shared the details of their requirement. Being in the CNC manufacturing and service business, the client has a continuous requirement for the reverser engineering of various machine parts.

In the first lot of this project, the client wanted our team to develop 3D parametric models of a vacuum motor casing from scanned images of the actual machine casing. Their aim was to utilize the 3D model in feeding the CNC machine for the mass production of the machine’s exterior casing.

Tight Deadline and Rigid Accuracy Requirements Among the Biggest Challenges

The client had specified their rigidness with respect to the project timelines. As they wanted averagely four parametric 3D models to be created every month, our team had not more than four working days for each model. This was one of the key challenges that ICW overcame by assigning two dedicated 3D modelers who were highly experienced in parametric modeling and especially surface modeling using Geomagic Design X.

Another challenge was to meet the 1NM hole positioning accuracy requirement. As the models were to be fed into the CNC tool, the accuracy was a must. For this, our team ensured that each model goes through the heal map deviation using the Geomagic tool before sending the STEP file to the client for approval.

Machine Components Reverse Engineering Process

Being a reverse engineering and rapid prototyping service provider, ICW’s team had a profound experience in handling similar projects. Still, to further streamline the delivery and ensuring the quality parameters, our team followed a procedural approach:

1. The team received and analyzed the point cloud scanned data of the machine parts from the client.
2. Two experienced parametric modelers were assigned to work exclusively on the project.
3. The team discussed with the machine’s mechanisms with the client and worked on a model with an aesthetic look of the machine part. The conceptual design was prepared and shared with the client for feedback.
4. After receiving the client’s initial approval, using the Geomagic Design X, our modelers created the surface model. The models and the scanned data were then verified using heat map validation to ensure accuracy.
5. Then SolidWorks software was used to create the parametric 3D model with all the spikes, cuts, and grooves precisely defined.
6. The .step files and the 2D drawings in PDF form were shared with the client for final approval.
7. After receiving the final approval from the client, the final SolidWorks files were sent to the client via Dropbox.

Precise Machine Parts Modeling with Accuracy Up to 1NM Hole Positioning

The client appreciated IndiaCADworks’ proactive efforts to faster the delivery and approval process by sharing not only the STEP files but the 2D drawings as well as the heat map validation reports. When the client would have made close to 40% cost saving compared to the industry pricing, the zero-failure accuracy of the deliverables was, in fact, the major takeaway for them.

With machine design, value engineering, and a plethora of mechanical engineering services, ICW can help with your next reverse engineering project at the best cost vs. quality ratio.