R:everseenaineerina ~-

regains poFuIarity
by lPeter Dickh, Delcam International plc

R
beverse engin'eering is defined as
the production of new parts,
Lproducts or tooling from existing
physical models or components. After
the widespread introduction of
computer-aided design, reverse
engineering went through a period
during which it was regarded as a
dying technology. However, it is
currently enjoying a resurgence in
popularity. New techniques have been
developed that have progressed well
beyond the original copy milling
approach t o offer a powerful design
solution based on a combination of
traditional skills and computer
technology. As a result, companies can
now enjoy all the flexibility of model
rather than detailed designs of single,
complex components. Of course, it is
always possible to restrict designers t o
the shapes that are possible within the
company's CAD system. The problems
and hidden costs that this approach can
generate are summarised in the lead
article in the April 1996 issue of
Computer Aided Design Report. This
concludes: 'working around the
limitations of inadequate CAD software
wastes time and can cost industry
billions of dollars'. With modern
designs tending away from the
functional styles of the '80s towards
more free form surfaces, the difficulties
of limited CAD software are becoming
even worse.
Leaving designers of the most
complex shapes to work in traditional
ways means that they can continue t o
use their creative skills t o the full. Once
the design is completed, it is now easy
to digitise the physical models
produced t o generate the equivalent
CAD models. A range of co-ordinate
measuring machines and scanning
equipment are available t o capture the
data, and all are capable of producing
models more quickly and more
accurately than is possible by trying t o
duplicate a very complex shape on the
computer,
Of course, the modeller may choose
t o use a combination of both
techniques to obtain the CAD model

independently.
The first reason for the
renewed popularity of
reverse engineering is the
discovery that CAD cannot
always replace traditional
model making techniques. Producing tooling designs
Even those companies using
CAD successfully for the
majority of their modelling
requirements still have some
designers working with very
complex shapes who prefer
t o produce models by hand.
The time and effort needed
to retrain those people in
new computerised design
techniques may make it Collecting the data
impr,acticalt o change,
especially if they are
reluctant t o abandon their
original skills.
The second problem is
that many CAD systems are
unable to modify very
complex shapes with
sufficient flexibility t o
faithfully represent the
designer's ideas. This is
particularly true of some
solid modelling systems,
which are more suited t o
modelling large assemblies
of relatively simple parts Completing the CAD model Machining the tool

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they need. Reliable methods are now
available t o build up CAD models with
data from different sources. It is now
practical t o design the main outline of
a product with CAD, but use hand
models for complex details or
decoration. The hand-modelled
sections can then be digitised and
combined with the main CAD model in
the computer. A similar approach can
be taken when developing ’new’ parts
that are, in fact, variations on existing
components. It is often quicker t o
digitise the existing part and limit the
CAD work t o the desired modifications,
instead of completely recreating the
part with CAD.
Testing the design
In recent years, a combination of
physical models and CAD models has
been used in most design testing and
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analysis programs. Computer-based
analysis and simulation packages allow
more tests t o be undertaken more
rapidly than traditional methods.
However, a completely accurate CAD
model is essential for some of these
tests t o give reliable results. Thus, while
an approximation of the shape will
usually be sufficient for programs for
plastics flow simulation, simulations of
fluid flow inside a part will need an
exact model. If restricted flexibility in
the CAD system makes this impossible,
a physical model will need t o be made
and digitising used t o create the
computer model for the analysis
system.
The other great advantage of using
physical models is the ability for people
t o get a ’feel’ for the design. This is
important in a wide range of
industries, including packaging,
furniture and hand-held electrical
goods, in fact any application where
ergonomics plays a key part of the
design process. While skilled CAD
operators can assess the likely success
of a design from the screen, people
working in marketing or retail usually
prefer t o hold a model of the proposed
product.
Inevitably, the next thing they want
is t o modify the design, by smoothing a
fillet here or building up a surface
there. The increased use of rapid
2 Digitising the master
model of the mower body
prototyping has contributed t o this
trend. Models produced from these
systems are often modified by hand,
either with functional changes or small
styling modifications. It is often difficult
t o reproduce these small changes on
the computer. Instead, the modified
area can be digitised, new surfaces
created and then stitched back into the
CAD model.
Once the digitised data has been
captured, programs like Delcam’s
CopyCAD software can be used t o
convert them into CAD surfaces. This
software includes a range of editing
tools t o remove excess data points and
t o create a more accurate model by
off setting for wall thickness, shrinkage
or measuring probe allowance. I t also
gives complete control over the
selection of boundaries so that surfaces
can be optimised for subsequent
modelling and machining operations.
Once the user is happy with the
surfaces produced, they can be
exported t o a CAD system for the
remainder of the development process.
Tooling design
When the time comes t o convert the
product design into production tooling,
the use of CADCAM offers several
advantages over mechanical copy
milling. The key t o most of these
advantages is its greater versatility.
Firstly, measurements can be made in
the way best suited t o different parts
of the component and then combined
in the computer. This approach is most
valuable when digitising large parts
incorporating small areas with detailed
features. The main surfaces can be
scanned rapidly since relatively few
points are needed, while closely spaced
data are only measured where they are
needed t o gather detailed information.
With any physical model, there is
always the risk of damage or other
surface imperfections. With copy
milling, these faults will be reproduced
in every subsequent operation.
However, with the CAD approach, the
computer model can be corrected t o
overcome these problems. Similarly,
hand models will never be exactly
symmetrical, whereas the computer can
produce exact duplicates or mirror
images of the required sections of the
part. It can even produce a surface that
will be an exact compromise between
t w o sides of a non-symmetrical hand
model.
The flexibility of the computer is also
advantageous when producing a series
IEE REVIEW SEPTEMBER 1996

of products of different sizes. Firstly,
the CAD package allows the volume t o
be calculated and adjusted, whereas
copy milling relies on the model maker
to have correctly estimated the desired
volume. Copy milling packages do
allow scaling of the initial design and
some will let the user apply different
expansion factors in each major axis.
However, they cannot cope with the
more complex scaling that is often
needed; for example a series of bottles
of different volumes may be required
that must all use a common top. This
can be achieved by using the computer.
Model makers generally only
produce the external surfaces of the
part that will be required. However,
CAD techniques can quickly produce
the internal surface by offsetting the
CAD model. Internal features, such as
reinforcing ribs or bosses for screws t o
locate into, can also be generated with
CAD.
Once the product design has been
finalised, modern CADCAM systems
incorporate a range of features needed
t o produce tooling designs rapidly.
Models may be inverted automatically
t o convert the product shape into a
mould cavity or a die. The surfaces may
then be expanded t o allow for
shrinkage of material during
processing. Finally, draft angles and
split surfaces can be added.
These systems also offer a number of
advantages in production over the
earlier copy milling approach. Firstly,
CNC machines are usually more rigid
than copy mills. This allows a higher
quality surface finish t o be produced a t
a higher speed. Digitising also gives
more flexibility during production.
W,ith copy milling, the machining
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routine often simply repeats the path
followed by the probe when collecting
the data. Also, the cutter may need t o
be the same size as the measuring
probe. Digitising is not limited in these
ways. Alternative manufacturing
strategies can be developed and
different cutting tools compared, to
obtain the optimum machining speed
and surface finish. In addition, the
increased flexibility means that both
rough and finish machining paths can
be generated from one set of digitised
data.
Reverse engineering practice
Reverse engineering skills a t
toolmaker A. H. Austin made a
significant contribution to the success
of Flymo's new 350 Turbo Compact
Lawnmower. With sales of f l 2 million,
the design became market leader in its
launch year. The mower was voted the
best new gardening product by the
Garden Machinery Manufacturers
Association and was commended in the
Design Effectiveness Awards. It also
won the Horners Award for Plastics,
when the judges were especially
impressed by the design and quality of
the mouldings. The key feature of the
design, developed by product designers
Renfrew Associates for Flymo, is the
centrally mounted grass box. This gives
better balance and consistent hover
performance regardless of the weight
of the clippings.
A. H. Austin specialises in injection
moulds ranging from small multi-
impression tools for electrical
components up t o 8 ton single
impression tools. In addition to Flymo,
the company has supplied tooling to
many of the UK's leading companies in
3 The Flymo 350 mower
the automotive, DIY and electrical
industries. Austins uses four seats of
Delcam's DUCT CADCAM software on
i t s sites at Ware and Haverhill.
For the 350 Turbo Compact, Austins
was supplied with a model of the shape
of the design, together with 2D
drawings describing the ribs, bosses,
screw fixings, handle holds and so on.
The main surfaces were created in the
computer by digitising the model with
an lncon digitising system that is fitted
t o one of the company's CNC machine
tools. Data from the drawings was then
added t o complete the component
design.
The surfaces for the mould cavity
were generated by inverting the CAD
model, while those for the core were
produced by offsetting the surfaces by
the required wall thickness. CAD was
used t o create the split surfaces for
both sides of the tool.
Once the tool design was completed,
the software was used t o generate
cutter paths. However, the depth of the
cavity meant that spark erosion had t o
be used to finish the mould. The cavity
shape was inverted and then offset t o
provide a CAD model of the graphite
electrode. Cutter paths were then
produced for the electrode.
Austins also produced tooling for the
hood of the grassbox by creating a 3D
model in CAD from 2D drawings
supplied by Flymo. The completed
moulds were delivered t o Flymo in time
to launch the 350 Turbo Compact for
the 1994 season. Their prompt delivery
and high quality contributed t o the
enormous success of the novel design.
Austins' successful involvement with
the project led t o the company winning
the contract for the smaller 300 Turbo
Compact model, which was launched in
1995.
The move towards computer-aided
design has given companies a huge
range of benefits in cutting down their
times for new product development
and in enabling them t o provide higher
quality products a t lower prices.
However, these successes should not
blind people t o the use of alternative
techniques like reverse engineering. At
the end of the day, each technique
should be considered on i t s own merits
for the project where it is t o be used.
There are still many cases where the
combination of traditional and modern
skills can produce a more flexible and
effective solution than either approach
can achieve independently.
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IEE REVIEW SEPTEMBER 1996