Reverse Engineering
Professional reverse engineering services: we turn physical parts into accurate, editable CAD models. From a single worn component with no drawings to complex assemblies, we scan the part, rebuild it as a parametric solid in Geomagic Design X, and deliver files your engineers can modify, analyze, and manufacture from: STEP, native SolidWorks, and 2D manufacturing drawings.
Request a Quote
Typical response within one business day. Prefer to talk? Chicago: (331) 758-0940 • Kansas City: (913) 270-3158
When You Need Reverse Engineering
- No drawings exist: legacy parts, hand-made components, or equipment whose documentation was lost or never created
- The supplier is gone: obsolete or discontinued parts that must be remanufactured to keep equipment running
- The part evolved on the shop floor: field-modified or hand-tuned components where the physical part is the only true record
- Designing around existing hardware: aftermarket products, fixtures, and upgrades that must fit parts you didn't design
- Worn tooling and molds: recovering geometry from tooling before it degrades further
As-Built or Design Intent: Two Ways to Model
Design Intent Modeling
We rebuild the part the way its original engineer would have designed it: nominal dimensions, true circles and planes, symmetric features, standard hole sizes. Wear, draft, and manufacturing imperfections are engineered out. This is the right choice for remanufacturing, modification, and most engineering use.
As-Built Modeling
We model the part exactly as it exists today, including wear and as-manufactured deviations. The right choice when the true current shape matters: mating to worn hardware, documenting a hand-shaped part, or analyzing how a component has changed in service.
Not sure which you need? Most projects call for design intent, and we'll confirm the right approach during scoping.
Our Reverse Engineering Process
- ScopeTell us about the part, its condition, and what the CAD will be used for. We'll recommend the modeling approach and provide a fixed quote.
- ScanWe capture the part with the scanning technology matched to its size and detail, from micro components to full vehicles, at our facility or on-site.
- ModelThe scan is rebuilt as a parametric solid in Geomagic Design X, with real features: extrusions, revolves, fillets, and patterns your CAD software understands.
- VerifyThe finished model is compared back against the original scan data, with deviation analysis confirming the model meets the accuracy your application requires.
- DeliverFiles delivered in your formats, with a review session so your team can put the model straight to work.
Deliverables & File Formats
- Parametric CAD: STEP, IGES, Parasolid, or native SolidWorks (SLDPRT), with editable feature history where required
- 2D manufacturing drawings: dimensioned DXF/DWG drawings for fabrication and quoting
- Mesh files: STL or OBJ of the captured part, useful for 3D printing and reference
- Verification report: model-to-scan deviation comparison on request
What We Reverse Engineer
- Machine and equipment parts: housings, brackets, gears, impellers, shafts, and weldments
- Automotive and motorsport: chassis components, brackets, intake and exhaust routing, body panels
- Castings and forgings: complex organic geometry that's impractical to measure by hand
- Molds and tooling: cavity and core geometry recovery
- Consumer and industrial products: enclosures, fittings, and legacy product lines
Why 3DMakerWorld
Reverse engineering quality is decided by both the scan and the modeling. As a Gold-Certified Artec 3D partner and authorized Geomagic provider, we work in this exact pipeline every day, capturing with professional scanning systems and rebuilding in the same software we sell, train on, and support. Chicago: (331) 758-0940 • Kansas City: (913) 270-3158
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does reverse engineering cost?
Pricing depends on the part's complexity and the deliverable: a simple bracket as a STEP file costs far less than a full-feature-history SolidWorks model of a complex casting with drawings. Every project receives a fixed quote up front. Send photos and rough dimensions for a quote, typically within one business day.
What's the difference between design intent and as-built modeling?
Design intent modeling rebuilds the part with nominal, idealized geometry, the way it was originally designed: perfect circles, flat planes, standard dimensions. As-built modeling reproduces the part exactly as scanned, wear and all. Design intent is right for most remanufacturing and engineering work; as-built is right when the current physical shape is the point.
Can you reverse engineer a worn or broken part?
Usually, yes. With design intent modeling we can restore worn surfaces to their nominal geometry, and broken parts can often be reconstructed using the remaining geometry, symmetry, and engineering judgment. Severely damaged parts are handled case by case; send photos and we'll tell you what's achievable.
Will the CAD model be editable in my software?
Yes. STEP, IGES, and Parasolid open as solids in every major CAD system. If you need a fully editable feature tree (sketches, extrudes, fillets you can modify), we deliver native SolidWorks models with feature history. Tell us your CAD platform during scoping and we'll match the deliverable to it.
How accurate is the final CAD model?
Every model is verified against the original scan data with a deviation comparison before delivery, and the required accuracy is agreed during scoping based on your application. Achievable accuracy depends on part size and geometry; for most mechanical parts, the modeling tolerance is well within typical manufacturing tolerances.
Is reverse engineering legal?
Reverse engineering has long-established legitimate uses: recreating unavailable parts for equipment you own, restoring legacy components, and designing products that fit existing hardware. Respecting patents and other intellectual property is the customer's responsibility, and we don't provide legal advice; if your project raises IP questions, consult your attorney first.
Is my part kept confidential?
Yes. Part information and all scan and CAD data are treated as confidential, and we're happy to sign your NDA before any project details are shared.
Have a part that needs a CAD model? Request a quote above, or call Chicago: (331) 758-0940 or Kansas City: (913) 270-3158.