In contrast to the usual design workflow, in which you “start from nothing” and create a product from the very beginning, in reverse engineering you start with an existing equipment or component and work in reverse, disassembling it physically or digitally, part by part, or layer by layer.

The goal of reverse engineering is usually to create a usable 3D CAD model, and if done correctly, reverse engineering gives you the opportunity to use this design information and achieve several goals:

• Restoring legacy devices and parts, including through the use of additional production technologies
• Perform analysis of parts and machine failures, redesigning as needed
• In-depth analysis of the positive and negative sides of a competitor’s product
• Convenient to replicate parts that are out of stock, are very expensive or have a long waiting time
• Improve the performance of all existing parts and systems
• Use design information as a basis to create a whole new product
• And others

Although other methods of data acquisition are sometimes used, both manual and digital, today the most popular for obtaining data for reverse engineering is 3D scanning, CMM machine and CT scanning. Each method has its pros and cons depending on the application, as well as on your budget, experience with the selected technology and available project time.

For countless thousands of users around the world, professional desktop, handheld and tripod 3D scanners are a reliable choice for reverse engineered applications and many other purposes. CT scanners and CMM equipment have high prices, limited mobility and are quite difficult to learn how to use them. With the best 3D scanners, the opposite is true.