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What is Reverse Engineering and its Applications

What is Reverse Engineering and its Applications

Reverse Engineering, Back Engineering or Re Engineering refers to the process of understanding how an existing product is designed and developed and extracting the design details. Reverse Engineering involves understanding how each part functions, often including breaking down the product into its individual parts for further analysis and hence this process of tear down has become an integral part with reverse engineering. It has been termed as ’reverse’ because process is not going from design to production, rather arriving at the design from an already produced product. Reverse engineering is not only used in the development of new products but also to solve issues with existing products, and not limited to products but aircrafts, ships, heavy machinery, factory equipment and construction. With the evolution of technologies like 3D scanning and digital tools to reconstruct CAD models of physical systems, reverse engineering is helping engineers in many ways. Reverse Engineering encompasses all aspects of the product engineering but in this article we do not cover reverse engineering from software development and electronic hardware development perspective.

.Reverse Engineering Process

Applications of Reverse Engineering

1. Part Replacement

Parts wearing out and failing is a common problem in any industry and would require replacement. And if the machine is old it is difficult to contact the manufacturer for spare parts. Or it could also be a situation where the manufacturer no longer is in business. But with the help of a 3D scanner, the defective component can be scanned and the data can be used to build the CAD design model. Once the CAD design is ready the part can be produced using rapid prototyping for replacement.

2. Part Service and Repair

Machines need servicing and repairing which involve dismantling the sub-systems and looking for the defective part and then calling for replacement procedures. If the design documents are not available, reverse engineering can help to prepare the maintenance sequences for training and aiding the personnel on what processes and sequences to be followed in identifying the problem and replacing the part. For example if the clutch disc has to be replaced in a truck, all the sequence of how the drive shaft, transmission cover and couplings have to be removed to access the clutch can be documented with the help of reverse engineering. 

3. Failure Analysis

Examining a product by each component that makes it function can help to identify cause of failure and any potential issues that may have risen due to design flaws. Once they are identified, they can be eliminated with design modifications. For example, if an LCD display needs replacement frequently, failure analysis can help identify if any loose PCB wire connectors are causing the display glitches or if the heat sink for battery heat did not dissipate properly leading to electronic failure etc can be assessed. In another example, if any particular component has shown failure at the joints or bolt holes, reverse engineering can help to create the CAD data of the part and only the joining geometries can be modified or strengthened with ribs without having to design the whole part from scratch.

4. Parts Improvement

Companies perform reverse engineering on their competitor products to understand and improve. Not just observing the competitor products alone, but often improvement on previous versions is the key to retain the interest in customers. And the results from failure analysis will help to bring out new ideas for part improvement. 

5. Diagnosis and Problem Solving

Factors follow several processes to produce their end products. Reverse engineering can help understand the flow of each process and thus to establish a maintenance protocol. It can also enable for creating and documenting knowledge so that if anything goes wrong in the machinery and operations it becomes easy to deal with fixing the problem.

 

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Technologies That are Making Composite 3D Printing Possible

Technologies That are Making Composite 3D Printing Possible

Composite materials are lighter and stronger hence have high strength-to-weight ratio finding applications to replace traditional parts in automotive and aerospace industries. Composite materials have been in existence for a long time but they have been manufactured by means primarily in mass production setups.  Composite printing is still in the beginning phase of adoption that is restricted to industries but soon we will be seeing plenty of composite 3D printed parts replacing parts printed with conventional materials and experts predict that the market cap for composite 3D printing could reach $10 Billion by 2028, as it combines both the advantages of composites and rapidly producing parts that are tailored for highest strength while being extremely light in weight. Composites enable not just the high strength to weight ratio alone, but further developments enable for enhancing other properties like electrical conductivity, high temperature resistance, chemical resistance, flexibility and durability. Before going into the details of how they are printed, let’s have a look at little background on composites.

What are Composites?

As the name suggests, composite material has 2 constituents, the Matrix and the Reinforcement. Matrix is the base material that fills in the most portion of the geometry while reinforcement is a supplement whose job is to enhance the properties of the base matrix, primarily the strength. A point to note is that both matrix and reinforcement do not mix homogeneously (such as in alloys or blends) rather exist independently in the part geometry thus is the distinction between an alloy and a composite. Composites can be classified based on material of the matrix (polymer, metal or ceramic) and what form of reinforcement is given to it (particle, flake, fibres, laminates).

Types of 3D Printable Composites

So far companies have achieved to print nylon polymer based composites that are reinforced with fibres like carbon fibre, kevlar and glass fibres. And depending on how the fibre is embedded in the matrix, they are further classified as Continuous Fibre Composites and Chopped Fibre Composites. In Chopped Fibre Composite, the reinforcing fibre is chopped and mixed with the base matrix and printed as a single material. In Continuous Fibre Composite, the reinforcing fibre is laid as a continuous strand at desired locations using a separate print head. Parts printed in continuous fibre have significantly better properties than chopped fibre.

Technologies for printing Chopped Fibre composites:

Fused Deposition Modeling: Filaments made out of chopped fibre composites can be printed in Fused Deposition Modeling machines. However, the printer has to support specialized nozzles and print extrusion units so that nozzle abrasion does not take place and also the heating unit is capable of melting composites. Ultimaker has released its Red CC Print Core for S5 printer and has certified selected third party composite filaments that work with their printers. Markforged has also pioneered printing of Onyx (Proprietary composite of Nylon + chopped carbon fibre).

Selective Laser Sintering: Powders made out of chopped fibre composites can be printed with Selective Laser Sintering. EOS has released Nylon powder reinforced with glass beads that are printable with their SLS printers.

Technologies for printing Continuous Fibre composites:

This is an emerging area and companies like Markforged, Desktop Metal and Anisoprint have pioneered their own techniques that resemble a dual-mode Fused Deposition Printing to print continuous fibres of reinforcement materials with a separate print head alongside the primary print head that prints the matrix.  Markforged uses fibre in wire spool form calling it as Continuous Fibre Fabrication (CFF) while Desktop Metal uses reinforcement fibres in tape form calling it as Micro Automated Fiber Placement (μAFP). 

Image shows CFF printing in action on Markforged Printer. Black Matrix being a Nylon mased polymer while Amber coloured outline being Kevlar Fibres.

Image shows Markforged Proprietary Eiger software allows for optimal placement of fibres with specific
settings for added strength.

Parts printed in CFF can reach strengths of aluminum parts, thus offering an excellent alternative to replace aluminum parts that are made with traditional manufacturing methods.

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How to Leverage FDM, SLA and SLS 3D Printing for Pilot Product Launch

How to Leverage FDM, SLA and SLS 3D Printing for Pilot Product Launch

New Product Development involves various stages like Conceptualization, Initial CAD Modeling, GD&T, Prototyping, Form and Fit Validation and Final Approval for Production. 3D Printing technologies offer the best possible prototypes that suit each stage in the development and testing process.

Role of FDM Printing

Concept generation is carried out to explore various geometrical possibilities of the product. This has been the beginning step for the consumer product industry which to a good extent is driven by first look impression. Examples could be a new form of packaging for a cosmetic container that attracts the shelf on a retail store or a new form of a table that enhances working conditions in an office or a new form of a wall clock that is designed for a special customer and the list goes on. And no matter how many conceptual sketches are made on paper and digital renderings are made using computer software, it is always better to have a physical prototype that gives a feel for the form and look. Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is the perfect technology to make a number of prototypes in a short period of time at low cost. Painting after post-printing offers an opportunity not only to evaluate the shape but also various colors for the product.

Role of SLS Printing

After visually validating the design the next phase is the detailed design where additional design and manufacturing constraints are looked at. In the cosmetic container example, the body is split into 2 halves that form the 2 sides of the mold. The lip and grove design for the container needs to be tested. In the wall clock example, the fitment of the watch hand driving unit and the external body of the clock need to be validated. For evaluating and validating the functional aspect of these designs Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) method of 3D printing is the best as it can product thin walled objects (as low as 0.8 mm) and also does not need any supports as the powder supports the over hanged areas.

Role of SLA Printing

Next stage is the pilot production process. Parts printed in Stereo lithography process (SLA) Rigid resin can be used as injection mold inserts that can withstand up to 1000 injection shot cycles thus reducing the mold machining costs and time. SLA can also be used as a master Pattern for vacuum casting to produce the pilot batch of the parts.

Case Study

We conducted a trial case study on how various 3D printing technologies can be used for design validation.

Initial Design 1

This is an initial concept that is developed in Solid Works. It has 2 Halves that form the body and has pockets for Battery Contacts, LED and Button Switch. Dimensional constraints of the real size were not applied.

Design Iteration 2

This time the standard dimensions of the internal components were gathered online. LED has a standard diameter of 5 mm and AA sized batteries have a length of 49-51 mm and a diameter of 13.5 to 14.5 mm. Hence a revised design is made and prototyped using FDM. This design looked better and dimensions of the produced part were within +/- 0.2 mm tolerance.


FDM printed parts

Design Iteration 3

This time we tried to incorporate the wiring aspect for the parts and created channels for the wires to be connected.

New Design in Solidworks

Part printed in clear resin (SLA printer)

Finally we printed the parts in Nylon (PA2200) using SLS printing technology. SLS printing allows for printing end use parts hence even if SLS printed parts are slightly more costly than FDM and SLA they are worth it.

Finally we printed the parts in Nylon (PA2200) using SLS printing technology. SLS printing allows for printing end use parts hence even if SLS printed parts are slightly more costly than FDM and SLA they are worth it. Please watch this video case study below.

Comparison Chart of Various Parameters between FDM, SLA, and SLS

Technology

FDM

SLA

SLS

Layer Height

0.1 to 0.3 mm Layer Height

0.05 to 0.1 mm layer height

0.1 mm layer height

Material Type

Plastic Filaments

UV Resins

Polymer Powders

Materials

PLA, ABS, PETG, PC etc.

Clear, Tough, Flexible, Dental and Jewelry grade

Polyamide PA 2200 powder

Tensile Strength

Depends

45 to 65 MPa (XY)

25 to 45 MPa (Z)

Depends

35 to 65MPa (XY)

35 to 65MPa (XZ)

48 MPa (XY)

42 MPa (Z)

Behavior

Anisotropic

Isotropic

Isotropic

Supports

Need Supports for Overhangs

Need Supports for Overhangs

No need for any supports

Cost

₹₹₹

₹₹₹₹₹

₹₹₹₹₹

Tolerance

Tolerance +/- 0.3 mm

Tolerance +/- 0.1 mm

Tolerance +/- 0.3 mm

Minimum Wall Thickness

1.5 mm

1.5 mm

1 mm

Minimum Hole Diameter

2 mm

2 mm

2.5 mm

Surface Finish

Ra 25 to 50 micrometers

Ra 2 to 5 micrometers

Ra 10 to 15 micrometers

Applications

Best for Fast and Cheap Prototypes. Validation of Visual Design

Best for Dimensionally Accurate Models like Master Patterns,  Dentistry and Jewelry, Character Modelling

Best for End Use Part Validations before Injection Molding

More about FDM can be read from here – https://www.think3d.in/what-is-fused-deposition-modelling/

More about Stereolithography can be read from here – https://www.think3d.in/what-is-stereolithography-sla/

Reach out to us for understanding what we can offer for your project specific needs and we recommend you the best and suitable technology to launch your product.

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One of World’s largest SLM 3D printers unveiled in China.

Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO) situated in China , unveiled a Selective laser melting 3D printer which can be used for large scale purposes. It is being presented as one of the world’s largest high-precision SLM 3D printers. The company has also announced that their machine has been certified by the Achievements Identification of Science and Technology Department of Hubei Province, where the company is based.

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WNLO stated that their 3D printer has an impressive build volume of upto 500mm x 500mm x 530mm  , which is indeed a large volume in 3D printing standards. There is another printer which goes by the name Concept Laser’s X Line 2000R , which has a build volume of 800mm x 400mm x 500mm, remains larger.

This SLM 3D printer is based on a system of laser beam that consists of four 500W fiber lasers which are capable of simultaneously scanning the metal 3D printed part. Most of the SLM 3D printer machines are based on a two fiber laser beam system. This SLM 3D printer containing 4 fiber lasers was designed by a team led by professor Zeng Yan of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology of WNLO.

chinese-optoelectronics-company-wuhan-builds-high-precision-slm-3d-printer-2

The SLM 3D printing system released by WNLO can accommodate a number of materials including titanium, stainless steel, high temperature alloys, aluminum, and magnesium alloy powders. Additionally, the printer is equipped with a double-sided layering technology which has increased the forming efficiency of the machine by 20-40% over other SLM 3D printer models.The company explains that this , SLM 3D printer will help overcome multiple technical problems usually found in complex aerospace metal parts, such as structure and function integration , weight loss , and other key technical problems. They say this printer is capable of creating high-precision metal parts, to improve molding efficiency , and to reduce equipment development cycles.

 

 

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Various 3D printing technologies in India

In the last 2-3 years, 3D printing technology has suddenly caught the fancy of any one remotely following the technology industry due to the advent of consumer level printers. But, this wonderful technology has indeed been available to the manufacturing business for the past 2 decades. Most people relate 3D printing to FDM technology, wherein the plastic material gets extruded from the nozzle and deposited layer by layer on the build plate creating a 3D dimensional object. But truth is, FDM technology evolved later and SLA is the first technology that was invented. Charles Hull invented SLA technology and went on to build 3D Systems. Overtime, many new technologies emerged into the market. In total, there are 7 well accepted technologies. These technologies together is called 3D Printing. In simple terms, 3D printing can be defined as a process that can turn print 3D models into physical objects, in different raw materials using various additive manufacturing technologies. In this article, we shall look into various 3D printing technologies that are popular in the market now:

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

FDM is considered to be the most common printing method. The FDM printers use thermoplastic filament which is heated till the plastic melts and then the molten plastic is placed layer by layer to form the model. This is the most widely used technique for 3D printing because it affordable, easy to maintain, uses real engineering grade thermoplastic. The bonding force of FDM type printers isn’t very strong. This leads to layer separation of resulting prints compromising on the resolution and surface smoothness. Also, if the diameter of extruded plastic line gets smaller, the printing speed will come down drastically. FDM is popular with companies from wide range of industries – from automotive to consumer goods manufacturing. These companies mainly use this technology to built proto-types. FDM was developed by Scott Crump in the 1980’s. He was the CEO founder chairman of Stratasys Limited. Stratasys Limited is currently the leading producer of 3D printers during this decade. Most desktop level 3D printers in the market currently are FDM based 3D printers.

The video below illustrates FDM technology in detail. If you wish to watch many such videos, check out youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/think3dindia

Read: Comparison of various FDM printers

Stereolithography (SLA)

The Stereolithography or the SLA is a rapid proto-typing process which makes 3D models from photo-sensitive resins or photo polymers. It uses a UV/ laser that are controlled by the computer to make a 3D model layer by layer. The best feature of SLA technology is that it is fast and accurate. The quality of finish is much better than FDM technology. Also, the finished object has better mechanical strength than FDM technology prints. The only disadvantage of SLA technology is the price. SLA printers are very expensive in the market. Benefits of SLA technology are:

• The pieces are crisp and highly detailed
• The speed of production is very high

These two factors make Stereolithography the cutting edge technology that can be applied to any industry including oil refining, petrochemical, power, marine, and municipal and medical. This technology is widely used in the jewelry business. Unlike the FDM process, in this process after the production the model needs to undergo post-curing process to impart strength to the model. This process was patented as a rapid proto-typing method in the 1980s’ by Charles Hull, who was the co founder of 3D systems, inc., a leader in the 3D printing industry.

The below video illustrates SLA technology.

 

Read: Review of Form1 SLA printer

Digital Light Processing (DLP)

Digital Light Processing (DLP) is very similar to SLA technology except that in DLP uses projector (like the kind used for office presentations or in home theaters) to cure photo polymers. It projects the image of the cross section of an object into a VAT of photopolymer. The light selectively hardens only the area specified in that image. The most recently printed layer is then repositioned to leave room for unhardened photopolymer to fill the newly created space between the print and the projector. Repeating this process builds up the object one layer at a time. DLP is known for its high resolution, typically able to reach a layer thicknesses of under 30 microns, a fraction of a sheet of copy paper.

The below video illustrates DLP technology.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

This process is one of the most affordable means of making proto-types, contributing to the wide usage of this technology among the inventors, hobbyists and in different types of businesses. But on the negative side, these machines cannot be used in offices as they need special environment. Like SLA, this machine also uses high powered lasers which are potentially dangerous for office or private usage. This process is extremely beneficial for industries that require production of proto-types in a small quantity having high quality. For example: the aerospace industry for building proto-types plane parts.

This is a similar process to Stereolithography, but in SLS a computer controlled laser beam is pulsed down on a platform, that traces the cross section of objects into small particles of plastic, ceramic or glass. The laser heats the powder either below its boiling point or above the melting point so that the powder fuses together to form a solid structure. This process continues till the entire model is finished. This makes it a largely accepted process for creating proto-types as well as final products.
The process was developed and patented by Cral Deckard, an undergraduate student at university of texas and his mechanical engineer professor, Joe Beaman in the 1980s.

Below video shows SLS technology in detail

Polyjet/ Inkjet 3D printing (PJP)

Poly jet process is very similar to the ink jet printing done on paper but in this process, instead of jetting drops of ink onto paper, the printer jets layers of liquid polymer onto a tray and then the UV rays instantly cure the model. This results in the creation of a perfect proto-type. The models that are created by these printers do not require any curing time. The models can be used after the printing is done with. While printing the model the printer jets out a gel like liquid that provides strength to the model and upholds any complex geometric design on the model.

The benefits of these printers are fine detail, smooth surfaces along with speed and precision. This machine can work on a vast array of materials right from rigid opaque materials to rubber like materials to clear and translucent materials to Simulated Polypropylene and specialized photopolymers for 3D printing in the dental and medical industries.

Below video shows PolyJet technology in detail

 

Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)

Laminated object manufacturing (LOM) is a rapid prototyping (additive manufacturing) technology developed by Helisys Inc. In this technology, layers of adhesive-coated paper, plastic or metal laminates are successively glued together and cut to shape with knife or laser cutter. Objects printed with this technology can be additionally modified by machining or drilling after printing. Typical layer resolution for this process is defined by the material feedstock and usually ranges in thickness from one to a few sheets of copy paper. These printers use thousands of standard A4 sheet papers that are cut by the machine and then glued together in order to produce the finished product.

Below video shows Laminated Object Manufacturing technology in detail

Electron beam melting (EBM)

Electron beam melting (EBM) is a type of additive manufacturing for metal parts. The main difference between EBM and SLS is that EBM uses an electron beam as its power source as opposed to laser in SLS technology. EBM technology manufactures parts by melting metal powder layer by layer with an electron beam in a high vacuum. In contrast to sintering techniques, both EBM and SLM achieve full melting of the metal powder. In EBM, the final product has a higher quality and hence making it a true replacement of standard manufacturing techniques.

Below video shows Electron Beam Melting technology in detail

 

STL Format

STL is an abbreviation of the word Standard Tessellation Language(STL). 3D printers use this file format for transforming a 3D image to a 3D model. The STL file format explains the geometry of a certain image. So it becomes easier for the printer to transform the image into model. These are basically open file standards and are widely used for Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) or rapid proto-typing.

Image Credit: Keith Kissel (flickr handle: kakissel)