Before we can talk about reverse engineering as an application, it is important to understand how and why it has emerged as a critical metrology tool for manufacturers, and how it fits in the rapidly evolving digital workflow. Just a few years ago, the term ‘reverse engineering’ was associated more with industrial espionage, stealing designs, or product features from competitors. What has changed?
Boom Supersonic has its sights firmly set on the return of supersonic civilian air travel with the development of Overture, its 55-75 passenger, Mach 2.2 commercial airliner.
Today’s manufacturing industry relies on the use of GD&T definitions, and the ability to verify parts directly to them for first article and production inspection and reporting. Only then do orders ship and the manufacturer gets paid. Price and scheduling are negotiable, quality is not!
Quality inspection used to be a disparate process isolated in a lab. Today it is much more integrated with the production floor through in-process inspection and open CAD-based measurement software.
You hear a lot about Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) today, but less about its practical deployment and utilization in the manufacturing and inspection process.