Reverse engineering regains popularity

Reverse engineering is defined as the production of new parts, products 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 to 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 making in clay or similar materials, together with the speed, accuracy and repeatability of computerised design and manufacture. Those with experience in using both technologies are discovering that the combination of digitising and CAD/CAM offers a more powerful and flexible solution than is possible by applying the techniques independently.