What is Reverse Engineering:

Reverse Engineering is the process if taking a product apart and analyzing its working in detail.

Why is reverse Engineering used?

• Documentation

  • No existing documentation

  • Interoperability

  • Maintenance

• Discovery

  • Academic research/ learning

  • curiosity

• Investigation

  • Analysis and testing

  • Document patent infringement

  • Forensics, Design failure

• Product Improvement (most important)

  • Increase efficiency, reliability

  • Recylce parts

  • Eliminate failure mode

  • Reduce cost

  • Increase ease of use

  • Improve manufacturing techniques

Steps of Reverse Engineering

1. Visual Analysis (Non-destructive): Visual appearance of a product

2. Functional hypothesis (Non-destructive): identifying the purpose of this product, make hypothesis and list inputs/outputs.

3. Structural Analysis (Deconstruct): In this stage the product is finally disassembled to get a lot of details and data on how parts interact to make the product work.

Visual Analysis

Visual Design Elements

• Point:

  • Most basic element of design

  • Can be described by coordinates on a plane

  • Has position but no dimension

  • Used to indicate location

• Line

  • Has only a length dimension

  • can be used to: define a boundary, indicate volume, create perspective, create patterns/textures, suggest movement

  • types:

    • Vertical - represents dignity, formality, stability and strength

    • Horizontal - represents calm, peace and relaxation

    • Diagonal - represents action, activity and sense of movement

    • Curved lines - sense of freedom and a soothing mood

• Color

  • Temperature

    • Warm colors can make objects seem larger and advance in artwork

    • Cool colors tend to be calm and restful, they recede into the distance and make objects seem smaller

  • Value

    • relative darkness of a color, object or shape

    • Allow us to perceive shapes and the illusion of 3D objects on a 2D surface through shading

• Shape

  • types:

    • Geometric: square, triangle, circle

    • Mechanical: simple shapes made of straight and curved lines

    • Organic: Natural or simulating nature

• Form

  • A 3D volume or a solid

  • Often implied on a 2D surface by careful use of value.

• Space

  • Areas between and around parts of an image or the implied depth

  • types:

    • positive

    • negative

  • Evident in images with depth

  • types:

    • Open, uncluttered

    • Cramped, busy

• Texture

  • The surface look or feel.

  • types:

    • Smooth: reflects more light, more intense color

    • rough: Absorbs more light, appears darker

Visual Design Principles

• Balance

  • Visual and physical balance

  • the distribution of elements within a design

  • types:

    • Symmetrical (formal) balance

    • Asymmetrical (informal) balance

    • Radial balance: patterns in circular or around a centerpoint

• Emphasis

  • Used to draw attention to one area called Focal point

  • can be achieved through: size, placement, shape, contrast, lines

• Contrast

  • degree of relative difference between elements, can be achieved through color and texture

• Rhythm

  • Repeated use of line, shape, color, texture or pattern

  • types: regular rhythm, random rhythm, graduated rhythm, gradated rhythm

Difference between Gradated and gradated rhythm is that graduated rhythm is the repetition of elements with one missing detail each repetition and graduated rhythm is the repeated element becoming closer or further away.

• Proportion

  • Comparative relationship between elements in design with respect to size

  • Scale- The proportion or size of an element in relation to the other elements

• Unity

  • Consistent use of design elements

• Economy

  • “Less is more”

Functional Analysis

1) What is the purpose of the product?

In this step, you analyze the product and think about how it works

2) Sketch the product and annotate.

Here, you draw a complete sketch of the product and annotate most of its parts, together with its functions and materials.

3) Step-by-step sequential use of product

Write a Step by step how to use hypothetical instructions of the product

4) Hypothesize how the machine works

Make a guess on how the parts of the product work together to work inside when the instructions are being followed.

5) Black box Systems model

Fill in the black box systems model, with inputs and outputs and how the outputs are being made.

Structural Analysis

In structural analysis you will research and document your findings using careful measurements, sketches and notes to complete the reverse engineering of the product.

Subassembly - A separately assembled unit that is then incorporated into the larger assembly

Steps of Structural Analysis

1. Product disassembly - disassemble the product, step-by-step and arrange all parts on a flat surface, annotate the parts.

2. Document all the details of each part including dimension, function, material, physical properties etc. In the Product Disassembly Chart.

3. Prepare an annotated sketch of parts

4. Create technical drawings like Multiview sketches of parts.

5. Redesign or modify a part for product improvement

6. Make CAD models of the modified parts for testing the prototype for improved performance

7. Create BoM (Bill of Materials) of all parts for costing and economic valuation.