Reverse Engineering of Aerospace Components Utilizing Additive Manufacturing Technology

Abstract

Using conventional manufacturing methods for product development typically involves a relatively long lead time and cost, especially for obsolete, worn-out, or broken parts. Reverse engineeringReverse Engineering is a preferred solution for reproducing obsolete parts and has been increasingly utilized to advance additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing technology. It is a combined process of laser scanning the obsolete parts where engineering design has become unavailable. These designs are then converted into patterns for sand casting to manufacture three-dimensional (3D) prototypes for further product development. The combination of reverse engineeringReverse Engineering and additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing is being utilized to manufacture the pattern for sand casting to produce the final product faster and distribute that to the industry more rapidly. Additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing technology has had a significant impact on the manufacturing industry throughout the world. There are various application fields where additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing has had a significant impact, and one of these fields is the aerospace industry. This study presents technologies and methodologies for reverse engineeringReverse Engineering, illustrated by a stainless-steel lever part from an aircraft control assembly. It involves the reconstruction of part geometry using laser scanning, fabrication of the pattern for sand casting using material extrusionMaterial extrusion additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing technology, and reversed part fabrication using sand casting. It was found that the fabrication of patterns directly from reverse-engineered computer-aided designCAD Reconstruction (CAD) data using a suitable additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing technique provides a reliable and economic path for rapid product development of complicated parts for replacement purposes. The process of reverse engineeringReverse Engineering comprises of laser scanning, CADCAD Reconstruction data, and all regular manufacturing steps to make that part.