Reverse Engineering – From Existing Parts to CAD
Professional 3D Scanning, CAD Reconstruction & Drafting Services
Reverse Engineering has become an essential engineering solution for companies that rely on accurate, high-quality digital models of existing physical parts. Whether the original drawings are missing, outdated, or unavailable from the supplier, our Reverse Engineering service enables businesses to recreate, modify, and improve products with complete precision.
At Australian Design & Drafting, we specialise in converting physical components into fully editable 3D CAD models and engineering drawings. Using advanced 3D scanning technologies, professional CAD tools, and years of technical expertise, we deliver accurate digital replicas that support design improvement, repair, duplication, and manufacturing.
What is Reverse Engineering?
Reverse Engineering is the process of analysing, measuring, and reconstructing an existing physical object into a detailed digital 3D model. It involves capturing the geometry of the part through 3D scanning or manual measurement, converting the measurements into point clouds, and rebuilding the design intent using parametric CAD modelling.
This process is widely used to:
- Recreate products without existing drawings
- Improve the design of legacy components
- Digitise physical parts for design modifications
- Evaluate competitor products
- Develop manufacturing plans
- Identify design flaws and optimise performance
- Restore or reproduce discontinued components
Modern Reverse Engineering technologies—such as CMMs, laser scanners, structured light scanners, and CT scanning—enable highly accurate reconstruction of geometric and freeform surfaces. By combining analytical shapes (planes, cylinders, fillets) with NURBS surfaces, we produce detailed boundary-representation models ready for manufacturing, 3D printing, or simulation.
Why Choose Our Service?
Choosing the right Reverse Engineering partner ensures precision, reliability, and efficient project delivery. Clients trust us because:
- We offer high-accuracy 3D scanning and modelling
- Our team consists of certified mechanical engineers and CAD experts
- We support both simple and complex components
- Our drawings follow the Australian Standard
- We deliver manufacturing-ready digital files
- We support modifications and product improvements
- We offer fast turnaround times
- We work with all major CAD platforms
Whether you need a single component scanned or a complete assembly digitised, we provide end-to-end reverse engineering support tailored to your project.
Key Features of the Service
1) 3D Scanning
Our 3D scanning service uses advanced technologies to capture precise details of physical geometry. Depending on your project requirements, we use:
- Laser scanning
- Structured light scanning
- Industrial CT scanning
- Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM)
3D scanning produces detailed point clouds that represent millions of surface points, allowing us to accurately model even complex shapes, internal features, and freeform surfaces.
2) 3D CAD Models from Existing Parts
After scanning or measuring the physical object, our CAD specialists convert the point cloud into a fully editable 3D CAD model. This includes:
- Mesh reconstruction
- Surface patching
- Parametric modelling
- Hybrid modelling using both geometric and freeform surfaces
- Creation of feature-based CAD models
- Generation of complete 2D manufacturing drawings
Our 3D models are compatible with leading CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit, and Microstation.
Benefits of the Service
Reverse Engineering delivers significant value to industries needing accurate product data. Key benefits include:
- Recreate missing or outdated drawings
- Accelerate product development
- Enable design modifications and improvements
- Reduce manufacturing and tooling errors
- Enhance product quality and performance
- Create digital archives of physical components
- Support repair and maintenance operations
- Improve compatibility between old and new parts
- Evaluate competitive products for benchmarking
Whether restoring a damaged component or digitally capturing a complex assembly, Reverse Engineering provides a reliable pathway toward precision manufacturing.
Our Process / How We Work
We follow a structured and quality-driven workflow:
- Assessment & Consultation
We review the part, discuss project goals, required tolerances, and final output formats. - Measurement / 3D Scanning
The part is scanned using advanced technologies or measured manually depending on complexity. - Point Cloud Processing
Raw scan data is cleaned, aligned, merged, and converted into a mesh. - CAD Reconstruction
We rebuild the part using hybrid modelling: analytical geometry + NURBS freeform surfaces. - Validation & Quality Check
Our engineers compare the CAD model to scan data to ensure accuracy. - Drafting & Documentation
We generate 2D manufacturing drawings where required. - Delivery
You receive ready-to-use CAD files in your preferred format.
Industries We Serve
Our Reverse Engineering solutions support a wide range of industries, including:
- Automotive
- Aerospace & Defence
- Industrial Machinery
- Manufacturing & Fabrication
- Mining & Heavy Engineering
- Marine & Offshore
- Consumer Product Design
- Architectural Components
- Medical Devices
- Electronics & Hardware Development
Why We Stand Out (Competitive Advantage)
- High Accuracy Scanning using industry-grade tools
- Experienced Engineering Team with multi-industry expertise
- Flexible File Output supporting all major CAD formats
- Fast Turnaround Times without compromising quality
- Australian Standard-Compliant Drawings
- Capability to handle complex freeform surfaces
- End-to-end service from scanning to drafting
Our combination of advanced technology and engineering skill ensures unmatched precision and reliability.
2D Drafting Design Tools and Software
Our engineers and drafters are proficient in a wide range of industry-standard software, including:
- AutoCAD
- SolidWorks
- ArchiCAD
- Autodesk Inventor
- Revit Architecture
- Microstation
- 3D Studio Max
We work with the software preferred by your organisation, ensuring seamless integration into your existing workflow.
Looking to digitise an existing part, improve a legacy component, or create manufacturing drawings from a physical object?
Contact Australian Design & Drafting today for professional Reverse Engineering and CAD modelling services.
We deliver accuracy, reliability, and fast turnaround for all industries.
Let our experts transform your physical components into high-quality digital models ready for production.
What is Reverse Engineering in CAD?
Reverse Engineering in CAD refers to the process of capturing the physical geometry of an existing object and reconstructing it into a digital 3D model. This is done through 3D scanning, measurement, and specialised CAD modelling techniques to recreate the design intent.
Why do I need Reverse Engineering for my part or product?
You may need Reverse Engineering if:
Original drawings or CAD files are missing
The supplier will not provide design documentation
The part is very old and no longer supported
You need to modify or reproduce a component
You want to evaluate or benchmark a competitor’s product
You need accurate digital records for manufacturing or analysis
What types of objects can be reverse engineered?
We can reverse engineer almost any physical component, including:
Mechanical parts & assemblies
Castings and machined components
Plastic, metal, or composite parts
Automotive and aerospace components
Architectural or structural elements
Medical devices and tools
Even complex freeform shapes or internal features can be captured using advanced scanning systems.
What scanning technologies do you use?
We use a range of industry-approved scanning and measurement tools, such as:
Laser scanners
Structured light scanners
Industrial CT scanning (for internal features)
Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs)
Hand measurement tools for simple parts
Technology selection depends on the required accuracy and the complexity of the part.
How accurate are the 3D scanning and CAD models?
Accuracy depends on the scanning method, part size, and project requirements. Typically, accuracy ranges from ±0.02 mm to ±0.1 mm, suitable for high-precision manufacturing, engineering, and quality control applications.
Can you create 2D drawings from a scanned part?
Yes. After creating the 3D CAD model, we generate fully dimensioned 2D manufacturing drawings in accordance with Australian Standards or your preferred drafting standard.
What file formats do you deliver?
We provide all standard CAD formats, including:
STEP
IGES
STL
DWG
DXF
SLDPRT (SolidWorks)
IPT/IDW (Inventor)
RVT (Revit)
We can export files to almost any software platform used in engineering and manufacturing.