subject: Use Of Portable Cmm On Reverse Engineering [print this page] When we talk about reverse engineering, we are actually talking about a process wherein a physical component or a complicated figure is made into a computer aided design model using highly technical software on a highly advanced computer. The value of making a model design is to enable the particular physical component to be re-engineered, which means it is going to undergo an update or improvisation on its original design.
The goal of reverse engineering is to make sure that the new design will work better than the original ones. Take note that the terms new and original are with apostrophes emphasizing the description of one product for lack of better words. In the aesthetic world, it might be coined as the before and after images, which we would deduce that the after image is better looking than the before.
The same is true with reverse engineering and we can see it in the car industry wherein old models of cars are being redesigned and the process of which will begin by making a CAD model, which has already been mentioned earlier. Other times, reverse engineering is also used in making original parts or components that have long been gone already such as those in re-creating parts of historic machineries.
The heart of the matter is that a portable CMM is highly sophisticated and highly precise equipment in getting accurate measurements required for the re-engineered product. CMM stands for Coordinate Measuring Machines and this is very important to get accurate measurements of the parts necessary to make the new design work.
A portable CMM is an articulated arm provided with a probe and has a high precision encoder that is in rotating motion that covers all six or seven axis. It can measure a given part with excellent accuracy within 0.02 mm. You can simply touch the probe on any point of the component in 3D. Yes, 3-Dimensional and this is how accurate and highly advanced this technology is.
In order to get the most accurate data on a portable CMM, you need a highly experienced and skilled operator because even as simple as breathing can greatly affect the results of the measurement.
