In the simplest terms, reverse engineering can be viewed as the process of analyzing a system to identify the system’s components and their interrelationships in order to duplicate or upgrade the system.
Top 7 Reasons to Reverse Engineer a Product
- To understand the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of a product.
- Original documentation was lost or is out-of-date.
- To update obsolete components with current technology.
- Original manufacturer of a product no longer exists or no longer provides support for a product.
- To determine patent infringement claims.
- To upgrade or streamline the overall design of a product.
Four Critical Steps in the Reverse Engineering Process
While the process may vary depending on the desired outcome of the reverse engineering, the general steps remain consistent.
Design Intent – The first thing to understand is what was the purpose and function of the original product. Many products are used in ways they were never designed to be used and thus, their performance does not always meet expectations. Part of the reverse engineering process is to determine if any of the original functionality needs to be modified or improved upon.
Functional Analysis – During this stage, each component, part and connector is evaluated to determine its role in the functionality of the product. It is during this exploration that obsolete parts are identified and replacement parts are identified. This step of the process will generate a BOM (Bill of Materials).
Feasibility Check – The BOM is critical to determining the cost of duplicating, upgrading or streaminglining the product in anyway.
Documentation and Files – Once the reverse engineering process is complete, the customer is presented with complete files and documentation to support their desired next step.
MJS Designs is unique in the industry as all files and intellectual property for the client’s specific product, including design files and BOM are given to the client and owned by them.
Do you have a product that needs to be reversed engineered? Live chat with our engineering team www.mjsdesigns.com