Reverse Engineering

MD&A performs reverse engineering or RE to support turbine owners with short cycle, high quality, aftermarket parts.  Our RE experts support everything from small consumable parts needs to full turbine section or generator replacements.

Whether your reverse engineering project is large or small, MD&A leverages engineering experts, state of the art equipment, and industry leading processes to provide powerful solutions.

View our RE video below and then call MD&A Parts Division today at (518) 885-3199 or use our Contact form.

The first phase of MD&A’s RE process is data acquisition.

CMM and scan data are used to capture bulk geometry. Point data is taken to create planes and centerlines for orientation.

To insure critical dimensions are measured with appropriate precision, a variety of hand tools are used, such as calipers, micrometers, and thread gages.

Finally, a material analyzer is utilized to identify chemical composition, and other material testing is completed as needed to determine special processing requirements.

The second phase of MD&A’s RE process is product definition.

Geometric data is synthesized using CAD to create a fully defined 3D model. By analyzing stack-ups and interferences, appropriate tolerances are determined for the individual parts.

Initial scan data is compared to the 3D model to confirm critical interfaces are in the proper position.

The contour plot shows deviations between the scan data and the model. Small deviations appear in green, yellow and light blue, indicating that the model is accurate.

After the 3D model is finalized, it is used to generate a manufacturing drawing, containing all dimensions, tolerances, materials, special processing, and quality inspection requirements.

Whether in one of our shops or at a supplier, MD&A leverages these models and drawings to manufacture replacement parts with equivalent form, fit and function.

The 3D model becomes the input to drive CAM programming, which identifies the tools and tool paths required to manufacture the part on a CNC machine.

The CAM software outputs CNC code which automates the machining of the part to exacting dimensional specifications and quality.

MD&A’s reverse engineering process is streamlined and portable providing the customer maximum flexibility. It can be used to produce a wide range of parts from fasteners and hardware, to valve parts and buckets, and even rotors and casings.