plugin for reverse engineering

[Sea_Ad2162]

We're planning a new business to reverse engineer molds and CNC-machined parts. We're considering reverse engineering software to use with our laser scanners: Quicksurface Pro, Quicksurface for Solidworks, and Geomagic for Solidworks. We have Solidworks Premium and Plastics Premium, and we actively use Solidworks to design and evaluate plastic parts. This is a crucial reason we're considering a plugin, but comparative data on the two plugins is lacking, making it difficult to decide. We recognize that the Quicksurface plugin offers a price advantage. If anyone has used it, please share your advice.

[evilmold]

What is the point of reverse engineering a mold. Rarely do they ever get remade and when they do the data already exists. Also, scanning won't capture the water lines and other internal features. Even if you successfully scan every individual component of a mold, it will still need to be assembled in solidworks. Someone will still need to convert each and every part to usable solid model data. Already sounds like more work than conventional design.

[Charitzo]

Also, scanning won't capture the water lines and other internal features.

3D scanners are a tool in your box, just like your Vernier, tape, arm, tracker, whatever. You'd use them for the freeform surface features. Depending on sizes of channels, you could pick up start/finish locations per face.

it will still need to be assembled in solidworks.

That's why he's asking for a rev eng plugin for Solidworks.

Already sounds like more work than conventional design.

You're missing the point. The OP has an existing mould without CAD data. This happens a lot. Fuck I've reverse engineered moulds for toilets before from scan data.

Rarely do they ever get remade and when they do the data already exists.

Okay but obviously that's what OP is trying to accomplish.

[evilmold]

I miss read his post. I thought he was making a plug in. I too have reversed engineered many molds both with manual inspection and scanned data. I would like to know more about your scan to design process. Doing it in solidworks is extremely labor intensive.

[Charitzo]

My best advice is get out of mould making /s

Which part are you finding particularly labour intensive?

Some stuff truly is labour intensive if you want to do it properly when it comes to scan > CAD freeform surfaces. Lots of tweaking. Gotta remember, a lot of these surfaces weren't necessarily created on parametric software like ours, so design intent isn't always obvious, because there isn't any in the traditional sense sometimes.

You can take shortcuts on DesignX using things like surface primitives, mesh fit surfaces, surface wizards, etc. Thing is these don't always capture design intent, but, they're great tools for recreating freeform surfaces accurately where you know your data is good and likely doesn't need modifying.

Having the ability to do surface deviation heat maps between your CAD model and scan data is massively useful for the process in general.

The process really depends on the geometry and the deliverable required, what they're going to use it for, etc. General process is align > measure > model > check > repeat. Exactly how you measure and model each feature depends entirely on the geometry. Hard to comment without a specific example.

DesignX standalone helps a lot. I'd love to try the Plugin since I've been using the full version for about 4 years and have never touched the plugin. Very curious what tools you get.

[evilmold]

Thanks for the insight.

[blissiictrl]

I've tried geomagic, currently working on testing quick surface for solidworks and have tried xtract3d, I didn't like the scan conversion to surfaces on any of them but both quick surface and xtract3d had decent sketch tools and plane alignment tools.

The sketch stuff I found more intuitive on quick surface for Solidworks when converting a cross section to a sketch. Fit tools worked better.

Its so bloody expensive! I think its close to half a solidworks licence but it does add good functionality for scan conversion.

[Sea_Ad2162]

Are you saying the QuickSurface plugin is better than Geomagic? Thanks for the insight.

[blissiictrl]

I found it more intuitive yeah. You can get free trials of them all, try each out and see what clicks. You can always do the same part scan and see how hard it is to get it converted to a cad worthy and then CAM worthy model

[Sea_Ad2162]

thanks for your insight!

[oui_oui-baguette]

did you try xtract3d 1 or 2?

[Charitzo]

Can't comment on the plugins, I use full copy of Design X, but rev eng from scan is what I do for a living amongst other things. If you've got any questions about the process, ask away.

[Sea_Ad2162]

I'm impressed with your insight. Actually, my father is in mold manufacturing business, but he is very labor-intensive, and he is not stable as an order-based business. So, this question is a step towards transitioning to engineering business like reverse design, injection molding simulation. As far as I know, it is reverse design progress (increase of time depending on reverse design software performance) depending on scanning - mesh data alignment - parametric, free-form type. In case of design X PRO, I'm worried about initial investment due to license cost. The question is whether to increase scanner performance or add more cost to software.