Step 1
Capture
The part is digitized with structured-light or laser scanning, on our bench for anything that ships in a box, or on site with portable equipment for anything too large to move. The result is an accurate mesh of the real object.
Reverse Engineering
A physical part in, a manufacturable CAD model out.
You have a part and no drawings. We scan it, rebuild it as a parametric CAD model feature by feature, and hand you a STEP or IGES file a shop can machine, mold, or modify, with a color deviation report proving the model matches the part. A scanner can copy a shape in minutes. Turning that noisy shape into a clean, editable, dimensionally correct model is the engineering, and that is the work we do.
The distinction that sets the price
A mesh is not a CAD model.
A scan produces a mesh, a dense shell of triangles that looks like your part on screen. It is close to an automatic output of the scanner, and it is enough to 3D print or visualize the object. It is not enough to manufacture from, because it has no features, no editable dimensions, and no design intent. A parametric CAD model is rebuilt by a person: real extrusions, revolutions, pockets, and patterns, with symmetry defined where it exists and geometric constraints that make the part mechanically sensible. That rebuild is skilled labor, commonly several hours to well over ten depending on complexity, and it is the reason CAD costs more than a raw mesh. We cover the full distinction in mesh vs CAD, what a scan actually gives you.
How does scan to CAD actually work?
Step 2
Clean and align
We clean noise and fill occlusions in the mesh, then align it to a logical coordinate system and primary datums, so the rebuilt model sits square to the features that matter for fit and function.
Step 3
Rebuild in CAD
Using reverse-engineering CAD such as Geomagic Design X or QuickSurface, we rebuild the part as real solid features, interpreting the original design intent rather than draping a surface over the scan. Round holes come out round, flat faces come out flat.
Step 4
Validate and deliver
We overlay the finished CAD against the original scan and produce a color deviation plot that shows exactly how closely the model matches the part. You get the STEP or IGES file, the deviation report, and a 2D drawing if you need one.
What file do you get, and can you edit it?
Scan-to-CAD output exports to the standard neutral formats every CAD platform reads: STEP, IGES, and DXF. STEP is the universal, geometry-only exchange format, compatible with virtually every CAD system and the right choice for most machining and manufacturing. IGES is a legacy neutral format still common in aerospace and automotive supply chains. One honest note: a neutral STEP or IGES file carries the solid geometry with real, editable features, but not the native feature tree you would have if the part had been designed from scratch in your own CAD package. If you need a live parametric tree in SolidWorks or Inventor, tell us and we build to that instead.
What we reverse engineer.
Obsolete and discontinued parts
A component the manufacturer stopped making, with no drawings anywhere. We rebuild it from the worn part so it can be produced again. This is the most common reason people call, and it has its own step-by-step guide.
Castings, tooling, and fixtures
Legacy tooling, molds, dies, and jigs that exist only in metal on the shop floor, digitized into CAD so they can be reproduced, modified, or documented before they wear out.
Freeform and organic geometry
Body panels, housings, handles, and sculpted surfaces where the shape is the design. We reconstruct the surfaces cleanly enough to machine, mold, or print.
Mating and replacement components
A new part that has to fit an existing one. We scan the mating surfaces and build the model to the interface, so the replacement seats correctly the first time.
Design-modification starting points
An existing part you want to improve. We give you the editable CAD so your engineers change what they need instead of modeling the whole thing from a photo.
Your own stuck scan
If you already scanned the part and could not get usable CAD out of it, send us the mesh. We can often do the reverse-engineering step on your existing data, which lowers the cost.
As-built or design intent?
There are two honest ways to rebuild a part, and the right one depends on your goal. An as-built model follows the physical object exactly, worn edges, casting draft, and all, which is what you want when the replacement must match a mating part precisely. A design-intent model reconstructs the part as it was meant to be, with nominal dimensions, clean symmetry, and true right angles, which is what you want when you are going to manufacture or improve it. We tell you which one your job calls for, and we build to it. Both are priced by the engineering hours the rebuild takes, not by the size of the part.
What it costs.
Reverse engineering is priced by the labor in the CAD rebuild, so the cost tracks complexity, not part size. Public reference points make the spread clear: a raw single-part mesh can start in the low hundreds, a single part reverse engineered to a STEP file with an annotated drawing has been quoted around two to three thousand dollars, and complex assemblies run into the four and five figure range. On-site metrology-grade capture is often priced against a day rate, with published references around $1,200 to $3,500 a day. Those are honest industry reference ranges, not our quote. We give you a real, specific number once we see the part, because a flat price on a part we have never seen would either be padded or wrong. The full breakdown is in what object 3D scanning costs.
Related
Send us the part.
Tell us what the part is, what it fits, and whether you are reproducing it or improving it. We scan it, rebuild it in CAD, validate it against the scan, and hand you a file your shop can build from.
Get a quoteQuestions about a part? Reach us at info@scanningandmodeling.com or (772) 210-4584.