How Bit Service Improvises When Clients Need Obsolete Parts
By: Scott Bahr
One of the things we do at Bit Service is to find a simple solution to a problem by using existing resources. That’s what we do on the rare occasions when a customer requires a part no longer in production. We have the capabilities to assist them by recreating a part not available anywhere else. When a client needs a product, but it doesn’t exist anymore, we can help improvise a solution.
When is it appropriate to recreate old parts?
There are multiple instances where you might need to recreate an existing part for a product or client. For something called a “legacy component,” there may be no existing 2D drawings or 3D models and thus the design specifics of the product is lost. If a company goes out of business and their designs are lost or no longer in production, then recreating the part is vital to continue operating the equipment it belongs to. That’s where Bit Service comes in—we can help by looking at the original design, seeing how it was produced, and finding a way to recreate the extinct product. However, it’s important to remember not to recreate a product that is trademarked or from a company still in business. This can be, at best, not good business practice, and at worst, illegal. Bit Service only ever recreates products that are completely lost and have no source.
How do you recreate a part?
The technical term is reverse engineering, which is exactly what it sounds like. Having the engineer begin with the end product and walk it back to the design stage so it can be reproduced again is essentially what the process looks like. Using 3D modelling, vital information is gathered from the complete object and factored into the design process to recreate the product. This process will then allow for the product to be reproduced and have a 3D design so that it can be produced again in the future, should it ever need to be.
What are the benefits of reverse engineering?
It’s particularly valuable to know how to reverse engineer an item in case you have a client in the situation we’ve mentioned—unable to purchase a replacement part because the company is no longer in business or because the part is significantly old and has no existing modelling. Besides this, it’s also cost-effective for the client. If they can get the part replaced, it will save them the trouble of having to purchase an entirely new machine from which the part came. It will also build a great relationship between you and your clients if you can help them out of this tough situation. It’s incredibly stressful to realize something you’ve relied on for a long time can’t be replaced—sometimes we don’t want new things, we just want the old thing to work again.
With all that in mind, it’s important to remember to always ensure that the part isn’t still in production and refer clients to the original equipment manufacturer who first created the piece if they are still in business. It doesn’t hurt to check—and at Bit Service, we always want to make sure to collaborate with fellow manufacturing organizations as best we can to contribute to a healthy and thriving industry.