Reverse Engineering

Stork experts conduct reverse engineering at the request of our clients in order to determine the compositional or operational qualities of a sample, often as part of a company's research and development program.

Our chemists and engineers work on a variety of samples ranging widely in complexity, but in most cases, reverse engineering is a multi-step process.

How reverse engineering works
Stork experts frequently take a sample through multiple stages in order to conduct reverse engineering. These are the steps an aerospace fastener might typically go through:

The fastener’s dimensions are measured on OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts and compared against industry standards.
Stork chemists analyze the sample to identify the alloy or material used to manufacture the part.
The general performance specifications for the identified alloy or material are referenced.
Stork engineers perform mechanical properties testing, which may include any combination of the following: tensile testing at room temperature, elevated temperature tensile testing, stress rupture testing, fatigue testing, double shear testing, torque testing, stress durability testing, flarability testing, axial retention testing, and more.
To determine microstructure, evaluate grain flow and inspect for surface discontinuities, a metallurgical analysis is conducted on the sample. This test also tells us whether a part is machined, forged or a combination of the two. Metallographic samples are also used to evaluate case hardened layers as well as some coating thicknesses.
Finally, Stork experts may perform SEM/EDS analysis and/or FTIR analysis to characterize any coating on the fastener, which may range from metallic plating to solid film lubricants to thermal spray coatings to epoxy based paints. Once the coating is characterized, it is matched to a coating specification, and may be tested for adhesion and salt spray resistance, depending on the specification used for comparison.

The reverse engineering report
The end result is a formal report with spreadsheets and tables summarizing all of the laboratory findings and providing a comprehensive analysis of how the original part was most likely made.

Reverse engineering for your industry
In addition to aerospace suppliers, the automotive aftermarket, biomedical industries, and general manufacturing companies also make use of reverse engineering services provided by experts at Stork locations.

Stork locations offering Reverse Engineering Services:

Articles and case studies available for downloading for Reverse Engineering: