First Steps

A customer came to us with a legacy part they needed to recreate. This part was a slurry pump. A slurry pump pumps not only water but solid material as well. Applications 3D was tasked with the reverse engineering of the slurry pump.

First, the slurry pump needed to be 3D scanned. To do so, we used our Comet 5 white light scanner. Because this scanner has a variety of scan volumes, it makes it ideal for a larger part that needs accuracy. However, this scanner can not scan the inside of the pump. Also data from inside the pump needed to be gathered. Initially, the entire pump was scanned, gathering as much data as possible. Then using a band saw the pump was cut into sections. So, this allowed us to scan the remaining missing portions on the inside. Finally, the cut-up scans could be aligned to the initial scan of the pump to create a single mesh model. 

The pump also contains an impeller that is a separate component. Additionally, this was scanned on its own and required no cutting.

Reverse Engineering of the Slurry Pump

With the now created mesh files of the slurry pump and impeller, the reverse engineering process can now begin. Specifically, this was done using Geomagic design direct. Significantly this software gives the ability to ensure the newly generated CAD model closely replicates the existing part with the use of color maps. Because color mapping is a part of this software, we are able to speed up our process. Further, it keeps us from having to import the two files, mesh and CAD, into separate software to ensure accuracy. Now that the models have been made to replicate the existing components the customer’s modifications can be made. Furthermore, these changes are to improve the efficiency of the part based on the new methodology. 

With the new CAD files for the slurry pump and impeller now created they can be sent over to the customer so that they can use them for manufacturing of the new parts. Now that there is a CAD file for these components once new ones are made they can also then be scanned and compared to the nominal CAD file to ensure the accuracy of the newly manufactured parts.