Open Access

Application of Reverse Engineering Methods for Manufacturing Lost Components of Rare European Car Engines

4 Owner, Restoration of classic Japanese and European cars

Abstract

The article examines the application of reverse engineering methods to reproduce lost components for rare European internal combustion engines, given scarce original spare parts and disrupted supply chains. It is shown that the technological relevance of the problem is determined not only by the limited availability of warehouse stocks and the termination of production programs, but also by the high functional significance of individual parts, the loss of which effectively disables entire assemblies. The purpose of the work is to formalize a reproducible workflow, based on modern metrological and digital technologies, that enables moving from a single worn sample to an engineering-sound digital model and to small-batch, serial manufacturing. The scientific novelty of the article lies in a function-first approach to reverse engineering, which presupposes functional classification of lost parts, alignment of the measurement strategy with datums and critical surfaces, as well as the integration of multimodal metrology (manual methods, CMM, 3D scanning, industrial CT) with parametric CAD modeling, material and heat-treatment verification, and selection of the manufacturing route (machining, casting, additive processes). Key conclusions include the need to abandon direct copying of wear, prioritizing reconstruction of the design intent from interfaces and operating conditions; the expediency of iterative prototyping to verify geometry and packaging; and the requirement to close the reverse-engineering loop with full-scale control of geometry, leak-tightness, balance, and operability on a test bench. The article is intended for restoration engineers, remanufacturing specialists, and owners of rare European automobiles involved in the recovery and operation of historical engines.

Keywords

References

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