Some of the most important parts in a plant are also the hardest to replace. The original drawing is missing, the OEM is out of business, or the only reference is a worn component sitting on a maintenance bench. When that happens, reverse engineering is the path back to a reliable replacement.

Lindsay Machine Works offers OEM part reverse engineering as a complete service, not just a measurement step. Our team takes worn, broken, or undocumented parts and turns them into clean drawings, accurate 3D models, and finished components built to do the job the original was designed for. After 30-plus years in our Kansas City precision machine shop, we have done this for everything from one-off legacy components to ongoing spares programs.

How We Reverse Engineer an OEM Part

Reverse engineering done well is methodical, not improvised. Here is how a typical project moves through our shop.

Step 1: Start with what you have

You send us the worn or broken part, plus any reference material that might exist, even if partial. That can be old prints, a photograph, an inspection report, or just notes from the maintenance team about how the part fits and how it failed. The more context, the better.

Step 2: Inspect and measure

We move the part into our climate-controlled inspection area. Using a Starrett AV350 vision and probe system, calibrated micrometers, height gauges, and traditional metrology, we capture each feature carefully. Critical features get more measurement passes than reference features, and we note where the part has worn.

Step 3: Interpret wear vs. design intent

This is where reverse engineering becomes more art than science. A worn shaft is not the same diameter it was when it left the original factory. A scored sealing surface no longer matches the print. Our engineers separate the worn dimensions from the intended dimensions, using context, tolerance norms, and matching components to land on the right spec.

Step 4: Build a clean drawing or model

The captured data becomes a 2D drawing, a 3D CAD model in SolidWorks, or both. Tolerances are documented, surface finishes are called out, and material is specified. If you want input, we will walk through the model with you before we machine anything.

Step 5: Machine and inspect the replacement

The new drawing drives manufacturing. The part runs through CNC milling, turning, grinding, or fabrication, depending on its geometry. Before it ships, it goes through a final inspection against the captured spec.

Step 6: Hand over the documentation

You get the finished part and the documentation. That means the next time the part wears out, we already have the program, the fixtures, and the inspection plan.