Chapter 3:
REVERSE ENGINEERING
Engineering Design and Problem Solving
Introduction/Description
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The 2nd Design Project will introduce the
9-step reverse engineering process
through guided practice and examples.
You will select an item and complete the
reverse engineering process on that item,
document the steps of the reverse
engineering process, and present their
findings to the class.
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Chapter 3: Outline
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1. Introduction to Reverse Engineering
2. Using the Reverse Engineering Process
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Objectives and Results
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Objectives
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Individually, students will complete the “Points to Ponder”
handouts.
Working in teams of 2-3, students will go through the reverse
engineering design process for the product and complete the
Mini Reverse Engineering Notebook.
Students will present their product and process to the class
following the rubric provided.
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Objectives and Results, cont.
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Results
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Students will be able to work in teams of 2-3 and apply all of
the knowledge and skills they have learned to come up with a
workable solution to problem: reverse engineering a manual
can opener.
Students will create a written explanation of the problem,
solution, and processes, and then present their design to the
class. Refer to the handouts to guide you through the process
and use the rubric and/or examples provided.
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Schedule of Assignments
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Class Period(s)
Topic
Assignment
1-2
The Reverse Engineering Design
Process- Intro
#1-Individual; Point to Ponder Handout(Daily)
3-5
The Reverse Engineering Design
Process- Can Opener: Dismantle,
sketch, label, and research
#2-In teams of 2-3; Apply the engineering design
process to the scenario given; complete the mini
engineering notebook (Daily)
The Reverse Engineering Design
Process- Can Opener: Come up with
new design and presentation
#3-In teams of 2-3; Complete the communication and
presentation of your new design following the rubric
given (Major)
6-10
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Reverse vs. Forward Engineering
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Reverse engineering (REP) is the methodical
examination of a device, product, or process in order
to understand about its material, manufacture,
function, and use.
Forward engineering (EDP) is using the engineering
design process to solve a problem.
Where the purpose of the EDP is to develop an
innovative solution to a problem, REP is used to
understand the solutions that have already been
designed.
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Legal/Ethical Uses of RE
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Researching an existing process or product to
improve it
Determining the source of a systematic problem
Decreasing cost of producing a product or running
a process
Ensuring that the product or process is compatible
with an existing product or process
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Legal/Ethical Uses of RE, cont.
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Determining the cost of developing a product similar
to a competitor’s product
Understanding how the engineering design process
works
Determining if patent or license agreements have
been violated by a competitor
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Reverse Engineering Process (REP)
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Illegal/Unethical Uses of REP
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Copying a competitor’s technology and using it to
make a profit
Copying a classified piece of equipment or software
to sell
Stealing another’s idea to claim as one’s own
1. Are all of the legal uses always ethical?
2. Under what circumstances would they not
be?
Points to Ponder
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Engineering Design Process
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Step 1: Goal of the REP
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When you first begin a reverse engineering project, it
is necessary to determine what you are looking to
learn by reverse engineering a product.
What do you intend to learn?
Determine Goal of the
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Project
The function of the product
How the product is constructed
How a particular part of the product functions
The materials from which the product is made
What and where a flaw might be
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Step 2: Reverse Engineering Parameters
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Every engineering project has parameters that describe
the restrictions and requirements of the project.
Any parameter, if not addressed, can prevent a project
from reaching completion.
Parameters often include the following:
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time,
money,
personnel, and
facilities.
Determine Parameters of
the Project
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Step 3: Determine What to RE
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You need to choose which parts of the product you will
be reverse engineering.
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You may choose to disassemble and analyze an entire
product.
You may choose only to look at a specific component of the
product.
Consider the project goals and parameters.
Determine What to Reverse
Engineer
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Step 4: Determine the Function
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Determining the function of the product is only necessary,
if you do not already know the purpose for which the
product or part is used.
 Knowing the function of the product is crucial to
understanding other aspects of the product.
 It may involve brainstorming about the function, running
tests and experiments on the product, and even taking the
product apart.
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Determine Function of
Product
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Step 5: Disassemble the Product
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It is necessary to take the product apart in order to
assess how its components work together.
When analyzing a part that is a component in a
larger product or process, look at how the part
contributes to the overall function of the product.
It is important to make detailed drawings and notes
of where each component of the part is located and
how it connects with other components.
Disassemble the Product
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Step 6: Analyze Product Components
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Engineers analyze each component to determine various
properties and functions of the product.
 For physical devices, the engineer may analyze the
function of different assembly parts as well as the
materials from which each component is made.
 For software programs or processes, the engineer
may analyze how the different parts of code or
process components work together to function as a
system.
Analyze Each Component
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Step 7: Infer the Construction Process
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Brainstorming about how the product was constructed can
provide useful information about the function and
composition of the product components.
Infer the Process to
Construct Product
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The information that the engineer gathers during the
disassembly and analysis process can be used to infer the
process by which the product was initially constructed.
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Step 8: Look for Possible Improvements
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Consider materials, efficiency, and function.
Consider whether the construction process could be
streamlined, whether it would be possible to make the
product easier to use, or if there is another function that
the product or process was not initially designed to do.
Look for Possible
Improvements
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Step 9: Document and Communicate
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Document your REP in detail with notes and drawings.
This allows others to review the process and determine if
any mistakes were made.
It is crucial to communicate the results of the reverse
engineering process, so that the information obtained
can be applied by others.
Document and
Communicate Results
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Things to Consider
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You will create your own descriptions of each step of
the reverse engineering process.
Some people refer to reverse engineering as an
engineering design process; others refer to it as an
application of a scientific method.
1. In what ways is it a design process?
Points to Ponder
2. In what ways does it use a scientific method?
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Engineering in Reverse!
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Reverse engineering an existing product provides you
with exposure to engineering designs and the
engineering design process.
Reverse engineering can be used
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as a discovery tool,
to explore design principles,
to learn about a specific product, or
to figure out how to improve a product.
Engineering in Reverse!
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Research on Reverse Engineering
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Research at Purdue University on the use of reverse
engineering to teach engineering concepts showed that
“Significantly more of the students who learned
about the interconnectedness of the camera
components from the reverse engineering activity
were able to describe reasonable redesign solutions
than those that learned about the camera’s design
in the lecture.”
Researching Reverse Engineering
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Uses of Reverse Engineering
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Looking for product flaws and improvements
Reproducing an existing product
Conducting espionage (including corporate espionage)
Learning about a subject
When Osama Bin Laden was killed by the U. S.
military, a Marine Corps helicopter crashed in
Pakistan. The U. S. government insisted that the
Point to Ponder wreckage be returned to the United States. Why
would the U.S. want a broken helicopter back?
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Examples of Reverse Engineering
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Software engineers use the REP to identify and correct
any security vulnerabilities in computer programs.
Drug companies often reverse engineer drugs with
patents that have recently expired.
Many electronic products are reverse engineered to gain
information about how their competitors engineered a
specific product.
Students often use the REP, to learn about systems such as
engines, appliances, HVAC, and computers.
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Reverse Engineering the Human Brain
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One of the grand challenges posed by the National
Academy of Engineering (NAE) is the reverse
engineering of the human brain.
Understanding how the brain works will provide
valuable information and allow humans to
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build smarter machines,
create better biotechnology products,
design more accurate computer simulations of human
systems, and
better understand how brain injuries, mental illness, and
mental and physical disabilities can be treated.
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Reverse Engineer a Brain?
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In a literal sense, we cannot disassemble the brain to
see how it functions, but there are several different
approaches to reverse engineering the brain:
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Developing computer simulations to emulate brain
function
Using non-invasive monitoring of the brain with
electrodes, CT scans, and MRIs
Developing super computers, such as IBM’s “Watson,”
which has beaten Jeopardy champions
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Guided Practice Student Challenge
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In your team of 2-3 students, you will perform a reverse
engineering case study on a product that has many
“exposed” components that you can observe and
disassemble easily: a manual can opener.
The disassembly process itself will be brief, but going
through the rest of the reverse engineering process will
take longer.
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Practice Student Challenge, cont.
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When taking the can openers apart to see how they
were constructed, do you see any hidden components?
You will determine what improvements you could make
to the can opener.
You will create a design (drawing) for that new product.
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Reverse Engineering Student Challenge
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The next step is to apply the reverse engineering
process, so that you can truly understand it.
To start, be sure to choose something in which you are
interested and would not have trouble taking apart.
After choosing what you will reverse engineer, go
through the reverse engineering process.
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Logistics of RE Student Challenge
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Make sure you have plenty of room to disassemble the
product and can lay out/store all of the components.
 Make sure you practice good time management.
 Do a quick run through the reverse engineering steps and
rubric, before you begin.
 Make sure you have all the tools and materials you need.
 Consider the problems that the engineers encountered,
when developing the product and propose alternative
solutions to this.
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RE Student Challenge Rubric
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Reverse Engineering Process
Report
Product Selection and/or
Disassembly
Product Sketch/Diagram and
Material Cost List
Presentation/Working Drawing
of Product
Grammar and Spelling
Purpose/Problem
Presentation
Procedure
Promptness
Conclusion
Attractiveness
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Credits
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ClipArt;
http://www.clipart.com/en/
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