Reverse Engineering of an Industrial Robotic Arm

From the caliper to a complete 3D model in SolidWorks: we rebuilt an industrial robotic arm and its gripper without a scanner, using manual measurements and geometric construction.

The challenge: rebuilding a robotic arm without a scanner

The starting point was a real industrial robotic arm, the Mitsubishi Movemaster EX, and its gripper. We approached the reverse engineering with traditional measuring instruments, without a 3D scanner, to show that a complex geometry can be documented rigorously through method and technical judgment.

The goal: a faithful digital model, part by part, useful for reviewing, communicating and further developing the design.

Manual measurement and geometric construction

Every part was documented with shop-floor instruments:

• Caliper and micrometer for diameters, thicknesses, housings and small details.
• Tape measure and rulers for lengths, distances between axes and relative positions.
• Angle-measuring tools and geometric construction to obtain inclinations and rotations that cannot be measured directly.

The dimensions are cross-checked against each other: when a measurement is not accessible, it is deduced from the geometric relationships with the others.

3D modeling and assembly in SolidWorks

With the dimensions validated, each component of the arm and of the gripper was modeled individually in SolidWorks, carefully defining its geometry and its relationships to obtain a coherent, editable model.

The complete assembly was then built using positional mates, integrating every part into the robotic system to achieve a precise assembly.

Result: a digital model ready to use

The result is a detailed digital representation of the arm and its gripper, ready for presentation. It is suitable for engineering review, design communication and further development, such as technical documentation, modifications or the manufacturing of parts.

This is how we work in our reverse engineering service.