Case Study: Reverse Engineering a Ball Screw

A manufacturing client had a ball screw assembly failing in a piece of production equipment, and it was causing downtime. The original supplier quoted more than 12 weeks for a replacement, and the price was high. The client needed something faster and cheaper.

What we did

We started with the worn part: measured its critical dimensions, assessed the material, then built a CAD model and a detailed engineering drawing, so the replacement was made to the OEM specification.

The new ball screw was machined from high-grade material to tight tolerances, then checked for smooth travel and load handling before it shipped.

Results

• Delivered in 4 weeks, against an OEM lead time of more than 12 weeks
• About 30% below the OEM price
• Matched the OEM specification, so the equipment could run normally again

When reverse engineering makes sense

It works best for parts that are worn, discontinued or stuck behind a long lead time, where you still have the part or its mating parts to measure. It's harder when a part relies on a proprietary material or treatment that can't be identified from the part itself. If you're not sure, send photos and the part number and we'll tell you what we'd need.

More on CNC machining and design and reverse engineering, or send us your part.