1. Engineering Design and Problem Solving
Chapter 3: REVERSE ENGINEERING
Engineering Design and Problem Solving

2. Introduction/Description
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.

3. Chapter 3: Outline Introduction to Reverse Engineering
Using the Reverse Engineering Process

4. Objectives and Results
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. .

5. Objectives and Results, cont.
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.

6. Schedule of Assignments
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)
6-10
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)

7. Reverse vs. Forward Engineering
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.
Reverse engineering is the thorough and methodical examination of a device, product, or process in order to understand as much as possible about its material, manufacture, function, and use.
It occurs when a part or product is systematically taken apart in order to understand how the product works, how the product is produced, and the product’s function. You can think of reverse engineering as the answer to the question: “How did you do that?”
Reverse engineering is often used to research existing designs during the engineering design and problem solving (EDPS) process. Also, it is an excellent way to promote creative thinking in the classroom.
Where the purpose of the EDPS is to develop an innovative solution to a problem, the reverse engineering process (REP) is used to understand the solutions that have already been designed.

8. Legal/Ethical Uses of RE
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
Reverse engineering is a powerful tool that can be used in both positive and negative ways.
Before discussing the specific processes of reverse engineering, let’s first discuss some of the legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of reverse engineering.
Recall that a legal action is one that does not violate a law, while an ethical action is one that does not violate a moral code.
Some legal and ethical actions used to perform reverse engineering are listed below.:
Researching an existing process or product to improve upon it
Determining the source of a systematic problem
Decreasing the cost of producing a product or running a process
Ensuring that the product or process being developed is compatible with an existing product or process
Continued on next page . . .

9. Legal/Ethical Uses of RE, cont.
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
Continued from previous slide . . .
Determining the cost of developing a product similar to a competitor’s product
Understanding how the EDPS process works
Determining if patent or license agreements have been violated by a competitor

10. Reverse Engineering Process (REP)
The reverse engineering process, like the engineering process, is a cycle that is made up a several steps. The steps of the reverse engineering process are as follows:
1: Determine goals of the reverse engineering project.
2: Determine the reverse engineering project parameters.
3: Determine what to reverse engineer.
4: Determine the function of the product.
5: Disassemble the product.
6: Analyze product components.
7: Infer the construction process.
8: Consider product improvements.
9: Document the process and communicate the findings.

11. Illegal/Unethical Uses of REP
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
Some illegal and unethical actions of reverse engineering are listed below:
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
Teaching Tip
Discuss the legal/ethical and illegal/unethical actions of the reverse engineering process with your students:
Are all of the legal uses always ethical?
Under what circumstances would they not be?
Are all of the legal uses always ethical?
Under what circumstances would they not be?
Points to Ponder

12. Engineering Design Process
How is the reverse engineering process similar to the engineering design process?
How is the reverse engineering process different than the engineering design process?

13. Determine Goal of the Project
Step 1: Goal of the REP
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?
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
Determine Goal of the Project
When you first begin a reverse engineering project, it is necessary to determine what you are looking to learn by reverse engineering a product.
To determine the goal of the project, consider the following question: What do you intend to learn?
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

14. Step 2: Reverse Engineering Parameters
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:
time,
money,
personnel, and
facilities.
Every engineering project, even reverse engineering projects, have parameters that describe the restrictions and requirements of the project.
It is important to identify these at the beginning of the project so you can plan for them.
Any parameter, if not addressed from the start, can prevent a project from reaching completion.
Parameters often include the following:
time,
money,
personnel, and
facilities.
Determine Parameters of the Project

15. Step 3: Determine What to RE
You need to choose which parts of the product you will be reverse engineering.
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.
After determining what you plan to accomplish with your reverse engineering process and what parameters limit the scope of your project, you need to choose which parts of the product you will be reverse engineering.
In some cases, you may choose to disassemble and analyze an entire product.
In other cases, you may choose only to look at a specific component of the product.
To determine what you need to reverse engineer, consider the project goals and parameters.
Determine What to Reverse Engineer

16. Step 4: Determine the Function
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.
Determine Function of Product

17. Step 5: Disassemble the Product
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.
The disassembly process is often the most enjoyable and recognizable step in the reverse engineering process.
In this step, it is necessary to take the product apart in order to assess how its components work together.
Alternatively, if the engineer is reverse engineering a process or software program, this step may involve deconstructing the process or program code.
When analyzing a part that is a component in a larger product or process, it also is necessary to look at how the part contributes to the overall function of the product.
During the disassembly process, 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

18. Step 6: Analyze Product Components
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.
After breaking the product down into its components, engineers analyze each component to determine various properties of the product.
Engineers consider the function of each component of the product assembly.
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

19. Step 7: Infer the Construction Process
Brainstorming about how the product was constructed can provide useful information about the function and composition of the product components.
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.
Infer the Process to Construct Product
Although reproducing the product may not be the ultimate goal of the reverse engineering project, brainstorming about how the product was constructed can provide useful information about the function and composition of the product components as well as the overall product.
The information that the engineer gathers during the disassembly and analysis process often is used to infer the process by which the product was initially constructed.
Infer means to derive by reasoning or make conclusions based on evidence.

20. Step 8: Look for Possible Improvements
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.
Looking for ways to improve a product is often the main goal of the reverse engineering process.
Engineers use the information obtained from determining the function of the part, analyzing its inner workings, and inferring its construction process to brainstorm ways that the product could be improved.
When considering ways that the product could be improved, engineers ask the following questions:
Are there better materials that could be used?
Could the construction process be more efficient?
Could more functions be added?
Could parts of the process be streamlined?
Is it possible to make the product easier to use?
Is there something else that the product or process could do that it was not initially designed to do?
Look for Possible Improvements

21. Step 9: Document and Communicate
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.
Each step of the reverse engineering process should be documented in detail with notes and drawings.
Similar to the engineering design and problem solving processes, detailed documentation allows others to review the process and determine if any mistakes were made.
Also, it is crucial to communicate the results of the reverse engineering process so that the information obtained can be applied by others. In many cases, however, the results are communicated to a rather narrow audience, such as a particular company.
Document and Communicate Results

22. Things to Consider
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.
When students fully understand the reverse engineering process and how it occurs, they should be able to explain it in simple language.
Ask students to come up with their own descriptions of each step of the process described in this section.
Some people refer to reverse engineering as an engineering design process. Others refer to it as an application of a scientific method.
Teaching Tip
Help your students develop a deeper understanding of reverse engineering by having them consider the following questions.
In what ways is it a design process?
In what ways does it use a scientific method?
In what ways is it a design process?
In what ways does it use a scientific method?
Points to Ponder

23. Engineering in Reverse!
Reverse engineering an existing product provides you with exposure to engineering designs and the engineering design process.
Reverse engineering can be used
as a discovery tool,
to explore design principles,
to learn about a specific product, or
to figure out how to improve a product.
The next step is 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.
It is preferable to work with an older technology, such as a pager or old computer.
In fact, many of today’s mobile phones resulted from the reverse engineering of pagers.
After choosing what you will reverse engineer, go through the reverse engineering process.
Teaching Tip
Visit the “Engineering in Reverse!” website shown on the screen.
Engineering in Reverse!

24. Research on Reverse Engineering
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
Student surveys also suggested that the reverse engineering activity was more motivating than a lecture.
To learn more about this study, visit Researching Reverse Engineering.

25. Uses of Reverse Engineering
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 wreckage be returned to the United States. Why would the U.S. want a broken helicopter back?
Point to Ponder
The examples listed below illustrate the variety of uses for the reverse engineering process:
Looking for product flaws and improvements
Reproducing an existing product
Conducting espionage (including corporate espionage)
Learning about a subject
Teaching Tips
Have your students think about the following situation.
When Osama Bin Laden was killed by the U.S. military, a Marine Corps helicopter crashed in Pakistan and was unable to be recovered. The Marines destroyed what they could of the helicopter, but the U.S. government insisted that the wreckage be returned to the United States.
Why would they want a broken helicopter back?

26. Examples of Reverse Engineering
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.
Software engineers may be employed to reverse engineer high-value computer systems to identify and correct any security vulnerabilities.
Drug companies often reverse engineer drugs with patents that have recently expired.
Although the manufacturing process used by the original pharmaceutical company may still be proprietary, a generic drug company can develop their own process to produce the same product. This practice may be thought of as reverse engineering a molecule.
Many electronic products are reverse engineered by companies seeking to gain information about how their competitors engineered a specific product.
To learn about systems such as engines; appliances; heating; ventilation; air conditioning (or HVAC); and computers, students often use the reverse engineering process.

27. Reverse Engineering the Human Brain
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
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.

28. Reverse Engineer a Brain?
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:
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

29. Guided Practice Student Challenge
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.
Teacher Tips
A simple reverse engineering case study for the classroom will be one focusing on a product that has many “exposed” components that students can observe and disassemble easily.
One easy example is a manual can opener.
The disassembly process will be brief, but students still can go through the rest of the reverse engineering process.

30. Practice Student Challenge, cont.
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.
Teacher Tips
There are many types of manual can openers that have slightly different designs that make them more ergonomic or better at opening cans.
Have students investigate different types of can openers and experiment with them by opening cans.
Whenever possible, have them take the can openers apart to see how they were constructed. Students should also observe if there are any hidden components.
Finally, have students determine what improvements they could make to the can opener and have them create a design for that new product.

31. Reverse Engineering Student Challenge
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.
The next step is 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.
It is preferable to work with an older technology, such as a pager or old computer.
In fact, many of today’s mobile phones resulted from the reverse engineering of pagers.
After choosing what you will reverse engineer, go through the reverse engineering process.

32. Logistics of RE Student Challenge
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.
Teaching Tips
Arrange the classroom so that students have plenty of room to disassemble the product and lay out all of the components.
Block out an appropriate amount of time during the day or day(s) that students will be performing the activity. Emphasize that this time is a parameter in the reverse engineering process and the students must work within it.
Run through the reverse engineering activity before assigning it to the students so that you are aware of the tools students will need to complete the task. This also will help you to prepare guiding questions that you can ask your students throughout the activity.
While analyzing a design, have the students consider the problems that the engineers encountered when developing the product and have students propose alternative solutions.

33. RE Student Challenge Rubric
Reverse Engineering Process
Report
Product Selection and/or Disassembly
Conclusion
Product Sketch/Diagram and Material Cost List
Grammar and Spelling
Presentation/Working Drawing of Product
Attractiveness
Purpose/Problem
Presentation
Procedure
Promptness
Ten Rubric Evaluation Areas (10 points each):
Product Selection and/or Disassembly
Product Sketch/Diagram and Material Cost List
Presentation/Working Drawing of Product
Purpose/Problem
Procedure
Conclusion
Grammar and Spelling
Attractiveness
Presentation
Promptness

34. Credits
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