How 3D Scanning and Reverse Engineering Are Transforming the Automotive Aftermarket Performance Parts Industry

Capturing the Complete Vehicle Surface

The first step is typically to 3D scan the areas of the vehicle involved in the product design.

For a front splitter, the engineering team may need accurate 3D data from the front fascia, lower bumper, wheel wells, and portions of the vehicle’s underbody.

A side skirt may require scanning the rocker panel, lower body surfaces, wheel openings, and existing mounting locations.

Larger aerodynamic development projects may involve 3D scanning the complete exterior of the vehicle.

The resulting 3D scan creates an accurate digital representation of the vehicle’s actual surfaces. Once the vehicle has been scanned, engineers can begin designing the new aerodynamic components in 3D CAD software.

Designing Aftermarket Parts for an Accurate Fit

One of the biggest advantages of designing from 3D scan data is the ability to match the vehicle’s surface geometry. A new component can be digitally designed to follow the compound curves of the original body panels.

Engineers can also identify and incorporate existing mounting holes, brackets, fasteners, and other attachment points into the new design. Using existing OEM mounting locations can be a major advantage for an aftermarket product.

Customers generally do not want to drill unnecessary holes into an expensive vehicle. This is especially true in the exotic car and high-end performance markets.

By accurately locating existing mounting points using 3D scanning, aftermarket companies can potentially develop products that install using factory attachment locations. The result can be a cleaner installation and a product that feels much closer to an OEM-designed component.

Using 3D CAD Models for CFD Analysis

Fitment is only one consideration when developing an aerodynamic component. The product also needs to perform.

Once a preliminary design has been completed in CAD, the digital model can be used for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. CFD software allows engineers to virtually evaluate how air moves around the vehicle and the newly designed component.

Depending on the application, engineers may evaluate:

• Airflow
• Drag
• Downforce
• Pressure zones
• Turbulence
• Cooling airflow
• Aerodynamic balance

If the initial design does not produce the desired results, engineers can modify the component in CAD. A wing angle may be changed. The profile of a splitter may be adjusted. A diffuser channel may be redesigned. The CFD analysis can then be performed again.

This virtual design and analysis process can potentially save manufacturers thousands of dollars and weeks of development time. Traditionally, companies might have needed to build multiple physical prototypes and perform extensive real-world or wind tunnel testing. While physical testing is still important for many performance applications, digital design and simulation allow engineers to refine a product before committing to expensive tooling or production.

Moving from CAD to Manufacturing

Once the final aerodynamic design has been approved, the 3D CAD model can be used to manufacture the component or its tooling.

Depending on the product, manufacturing methods may include:

• CNC machining
• Composite mold manufacturing
• Carbon fiber layup
• Thermoforming
• Injection molding
• Additive manufacturing

Many high-performance aerodynamic components are manufactured from carbon fiber or various plastics and composites. The final CAD data developed around the scanned vehicle geometry can be used to create molds or tooling for these parts.

The goal is simple: develop a product that fits correctly the first time.

Improving Airflow and Engine Performance

Many engine performance products are designed around one primary goal: improving the movement of air into or out of the engine.

Small changes to the geometry of an intake port, exhaust port, manifold runner, plenum, chamber, or impeller blade can have a significant impact on airflow and engine performance.

The challenge is that these surfaces are often extremely complex. An intake runner is not simply a straight tube. The shape may continuously change in diameter and cross-sectional area. It may curve in multiple directions while transitioning into a plenum or cylinder head port.

Turbocharger and impeller components can be even more complicated, with highly complex curved blade geometry. These are freeform, organic shapes that are extremely difficult to accurately measure using conventional hand tools. This is where 3D scanning and reverse engineering can provide a major advantage.

Capturing External and Internal Geometry

Depending on the component, different 3D scanning and measurement technologies can be used to capture the required geometry. External surfaces can often be captured using portable 3D scanners. Internal geometry may require specialized measurement methods depending on the size, shape, and accessibility of the component.

The goal is to digitally capture the physical geometry of the existing part so it can be evaluated and reverse engineered. The 3D scan data can then be converted into an intelligent CAD model. Engineers can use this model as the foundation for a new performance design.

Instead of starting from a blank screen, the development team has an accurate digital representation of the original component. Critical interfaces can be maintained while performance-related geometry is modified.

For example, the mounting flange and bolt locations of an intake manifold may remain unchanged while the internal runners and plenum are completely redesigned. This allows the new product to interface with the existing engine while providing different performance characteristics.

From Reverse Engineering to Production

Once a new performance component has been designed, the final CAD model becomes the digital master for manufacturing. Depending on the product, the component may be produced using:

• CNC machining
• Sand casting
• Die casting
• Investment casting
• Carbon fiber manufacturing
• Injection molding
• Additive manufacturing
• Fabrication

Traditionally, developing these parts could require extensive manual measuring, hand fabrication, and physical prototyping. This process was time-consuming and often limited the number of design changes a company could economically evaluate.

With 3D scanning and modern CAD software, engineers can make design changes digitally. Once the company has developed a successful CAD design, the same digital data can be used to scale manufacturing.

This is particularly important in the automotive aftermarket industry, where manufacturers must often compete with lower-cost OEM components while offering a measurable improvement in performance. The ability to quickly develop a high-performance product and move it into repeatable production can be a major competitive advantage.

Designing Perfect-Fitting Automotive Floor Mats

Consider the footwell of a modern vehicle. At first glance, it may appear to be a relatively simple area. It is not.

The floor contains complex curves, transitions, trim panels, seat mounting areas, console surfaces, pedals, and other features. Much of the geometry is freeform. How would you accurately measure all of this by hand?

Traditional measurements might capture the overall width and length, but they would not accurately represent every curve and surface transition.

By 3D scanning the vehicle’s footwell, product designers can create a detailed digital representation of the actual interior geometry. A floor mat or floor liner can then be designed to follow the vehicle’s surfaces. This is especially important for products marketed as custom-fit solutions.

Even if an automotive OEM were willing to provide CAD data for the vehicle’s interior structure, the production vehicle may contain carpet, insulation, and trim materials that are not fully represented by the underlying structural CAD geometry. 3D scanning captures the vehicle as it physically exists. For a product that needs to fit the customer’s actual vehicle, this can be extremely important.

Using 3D Scanning to Develop Paint Protection Film Patterns

Paint protection film is another automotive aftermarket product that can benefit from 3D scanning.

Traditionally, installing protective film could require significant manual trimming and cutting. This takes time and introduces the possibility of installation errors. There is also the potential for damage if cutting is performed directly on the painted vehicle surface.

With a 3D scanning-based workflow, the areas requiring protection can first be digitally captured. Pattern cut lines are then created using specialized software. The 3D surface geometry can be digitally flattened into a two-dimensional layout. That 2D pattern can then be sent to a CNC cutting system. The protective film is automatically cut into a pattern designed specifically for the vehicle.

This can provide several advantages:

• Reduced installation time
• Less manual trimming
• Improved consistency
• Reduced rework
• Lower risk of paint damage
• More repeatable installations

For companies installing large volumes of paint protection products, reducing installation time can have a major impact on productivity. A digital pattern can also be reused. Once the company has developed a pattern for a specific vehicle model and configuration, that digital information becomes part of the company’s product library.

Reverse Engineering a Hand-Fabricated Roll Cage

One solution is to 3D scan the completed roll cage. The scan data captures the shape and position of the tubes and other components. Using the 3D scan data, engineers can create a CAD model of the cage. That CAD information can then be used to develop a repeatable manufacturing process.

For example, tube geometry can be transferred to a CNC tube bending system. Brackets, plates, and mounting components can be manufactured using CNC machining, laser cutting, or other automated processes.

Instead of manually recreating the original cage from measurements and templates, the company now has digital manufacturing data. This can greatly reduce the cost and time required to reproduce the product. Depending on the customer’s budget and experience, the manufacturer could potentially offer the cage as a complete assembly or as a partially assembled kit.

Improving Repeatability with Digital Manufacturing

One of the biggest advantages of combining 3D scanning with CNC manufacturing technology is repeatability. A skilled fabricator may be capable of producing an excellent one-off product. However, reproducing the exact same geometry repeatedly by hand can be challenging.

Digital manufacturing helps standardize the process. When accurate CAD data is used with CNC equipment, variations between products can be reduced. For aftermarket customers, this can mean fewer fitment problems. For manufacturers, it can mean less rework, fewer returns, and a more scalable production process.

3D inspection can also be incorporated into the manufacturing workflow to compare finished components against the original CAD model. This helps manufacturers verify that the product is being produced within the required tolerances.

Digitally Capturing Real Vehicles

3D scanning provides a different approach. The actual vehicle can be scanned to create an accurate digital representation of its physical shape. EMS3D has 3D scanned many different types of vehicles for gaming, simulation, and visualization companies. Some of these companies have also purchased their own 3D scanners so they can bring the technology in-house.

Modern 3D scanning systems are capable of capturing an incredible amount of surface detail. Depending on the scanning technology and application, the data can capture casting textures, surface transitions, small mechanical details, and even bolt threads. For a digital content company, this provides an extremely accurate geometric reference.

The raw scan data will typically be processed and optimized before being used in a gaming engine. However, the scanned geometry provides a highly accurate starting point. Instead of estimating the shape of a vehicle from photographs, digital artists and engineers can work from actual measured 3D data.