Reverse Engineering : (RE) is the art of discovering the technological principles of a device, object or system through analysis of its structure, function and operation. It often involves taking something (e.g. a mechanical device, electronic component, or software program) apart and analyzing its workings in detail.

 

 

Reverse engineering is a general process of analyzing a product to determine how it was designed and how it operates. This information can be used for many purposes. Many times this is used for the purpose of duplicating an existing component,  subassembly, or product, without the aid of drawings or documentation.  Or, to improve an existing product to surpass competitors. Often, the resulting documentation is used to analyze if a product is infringing on patent rights for claims analysis.

 

We are an electronic engineering company specializing in Reverse Engineering of Integrated Circuits and Electronic Products to provide the supporting Engineering Documentation you require. With over 20 years of engineering experience we can handle any task. We are easy to work with and understand the tradeoffs involved with this type of work.

 

Reverse engineering involves examining a product to see how it operates. Then taking the product apart to determine what components are used to make it work, how they are interconnected, and how they operate together.  Reverse engineering an integrated circuit is very much the same, but the tools work on the microscopic level.

 

We can also reverse engineer a printed circuit board to determine how the components are interconnected. Multi-layer boards are no problem, they can be examined with an X-Ray viewer to determine how the inner traces are routed.

 

Software and firmware can be disassembled to observe how it functions. Sometimes the operation of a microprocessor or a PLD/FPGA can be determined solely by observing the inputs and outputs, at other times, we have to get into the machine code itself.  Some embedded processors have security measures to prevent this, but there are many tools at our disposal to circumvent them so that the original program code can be extracted.

 

The primary output is usually block diagram, schematic diagram, circuit board layout, flowchart, netlist table, raw program code, or operational ducumentation.

 

Reverse engineering is required more and more tosupport older products.  Many times, for older products, the original schematics and product support documentation has been lost over time, and it is necessary to re-create the documentation - this is what we can do for you.  Additionally, some components may have been house numbered or had their identification obscured to prevent field repair.  In some cases, the component may no longer be available and a substitute must be found or engineered.

 

We can provide this type of engineering service discreetly without the involvement or knowledge of your in-house engineers or other departments.

 

 

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Contact us today      920-955-3693

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Reasons for reverse engineering a product:

• Determine Patent infringement claims

• Determine if your competition has copied a product

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• Discover product strengths, weaknesses and limitations

• To understand competitor's products and develop alternatives

• Manufacturer of a product no longer exists or produces a product

• Manufacturer of a product no longer supports/services a product

• Documentation of the original design is lost or inadequate

• To update obsolete components with current technology

• Reveal inner-workings of products

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• Determine product interoperability

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• Improve your designs

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• Benchmark analysis
   

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We can provide the following:

• Analysis of competitive products

• Document existing or obsolete products

• Re-Develop existing products

• Obsolescence recovery - obsolete parts replacement

• Schematic CAD generation from existing products

• Printed Circuit artwork generation from existing products

• Re-capture of lost PCB layouts

• Flowcharts for Microprocessor or PLD/FLGA operation

• Source-code recovery from a Microprocessor or PLD/FPGA, even if it has been security locked

• Re-create & uncover underlying design concepts

• Characterize product operation

• Upgrade obsolete parts with with available components

• Update or augment existing documentation

 

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We have over 25 years of practical, Electronic Engineering Experience, Semiconductor Process Engineering Experience and High Vacuum System experience.  From System Design to Detailed Circuit Design, Programming, PCB Layout, Debugging, and Failure Analysis. Extensive in-depth applications experience of applying Electronics, Computers, and Software to solve real-world problems. Extensive experience with Conceptual Designs, Feasibility Studies, Failure Analysis,  reverse engineering, as well as Product Implementation, Development and Support. 

 

Since we are also a full service Electronic Engineering firm, the following additional services can be provided:

• Electronic Circuit Design

• Printed Circuit Board Layout

• Feasibility Analysis

• Competition Analysis

• Cost Analysis

• Product fine-tuning

• Transferring products from prototype to manufacturing

• Manufacturing Support

• Product Cost Reduction

• Manufacturing Documentation

• Test Jigs

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Let S.I. be  your Engineering Solution

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