Reverse Engineering & Obsolete Parts
This is the service we are built for. KKM Solutions spends every day sourcing parts for equipment whose manufacturers have been absorbed, renamed or shut down — and the request that has no answer anywhere is always the same one: "the part is discontinued, here is the broken one, can you make me another."
Now we can. Send the sample, or photographs with a few measured dimensions, and you get a dimensioned drawing back for approval before anything is made. Once you sign off the drawing, the part is manufactured through whichever process on this site suits it — machined, cut, printed, cast, moulded or fabricated — and the drawing stays on file so the next one is a repeat order, not another investigation.
How it works
- Send what you have. The broken part is ideal, even in pieces. Photographs with a ruler or calipers in frame work too. Add the nameplate of the machine it came out of and any part number stamped on it.
- Measurement and modelling. Contact measurement, CMM or 3D scanning as the part demands, then a CAD model and a dimensioned drawing.
- Reconstruction of worn features. A worn part does not measure to its original size. Mating components, standard fits, thread and bearing standards and the part's function are used to recover intended dimensions — and we tell you which dimensions were inferred rather than measured.
- Your approval. You receive the drawing and confirm it before any material is cut. Nothing is manufactured on our interpretation alone.
- Manufacture, and improve where sensible. If the original failed by design, we can propose an upgraded material or a thicker section at the same time. Your call, quoted separately.
Where this is used most
Obsolete machine components on legacy production lines, spares for imported equipment with no local support, parts from OEMs that no longer exist, single components inside assemblies that are only sold complete, and improved replacements for parts that keep failing. It pairs directly with our OEM parts sourcing programs: if the part can still be bought we will source it, and if it cannot, we will make it.
What to send
The part, or clear photographs from several angles with a scale in frame and key dimensions measured. Tell us the machine, what the part does, how it failed, how many you need now and how many you expect to need — and email orderdesk@kkmsolutions.com if anything about the package is unclear.
Upload your drawing — quote in 1 business day
Reverse Engineering — processes available
| Process | Where it fits |
|---|---|
| Dimensional inspection | Calipers, micrometers, gauges and CMM measurement of the sample against its mating components. |
| 3D scanning | Structured-light and laser scanning for organic, cast and complex geometry that hand measurement cannot capture. |
| CAD modelling and drawing | A parametric model plus a fully dimensioned, toleranced manufacturing drawing you own and approve. |
| Material identification | Hardness testing and alloy verification so the replacement is made from the right material, not a guess. |
| Design improvement | Optional upgrades where the original failed by design — stronger section, better material, improved sealing. |
| Manufacture | Made through any process on this site, with the approved drawing retained for repeat orders. |
Materials
| Any process | Machined, cut, fabricated, cast, forged, moulded or printed — the drawing determines the route |
|---|---|
| Metals | Steel, stainless, aluminum, bronze, cast iron, tool steel, titanium and specialty alloys |
| Plastics | Acetal, nylon, UHMW, PTFE, PEEK, polycarbonate and cast urethane |
| Rubber and seals | Nitrile, EPDM, Viton, silicone and custom-profile sealing elements |
| Deliverables | You receive the approved drawing and model, not just the parts |
Typical capabilities
| Minimum you need to send | One sample (broken is fine) or photographs with a scale and a few measured dimensions |
|---|---|
| Drawing turnaround | Typically 2–5 business days for approval before manufacture starts |
| Worn features | Reconstructed from mating parts, standard fits and function — inferred dimensions are identified as such |
| Approval gate | Nothing is manufactured until you have signed off the drawing |
| Repeat orders | The approved drawing is retained, so the second order is a part number, not a project |
| IP | Your drawings, models and samples are used only for your job and are never published or reused |
Components we already stock for this work
Ship the standard parts on the same order
Custom parts rarely go into service alone. These are real, currently listed catalog items from the component families that usually accompany this kind of work — quote them on the same request and they arrive together.
Power Transmission
Other processes we quote
Reverse Engineering — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a quote for reverse engineering?
Upload your drawing or 3D model on this page — STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, STL, SolidWorks, Inventor, Parasolid, PDF drawings, photos, or a ZIP of the whole package — with the quantity and material, or email the same files to orderdesk@kkmsolutions.com. We review the package and reply with pricing, lead time and any manufacturability notes within 1 business day. If you only have a physical sample, send photos with a few measured dimensions and we will work from that.
The part is broken in pieces. Is that still enough?
Usually, yes — and it is far better than nothing. Send every piece, including small fragments. Broken parts still carry their overall dimensions, hole positions, thread sizes and material, and the fracture surface itself often tells us why it failed, which is useful if you want the replacement improved. If a section is missing entirely, the mating component or a photograph of the assembly generally fills the gap.
Is it legal to have an obsolete part copied?
Manufacturing a replacement part for equipment you own, for your own maintenance, is normal industrial practice and is what the aftermarket exists to do. What we will not do is reproduce a part that is protected by a patent still in force or carries a manufacturer's trademark, branding or logo — replacements are supplied unbranded. If you are unsure about a specific part, tell us and we will discuss it before quoting.
Can you make the replacement better than the original?
Often, and it is worth asking. If a part keeps failing in the same place, the root cause is usually a material or section that was chosen for cost rather than duty. We can propose a harder material, a thicker section, a better sealing arrangement or a bearing upgrade, quoted separately so you can compare a like-for-like copy against an improved version and choose.
How many parts do I have to order?
One. A single replacement is a completely normal order here — most reverse-engineering jobs start with one part for a machine that is down. Because the engineering work is a one-time cost, the second and subsequent parts are substantially cheaper, so it is worth telling us your realistic future need when you request the quote; we will show you the price at one piece and at a spare-holding quantity.
Who actually manufactures the parts?
KKM Solutions is a manufacturing sourcing partner, not an in-house plant. Your job is placed with a vetted contract manufacturer matched to the process, material, tolerance and volume — so a prototype, a 5-axis aerospace-grade part and a 10,000-piece production run each go to a shop that runs that work every day, instead of being forced onto whatever equipment one factory happens to own. KKM manages the order, the paperwork and the delivery, and you deal with one supplier throughout.
What happens to my drawings and design files?
Files you send are used only to quote and manufacture your parts, are shared only with the supplier quoting the job, and are never published, resold, or used to list a product in our catalog. If you need a signed non-disclosure agreement in place first, ask for one at orderdesk@kkmsolutions.com before sending anything.
Can KKM Solutions supply the standard components that go with a custom part?
Yes — that is the reason to buy custom parts here rather than from a pure manufacturing marketplace. The catalog already lists more than 300,000 bearings, seals, sensors, motors, drives, pneumatic and power-transmission components, so a machined shaft can ship with its bearings and seals, and a fabricated frame with its guarding hardware, on one order and one invoice.
Need reverse engineering?
Upload the drawing and we will come back with price, lead time and any design notes within 1 business day.
KKM Solutions manufactures through a vetted network of contract machine shops, fabricators, moulders and finishers rather than an in-house plant. Process capabilities, tolerances and lead times shown on this page are typical for the processes described and are confirmed against your drawing on the written quote, which is the governing document for every order.