Scan-to-CAD at Forma 3D: Reverse engineering discontinued pump impellers with Artec Leo

A Forma 3D Technician digitizing an impeller part with Artec Leo

Based in Queensland, Australia, Condamine Drilling offers drilling, irrigation supply, and pump services across the region. Like many operating in these industries, it relies on heavy-duty pump equipment that has been in service for years, sometimes decades. Over time, the original engineering drawings for some of its pump components have been lost, and the manufacturers are no longer able to supply replacement parts.

Seeking an alternative, Condamine reached out to Forma 3D. The company provides 3D scanning services in automotive, manufacturing, construction, and more, with Artec Leo, a powerful handheld 3D scanner supplied by Australian Artec Ambassador Qubic.

Initially, they wanted to explore the possibility of 3D printing spares. Once it had been determined that 3D printing wasn’t the answer due to pressure, fluid dynamic, and wear resistance demands, Forma 3D suggested another solution: generating CAD models that could be manufactured with time-tested machinery instead.

Reverse engineering with Artec Leo

Pump impellers often have intricate geometry like internal passages and curved vanes, making them difficult to digitize. Shiny surfaces also tend to trip up 3D scanners, as they reflect lasers during capture, while manual modeling remains slow and error-prone. With internal vane profiles being critical to performance, Condamine needed a versatile, reliable solution.

That’s why they turned to Artec Leo, a wireless, all-in-one 3D scanner, ideal for capturing in small workshops without having to connect to a laptop. The device offers real-time feedback, allowing users to verify scan quality and coverage, which is priceless when it comes to reverse engineering, as gaps in complex geometry only tend to reveal themselves during processing.

The family of impeller parts digitized by Forma 3D for Condamine Drilling

Having been tapped for the job, Forma 3D deployed Leo to scan a range of impellers. It would have been impossible to fit inside a desktop 3D scanner, but the cable-free Leo could simply be maneuvered around differently sized parts. Time was also of the essence – and the 35-million-point-per-second device captured them all at high speed, without lengthy setup or calibration.

“Artec Leo’s accuracy and resolution were well suited to the size range of these impellers, large enough that a desktop scanner would have required extensive repositioning, but small enough that Leo could capture them efficiently, with a small number of scans per part,” explained Forma 3D Technician Harry Tighe. “Leo’s speed also mattered practically. With multiple impellers to scan across a range of sizes, we needed a workflow that was efficient and repeatable.”

Going from 3D scan to casting

After capture, scan data was processed in Artec Studio, where Global Registration was used to accurately align every frame into a unified point cloud. With the software’s Sharp Fusion algorithm, they were then able to merge this data into a highly detailed, watertight mesh. Featuring every impeller surface, this digital representation was so highly detailed, it could be sent immediately for redesign in SOLIDWORKS.

A 3D scanned impeller part inside the Artec Studio software

Condamine Drilling took resulting designs directly to a foundry and had impellers cast in bronze. Raw castings were later machined, finished, and put back into service. Before reaching out to Forma 3D, Condamine had no viable way of replacing defunct broken parts. Every conventional option had reached a dead end, and scan-to-CAD was the only option.

Ultimately, Artec 3D scanning has been a game-changer in terms of speed, accuracy, repeatability, and access. The entire workflow now takes a fraction of the time required for manual measurement and redrawing – and delivers higher confidence in dimensional accuracy. Leo captures exact digital twins that can be taken to suppliers whenever spares are needed.

A scalable fix for ageing equipment

For Forma 3D, this project validates its scan-to-CAD workflow within industrial settings and demonstrates its ability to deliver results with a rapid return on investment (ROI). The final 3D model could be taken directly to a supplier without any engineering intervention – in a process that can be replicated across many other industries where spares are no longer available.

An example of the complex surfaces featured on Condamine’s impeller parts

“The challenge Condamine Drilling faced is not unique to them,” concluded Tighe. “There are enormous numbers of aging machines and systems whose original drawings have been lost, whose manufacturers no longer exist, or whose spare parts supply chains have dried up entirely. 3D scanning and reverse engineering offer a practical, scalable solution.”

Digital design was previously restricted to those with in-house engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Now, virtually anyone can access 3D scanning and get reliable data with practical applications. Forma 3D sees significant potential for its services in mining, agriculture, water infrastructure, and heavy industry – any projects with complex reverse engineering needs.

Wherever OEM supply chains have broken down, equipment has outlived its documentation, or parts are no longer available, 3D scanning is perfect for digitizing and building upon existing designs. Any user of legacy equipment stands to benefit from the technology. Condamine is just the latest of many to establish a digital warehouse for spare inventory – and it won’t be the last.