Air Force Materiel Command

War-Winning Capabilities … On Time, On Cost

Reverse Engineering
Study

AFRL/MLM
HQ AFMC/A4Y
2006
Integrity - Service - Excellence
1
 Background

• Feb 06, WR-ALC/CC concluded investigation into

ability to leverage available capacity and take on
additional workload (shared results with
AFMC/CC)

• Response led to discussion between Gen

Carlson, ALC Commanders, and HQ AFMC/A4 on
need for technical data, ability to obtain technical
data, and use of Reverse Engineering (RE)

• Based on experience developing reverse

engineering technologies within the depots,
AFRL/MLM (ManTech Program) accepted HQ
AFMC/A4 request to initiate RE study
2
 Ground Rules & Assumptions
• Study Will
– Focus on Reverse Engineering (RE) technologies, tools and
processes
– Focus on structural and mechanical part families
– Identify RE capabilities at the ALCs, other DoD depots, and
best practices within industry
– Assess relationships between RE capabilities & technical data
– Document capabilities, applications, limitations, & constraints
– Identify potential pilot efforts to demonstrate expanded RE
capabilities
– Produce a draft report in 3-4 months

• Study Will Not

– Focus on electronic parts, only mention existing activities
– Evaluate policy implications associated with acquiring full
technical data packages
3
 Approach

Use Product Lifecycle Management Model as Documentation Baseline

Step 1: Research
Existing Step 2: Identify Step 4: Identify
Tools, Existing shortfalls and
Technologies & Capabilities at define pilot
Best Practices AF ALCs projects
In Industry &
Government

Step3: Review RE applicability at

part, assembly, sub-system &
system levels

4
 Approach
• Concept - Identify Capabilities & Limitations of RE as it applies to:
- Levels of Product Indenture
- Type of Application
- Data Capture throughout the Product Life Cycle

Functional Characteristics Discrete Assemblies Systems

Parts
Design Capture
Physical Replication
Functional Replication
Technical Data Generation
Qualification & Test Parameters
Maintenance Procedures

5
 Status
• Developed Report Outline
• Established Team
– Identified Government POCs
– Leveraged AFRL Contract Resources
• Set-Up Communication Structure
– Leveraging existing AFRL Industrial Base CoP through AF
Portal to share documents
– Bi-Weekly Telecons
– Plan visits to ALCs as appropriate
• Assigned Responsibilities
– AFRL: Research (Best Practices, Technologies, Suppliers)
& Lead for writing report
– HQ AFMC: Policy & Requirements
– ALC POCs: Baseline Capabilities & Potential Pilots
• Developed Milestone Schedule
• TBD: Define additional stakeholders, coordination &
briefing reqts., report distribution 6
 Outline

• Define Scope and Requirements

– Definitions
– Policy
• Characterize RE Capabilities
– Best Practices
– Tools and Technologies (Suppliers, Market)
• Applications
– Scale
– Costs & Benefits
• Limitations/Constraints
– Documentation
– Re-Qualification
– Proprietary/Intellectual Property
• Conclusions/Recommendations
7
 Definition
Reverse Engineering is…
• Society of Mechanical Engineers Definition
• US Army Reverse Engineering Handbook (MIL-HDBK-115 )
• DMSMS Case Resolution Guide
• The Concurrent Technologies Corporation (from OC-ALC 2003 brief)
• The Advanced Research and Application Corp (from OC-ALC 2003 brief)

“… the process of developing exact replicas of items through review of

available technical data, testing, physical disassembly and
inspection and analysis of functions performed by the item in the
application.” (DMSMS Case Resolution Guide)

Reverse Engineering is the process of developing exact

replicas of items through review of available technical data,
testing, physical disassembly and inspection and analysis of
functions performed by the item in the application. Reverse
Engineering includes all aspects of engineering design,
qualification, manufacturing and maintenance. (the current
study)
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 Pilots
• Goal: Leverage a new reverse
engineering capability to:
– Generate necessary technical data
– Produce a form, fit and function
replacement
– Enable sustained maintenance and repair

• Piloted capability may include:

– New Tools (Off-the-shelf hardware or
software)
– New Technology (development and
integration efforts)
– New Business Processes (information
management, in/out-sourcing, cost
estimating)
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 Example Pilot Projects
• Candidate Reverse Engineering Pilot at WR/ALC (C-5 Crown Skins)
– Crown skins experiencing cracking problem that will require a change out of up to
26 skins (per aircraft) on 62 Total Aircraft (C-5A & C) for a total of 1,612 skins
(20,050 Man-Hours for Maintenance)
– Tooling at AMARC used to form these skins are said to be unusable. New tools for
these parts will likely consume 80% of the cost for getting these parts. Good tech
data doesn’t exist to build new tools/ parts
– C-5 Crown Skin Approach - Reverse engineering the parts using a re-configurable
tooling machine located at WRALC/CMXG
• “Short Order Rapid Response Model”
– Provides “Collaborative Infrastructure” to tie customer and suppliers
– Allows for design capture, procurement, and cost modeling
– Currently structuring project between ManTech program recipient that developed
the tool set (Doyle Center) and DLA
– Process should be transferable to an ALC
– Allow AF to better leverage CII funding

10
 Schedule
Month Mar Apr May Jun
Task Description
Wk/Day 1 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 1 5 12 19 26

• Kickoff 20 March 06

• Heading Check I: Develop Outline 31 March 06

• Heading Check II: Research Update 18 Apr 06

• Draft Research Report 5 May 06

• ALC Feedback 22 May 06

• Visit ALCs 31 May,6 Jun 06

• Heading Check III: Recommendation 12 Jun 06

• Draft Final Report 16 Jun 06

• Final Report 30 Jun 06

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 Summary

• Study to answer question of whether

Reverse Engineering can:
– Resolve critical weapon system issues for
those components where suppliers and data
are no longer available
– Generate adequate technical data required to
place workload into ALC

• Study to Identify
– Tools, Technologies and Processes
– Best practices
– Pilot Demonstrations
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