Material Reverse Engineering & Legacy Conversion
Material Reverse Engineering & Legacy Conversion Services
When a drawing is lost, a supplier closes or a specification is withdrawn, the part still has to be made. Reverse engineering the material gives manufacturers what the paperwork no longer provides: exactly what the part is made of, how it was processed and which current specification can replace it. Genuine Testing identifies materials, composition and processing condition in the parts you supply, then maps them to current, procurable specifications. Our work covers the materials side of reverse engineering. Dimensional capture and CAD rebuilding are separate disciplines that can be paired with our results.
What Is Material Reverse Engineering?
It is the laboratory determination of a part’s composition, microstructure, properties and finishing so it can be reproduced, sourced from another supplier or converted to a modern standard. Typical triggers include obsolete components, supplier discontinuation, aftermarket and spare-part programmes, and legacy fleets that need long-term support.
What We Reverse Engineer
Metals
Composition analysis and heat-treatment verification identify the alloy and condition. We match results to current ASTM, EN or ISO equivalents and report where trace differences could affect performance. See metals and alloys testing and metallurgical analysis.
Plastics and Elastomers
FTIR, DSC and TGA reveal polymer type, filler loading and additive packages, and our polymer chemistry and elastomer and rubber testing teams interpret the data to specify a replacement compound.
Coatings, Plating and Surface Treatments
We determine coating chemistry, thickness and layer sequence, so the finish can be specified again. Related: surface analysis.
Complex Formulations
For adhesives, sealants, lubricants and composite matrices, deformulation analysis separates a product into its components, while composition and materials ID identifies unknown substances.
Legacy Conversion: Moving Old Specifications to Current Standards
Many legacy parts carry withdrawn or company-specific specifications. Conversion work includes:
- Identifying the original alloy or polymer and its processing condition
- Selecting current equivalent grades and highlighting property differences
- Verifying that candidate replacement materials match the original through side-by-side testing
- Documenting results so engineering and quality teams can approve the change
Our Process
- Review the part history, drawings if any, and the reason for replacement.
- Characterise composition, microstructure, hardness or mechanical properties, and finish.
- Map results to current specifications and procurable grades.
- Validate candidate replacements against the original with comparative tests, including mechanical property testing.
- Report with data, assumptions and recommended specification wording.
Why Manufacturers Choose Independent Material Analysis
Measured data reduces the risk of a wrong substitution, which can cause premature failure or warranty claims. If a legacy part has already failed, our failure analysis can establish whether the original material was the cause. For vehicle-wide programmes see automotive benchmarking and teardown testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the laboratory identification of a part’s composition, microstructure and finish so that it can be reproduced, resourced or converted to a current specification when drawings or supplier data are unavailable.
Yes. Composition analysis identifies alloys, and FTIR with thermal analysis identifies polymers and their additives. We report the closest current equivalent grade and note any differences that matter for performance.
Our service covers the materials and finishing data behind a legacy part. Geometry capture and CAD reconstruction are separate disciplines, and our material results can be supplied to whoever handles that stage.
It is moving a part from an obsolete or withdrawn specification to a current, procurable one, supported by testing that shows the replacement matches the original where it matters.