A client came to us with a set of winches he’d been using for more than 20 years. He liked them, knew them well and wanted to keep them on the boat. The model had been discontinued, the original manufacturer was no longer in business and he couldn’t find the parts he needed.
“Can you help me with this?”
Working back from the original parts
We 3D-scanned the original components and used the scans to reverse-engineer the replacements. The old parts gave us a starting point for the geometry. The scans captured the geometry that was still there. Where sections were missing altogether, we used the mating components as a reference to reconstruct the missing geometry and work out the dimensions the replacements needed to fit and mesh correctly.
We also investigated the original materials. The replacement parts had to fit the existing assembly and withstand the loads they would see in use. That informed our choice of material and how we manufactured them.
Back in service
Once we’d established the geometry and material requirements, we manufactured the new parts so the client could put his winches back into service. He gets to keep the gear he knows and, with a bit of luck, get another 20 years out of it!
Got a part you can’t find anywhere?
Bring us the original, even if it’s worn. We’ll work out what it takes to make a new one.
