A customer oriented methodology for reverse engineering software selection in the computer aided inspection scenario

• Specific features of software for computer aided inspection are detailed.
• Six commercial software packages are tested and compared through a fuzzy AHP analysis.
• GD&T functions and algorithms are not mature yet to provide consistent results.
• More expensive software with advanced features provide higher performances.
• The freeware Gom Inspect is a valid choice for basic inspection activities.

Industrial metrology of mechanical components has been facing a gradual revolution recently through the application of contactless 3D scanners in computer aided inspection. Following the industrial trend and request, new modules for quality control activities on scan data have been integrated in reverse engineering software packages.The aim of this work is to propose a structured methodology for the screening and comparison of reverse engineering programs that are suitable for inspection activities. Specific features that distinguish this kind of software are described and detailed. Six different commercial software are tested using invariant scan data from a reference part that was specifically designed for inspection purposes.The selected packages are then compared by means of a multicriteria fuzzy AHP analysis that considers quantitative and qualitative criteria. The criteria were grouped into three categories related with the user, the vendor and the technical requirements. Two different scenarios are considered for the choice of the software that best suits to computer aided inspection activities.