Reverse engineering

Reverse engineering (also known as RE) is the process of using the information you obtain from a component to either recreate it or modify it. [Co-ordinate Measuring Machines]? (CMM) can be used to digitise? your component and the information can be utilised in computer aided modelling. New and improved techniques in reverse engineering include [Laser Scanning]? which, as the name implies, uses laser beams to scan across the surface of components of any shape and display the results in real time.

Reverse engineering can also apply to software. In the United States this may be illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Reverse engineering of java.classes can be accomplished using ARGOuml.org.