Reverse engineering
Reverse engineer what you already have into one system model
Start from the CAD, bills of materials, netlists, requirements and documents you already have. MBEstudio brings them into one traceable system model, checks it with a compiler, and lets AI agents find the gaps and propose what is missing. The model is SysML v2 text you own.
What you can bring in
Your existing engineering data, in one model
| Source | What it becomes in the model |
|---|---|
| CAD assembly (STEP AP242) | The product structure as parts placed in the model, an envelope for each body marked as estimated (never invented geometry), and datums and geometric tolerances (GD&T). |
| Inspection data (QIF 3.0) | Characteristics and measurement results, matched to the model by id, kind and value. |
| Electronics (KiCad netlist) | A board with its component values and footprints, and its nets as interfaces. |
| Bill of materials (Onshape BOM CSV) | Assembly metadata and quantities as parts of the model. |
| Requirements (ReqIF, IBM DOORS) | Requirements in and out by ReqIF, with their identity kept, so a change in either tool round trips. |
| Documents (PDF, Word, CSV, text, Markdown) | Attached to the parts and requirements they describe, in the model's knowledge graph. |
How it works
From scattered files to a model you can check
1. Import
Bring in each source. Every import is a set of edits to the model that you review and can undo; nothing is duplicated, because MBEstudio matches what is already there first.
2. Check
The compiler checks the recovered model, and every requirement is evaluated against the geometry, mass and power the model now holds, with its value, limit and margin.
3. Fill the gaps
AI agents, the studio's own or the one you use (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), propose the missing interfaces, functions and requirements. Each proposal is a change you accept or reject.
What it does not do
Plain limits
- It does not rebuild full CAD geometry: a recovered body is an envelope, marked as estimated.
- It does not reverse engineer from scans, point clouds, photos or compiled software.
- Native CAD formats other than STEP AP242 and QIF are not read directly; export to STEP first.
Bring one assembly and its BOM, and see the system model they add up to.
FAQ
Reverse engineering questions
Can MBEstudio reverse engineer a product from its CAD?
Yes, from STEP AP242. MBEstudio reads the product structure into the system model as placed parts, gives each body an envelope marked as estimated, and keeps datums and geometric tolerances. It does not rebuild full CAD geometry.
What else can it import for reverse engineering?
QIF inspection data, KiCad XML netlists, Onshape BOM CSV, requirements by ReqIF (including from IBM DOORS), CSV tables, and PDF, Word, text and Markdown documents attached to the model.
Where do AI agents come in?
Once the data is in one model, agents propose the missing interfaces, functions and requirements, and the compiler checks every proposal before you accept it.