Re: [EE] Reverse engineering a product

At 09:47 AM 2025-07-26, you wrote:
>One has to wonder why their original contract for the design and
>manufacture didn't include an "all drawings are our property" clause that
>they could use to litigate to get at the IP as needed.

Chances are there is a (perhaps disputed) amount outstanding and the
design house is holding up the files until they get paid what they
believe they are owed.

We don't know the story. Perhaps the design house has not delivered
on other promises, is acting flaky etc. It happens. But it also tells
you something about the folks you are dealing with that they can't or
won't come to a mutually acceptable agreement at the end of their
relationship.

Unless you really need the work, I agree with others, stay clear. If
you don't steer clear, get paid in advance enough you don't end up both
tired and unpaid, and at least think about how to mitigate legal issues
that could arise.

There are companies who specialize in this, typically in countries where
legal issues, while feasible, would be expensive enough for the potential
litigant that they are unlikely to pursue them. For example, they can
extract code from just about any secured microcontroller as well as reverse
engineer complex multilayer boards using X-rays and such like. Of
course if the quality of their work is not up to expectations then the
recourse is also limited (but they don't get repeat business). Looking
at one (I've never used such a service) they say they destroy the original
PCB and keep the parts, unless you arrange for their return.

I have to kind of wonder how they could get products manufactured at all
without the Gerbers and BOM at least. If the product is actually in a
prototype stage then there is a reasonable chance there are problems that are
currently unknown (or, more ominously, undisclosed). Who pays for fixing
those problems, should they mainfest?

It's also possible that there is a split in the customer company and thus
a dispute on IP ownership meaning that any suppliers prior to the split
are caught in the middle and any ones after that utilize the IP may have
to (at the very least) be very careful about contract terms. Best to 
stay away.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany