Question for The Machinists out there

Hankins

Hankins

Joined
Dec 7, 2008
Messages
2,936
Just starting out with trying to get my drawings converted into a DXF file for my local Waterjet Co.
Have a scanner... Need some guidance?
Scan the drawing and it asks how I want it saved>>> Here is the list of choices:
JPG
PDF
Bitmap BMP
GIF
PNG
KTF
TXT
XLS
So Confused :confused:
What should I save the scan as?
After saving the scan what program will be needed to convert to DXF?
Last but most of all can this be done with and freeware or an reasonably priced software program?
There are a bunch of designs that need to be converted so I can move forward with a large project thats in the works...
Your help is greatly appreciated.
 
I'm fairly certain you're not going to be scanning and converting anything into a DXF file. That's an autocad file format. You cannot simply go from a picture to an autocad file. Doesn't work that way.

You have to make them in autocad or a similar program.

Maybe somebody can take your picture and convert to a file the water jet company can use. I know some of the water jet companies provide that service even.
 
I think I spoke too soon. It would seem there are software programs that convert pictures into Dwg/DXF file formats. Thats cool, I might have to look into them for my day job. I don't even know how that's possible, but it seems they do work.

Sorry!!
 
I'm not aware of any software that will take a scanned drawing and turn it into a .dxf file. (If such software exists, someone please let me know.)

This is what I would do:

1. Scan your drawing and save it as a .jpg. (Ensure that it is a 1:1 scan; meaning that the scan is dimensionally identical to the size of the knife you intend to make.)
2. Import file into AutoCAD.
3. You can then basically "draw over" the imported file, following the lines of the knife. You are essentially tracing over your drawing with the appropriate AutoCAD line tools.
4. Delete the .jpg from AutoCAD.
5. You should now be left with a line drawing of your knife that you can save as a .dxf file.
 
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The way I do it is scan and save as jpg. Then I bring it into Pro/E and create an outline box the same dimensions and scale the jpg until it fits. Then I trace it with splines. Then I can export the CAD file as DXF.
 
Hankins said:
Only converting drawings not Pictures. Blade profiles and the like!
Click to expand...

I knew what you meant....I was referring to pictures as pictures of the profile. That's all a JPG or PDF really is is a picture. There are no CAD type lines, arc's, circle's, etc. in a PDF or JPG or GIF or the like.

Mitchell Knives said:
I'm not aware of any software that will take a scanned drawing and turn it into a .dxf file. (If such software exists, someone please let me know.)
Click to expand...

See, that's what I thought, but then I read this after I opened my big mouth:

http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=7089

....and really questioned what I said. I'm in the process of convincing my IT guy to let me download this software on a trial basis to see if it really works. It would come in quite handy for me actually.

I mean, I know everything on the internet is so absolutely true....but now I gotta try it for myself.
 
I use Autocad every day in my day job as an air conditioning designer and I would simply redraw from scratch which actually isn't difficult if you have a dimensioned .pdf or .jpg to work from. Then simply export the cad file into the .dxf format.

Some of the free-ware or share-ware cad programs might be able to do the same thing as Autocad although I don't really know anything about the other cad programs since I have Autocad available.
 
Going to give Vector Magic a try this coming week $7 a month or $295 to buy outright thats a bargain!
 
It's also possible through Illustrator and probably other similar graphic design oriented vector software to export as a DXF. In which case, you could scan, outline the shape or use something like live trace, and export as a DXF. Just throwing it out there in case you know anyone who may be able to do that for you and save a couple bucks.
 
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