ORIGINAL: Ilikebipes
I would ask that someone REALLY dumb this down for me. I essentially need to know the process of starting from a pdf, jpg, tif, etc. file. What conversion program(s) is needed to simply convert these to a dxf file to let the equipment cut the work.
Brian
Brian,
There are new programs I have run across recently that will convert from PDFto DWF etc. Just do a web search and you will have many to choose from. Here's a link for cad convertors.
http://freecad.com/CAD_Converters/You can find demos of cad apps here as well.
It is very easy to get a raster file into a cad program, those that say it is hard are not in the know or are just trying to chunk up this thread with crap.
Here's is another site for you to browse.
http://www.dwgtool.com/index.htm
I'm quite amazed at some of the responses here of late as to how hard this is whenit isin fact not.
First, you need to decidewho isgoingto cut youparts then ask them whichfile format they suggest, for example -
At AK Models they can cut from a Autocad DWG or DXF file and from a Coreldraw 12 file.Here's their linkfor file submitting info -
http://www.lasercuttingakm.com/productssee pic for their example file
Next,you need to decide on a CAD app that you will use before you can even think about converting your plans.
Once you determine who is going to cut you parts, the next step is to determine the Software you will need, in AK Models case Autocad 2002, Corel Draw 12, or a conversion program.
limeybob's post isexactlywhat I do.
It'seasy to get aTIFfile (raster)intoAutocad, but you have to use the cad app to trace over the imported raster file to make a workable cut file. There is just not any software that will make an accurate cutfile that the laser cutters will accept. There are applications that will convert Raster to DXF etc, but the problem you will encounter is when the cutter software tries to read your converted file. Cutters charge by time and length of the cut. Splines, a type of curve line created in cad programs and by conversion programs, will genereally cost you more as they slow down the cutting process. For this reason you want to learn and use an appropriate program to make this cut file. In Autocad I use ARC lines instead of splines.
It you have you own cutter then you would use the software best suited to that cutter.