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Author: Subject: Use a scale on a drawing to make an accurate cad file
m8kwr

posted on 15/11/09 at 02:21 PM Reply With Quote
Use a scale on a drawing to make an accurate cad file

I have got an image file, with a scale on it, but i am trying to use something to put into solidworks so i can make the points on the drawing i want to use.

Has anybody done this before, and know what application i could potentially use.

Lotus chassis blueprint
Lotus chassis blueprint

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londonsean69

posted on 15/11/09 at 02:28 PM Reply With Quote
Not too sure how solidworks wroks, but I have to do this with images in AutoCAD quite a bit.

I just reference the raster image in, then you can do what you like with it.

The only thing is, you cannot snap to actual points on a raster image, so you have to eye it in.

I would zoom right in on the scale bar, and using SCALE>REFERENCE, select the end points of the scale bar (0ft and 6ft) the type in a new distance of 1830mm.

That is assuming you want it in metric.

Sean

[Edited on 15/11/09 by londonsean69]

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liam.mccaffrey

posted on 15/11/09 at 02:29 PM Reply With Quote
It is possible to do a raster to CAD conversion. I used to do it as a job about about 7/8 years ago.

It might have been the software we were using but to get workable results it was usually quicker to redraw.

I don't know if we still have the software at work I will check.

It would be easiest to import your raster file, scale it, trace it in a line drawing and start from there
unless the software side of things has skipped on in the last 8 years of course.

Also be aware that the scan may not be super accurate in terms of scale.

Hope that helps

[Edited on 15/11/09 by liam.mccaffrey]





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londonsean69

posted on 15/11/09 at 02:35 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
It is possible to do a raster to CAD conversion. I used to do it as a job about about 7/8 years ago.

It might have been the software we were using but to get workable results it was usually quicker to redraw.

I don't know if we still have the software at work I will check.

It would be easiest to import your raster file, scale it, trace it in a line drawing and start from there
unless the software side of things has skipped on in the last 8 years of course.

Also be aware that the scan may not be super accurate in terms of scale.

Hope that helps

[Edited on 15/11/09 by liam.mccaffrey]


That's why I didn't mention R2V (Raster to Vector) conversion. I have never found them to be much help.

All I tend to so is import, scale/align as best as possible, then draw over the top.

It's all I have been doing at work this week come to think of it.

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liam.mccaffrey

posted on 15/11/09 at 03:02 PM Reply With Quote
^^^what he said





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richmars

posted on 15/11/09 at 03:55 PM Reply With Quote
What you can do in Solidworks is import a jpg file onto a sketch plane. What you do then is scale it so it's 1:1 in Solidworks.
You then use the jpg as a template to create your solid model by, for example, putting spline points on the curves of the body.

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m8kwr

posted on 15/11/09 at 05:24 PM Reply With Quote
my solidworks will not let me import a jpeg file..... only tiff, but then when i convert the jpeg to tiff, it still will not let me... arrhhhh
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BenB

posted on 15/11/09 at 05:54 PM Reply With Quote
No idea how you can but I can understand why you'ld want to
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designer

posted on 15/11/09 at 06:19 PM Reply With Quote
You can import and draw over the image.

Or, you can download image to cad software free (think it's called image to cad), which converts it to a DWG file and off you go.

The programme does seem to get confused with very detailed drawings, but it can be done. I have done a few, and even the most scrammbled drawing can be used as a start.

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designer

posted on 15/11/09 at 06:20 PM Reply With Quote
Just realised that there is a better drawing than that somewhere. Will look.
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m8kwr

posted on 15/11/09 at 07:36 PM Reply With Quote
just found a free app called wintopo, thats converts images into dxf files, very impressed.

done what i wanted, but i just now need to adjusts the size of the imported file to scale

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designer

posted on 15/11/09 at 07:46 PM Reply With Quote
Here's one

http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints-depot/cars/lotus/lotus-ford-49.gif

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designer

posted on 15/11/09 at 07:48 PM Reply With Quote
Here's another

http://www.automotive-art.com/product_pop_up.asp?id=TC0009

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designer

posted on 15/11/09 at 07:53 PM Reply With Quote
Found the best one

http://www.classicteamlotus.co.uk/_Attachments/Gallery/Shared/49-GAL.jpg

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Chippy

posted on 15/11/09 at 08:49 PM Reply With Quote
Last link doesn't work, well at least for me, :-( Cheers Ray

Now it does??

[Edited on 16-11-09 by Chippy]





To make a car go faster, just add lightness. Colin Chapman - OR - fit a bigger engine. Chippy

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londonsean69

posted on 15/11/09 at 11:17 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by m8kwr
just found a free app called wintopo, thats converts images into dxf files, very impressed.

done what i wanted, but i just now need to adjusts the size of the imported file to scale


Now, having never used SW I might be on totally the wrong track with this.

But...

Surely if you can work out how to import a file, that started out in a non-native format, then you should be able to work out fairly easily how to scale something??

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designer

posted on 16/11/09 at 07:31 AM Reply With Quote
It's a bit 'hit & miss', but you use the scale option untill the image matches the drawings chosen scale.
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wescottishmatt

posted on 16/11/09 at 12:22 PM Reply With Quote
Not sure how you're trying to import a picture in to solidworks but do it through 'Tools, sketch tools, sketch picture' That way you should be able to import a JPG. Just make sure you're in an active sketch first. I've just tried it and its imported straight in. U2U me if you want me to e-mail the file to you.






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