Re-draw using a cad program such as draftsight (which is free). When you say for use on cnc, what cnc machine? Something like an XYZ machine would use DXF format and makes things easier, or use a full CAM package from the dwg or dxf file to generate the nc file for the cnc machine to use.

Andy.

Plenty of programs that convert raster to vector, only problem is if these are wanted accurate then you are going to have to redraw.

They are OK for arty farty stuff like logo's but if you are working to tolerances of less than a post code then sorry but you have to put the time in and redraw.

John S.

I believe that the Tornado project to build a new full-size A1 locomotive converted all the drawings to CAD by scanning. Actually no, I've just checked in my workshop manual (a good read) and they were scanned to electronic form and then cleaned up, re-dimensioned and toleranced etc, but I guess when they needed to generate CAM files they must have been re-drawn in a CAD system. This would suggest you take the re-draw route.

Unless you are using it all the time I find the latest versions of Autocad too complicated. I used to find Autocad 2000 to be good but my current machine won't run it so I use Draftsight which is similar – and it's free.

Russell

In theory Corel Trace will convert line art to vector, and then you can load it onto Corel Draw and save as a DWG. In practice I find it impossible to set the filters to get a low enough node count fir it to be possible to tidy it up while preserving required detail.

What I do is import drawings (e.g. a crude 3-view) or bitmaps inro Corel Draw and draw the lines 'over' the bitmap. It's surprisingly quick and imagine would work even better in a true CAD programme.

Neil

I used to find Autocad 2000 to be good but my current machine won't run it

Russell

I run Autocad 2000 on Windows XP and am worried that if I upgrade the PC it won't run. What is you current machine.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I find that compatibility modes in Vista will run old programmes that wouldn't run 100% under XP. I don't know if this applies to W7, but I expect it does. You need to open the 'properties' of the program ( .exe) file that causes problems and select teh compaitibility settings and choose an earlier version of windows it runs under.

Neil

Thanks for the advice guys. I had wondered about the keep XP route but in time there may be problems with things like Internet Explorer. MS have ways of driving you to updates. Basically I am happy with the functionality of Autocad 2000 Lite and Office 2000 etc, at times, it would just be nice to take advantage of the speed of a new machine.

Peter

As does the Linux version.

Russell.

I couldn't find a description of functionality either but the hardware requirements are in the FAQ

Andy

Autocad is a far superior product to DraftSight. I have been using it for more than 20 years as a mechanical drughtsman, also 3D programs like solidworks and Pro Engineer. DraftSight is slightly similar but lacks many of the features of Autocad.

Paper drawings can be scanned and converted to vector format for use in CAD programs but they are not drawn to scale and are useless for exporting to CNC machines,

BUT if you are not familiar to either program and only want to convert paper drawings to CAD, I would go for DrastSight because it is free. Even Autocad LT (cut down version) is still expensive.

Remeber though that Draftsight is only a 2D CAD program and the DXF files which it could export can only be used in 2D machines such as profile cutting steel plate.

If you want to make files suitable for use in CNC milling machine you will have to have a program that models in 3D such as Solidworks, Pro Engineer or Inventor.

Hope this was useful, Paul

I disagree that 90% of CNC parts are produced from 2D Cad drawings, more like 9%. The example shown is no more complex than profile cutting from plate which only reqiured a 2D drawing Anything more complex which does not have the same profile all of the way thru cannot be made this way. For example machining an engibe block or a making case for a mobile phone cannot be done from a 2D drawing.

CNC milling machines, pattern making machines for castings and machining centres to name a few can produce complex angular and curved shapes which are imposible to make without a 3D model. But as I have said earlier if the reqirement is only to convert paper drawings to 2D CAD for controlling a profile cutter for cutting steel plate then DraftSight should be OK.