Scan2CAD raster to vector eNewsletter - November 2007

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." - Henry David Thoreau.

What's in this Newsletter

Scan2CAD v7.6 adds Vista and PDF support

We've released an updated version of Scan2CAD, v7.6. It adds:

  • Vista support.
  • Improved color reduction so that the colors that are retained after reduction are more "logical".
  • Scan2CAD Pro only - raster PDF file load. If the PDF file contains a single raster image, it will be loaded in the same way as any other raster image. If the PDF file contains many raster images, you can step through them and select the one you want to load.
  • Scan2CAD Pro only - raster PDF file save. Any scanned image can be saved as PDF. Scanned images can be batch saved to PDF using Scan2CAD's command line.

If you are a registered user of Scan2CAD v7, you can upgrade to v7.6 free of charge - click here for more information.

If you are a registered user of Scan2CAD v6.1 or earlier, you can upgrade to v7.6 at the upgrade price - click here for more information.

You can see which version of Scan2CAD you have by going to the Help Menu then choosing About Scan2CAD.

Scan2CAD now part of a reverse engineering CNC solution

Deskan FastParts
Scan2CAD is the new vectorizing front-end for Deskan FastParts, a reverse engineering CNC solution based on the Deskan scanner.

Earlier this year we were contacted by Ian Ferrier, managing director of Shapemakers, an Australian sign and CNC company based in Brisbane, Queensland. His company manufactures an A0 large format colour scanning system called the Deskan Color Express 6 which we had first seen in 2001 when we were demonstrating Scan2CAD at the AEC Systems show in Chicago.

The Deskan 6 offers users an affordable and unique way to capture large format scans. It uses an A4 motorised scanner head to capture drawings up to A0 or E-size in strips. Each strip is individually scanned and saved, automatically corrected for distortion and joined by stitching software that recognises special control points. It is slow but cost-effective, less than half the price of an entry-level A0 scanner.

Ferrier has developed a solution based on the Deskan scanner for CNC companies who need to reproduce profiles and shapes fast. "In Australia", Ferrier said, "people in the business of reverse engineering CNC components seem to like what the Deskan has to offer".

Deskan FastParts eliminates time consuming hand measuring and redrawing by automatically scanning and converting old gaskets, drawings and seals, etc., into ready-to-cut DXF files in as little as five minutes. Deskan FastParts can scan items like gaskets up to 1180 x 870mm in size and, using a custom built table, up to 200mm thick. It provides CNC operators with an affordable and reliable scan-to-vector solution for reverse engineering parts quickly and cost-effectively into DXF vectors for editing in CAD and or cutting on a CNC machine for accurate reproduction.

Ferrier sees his scanner's future in scan-to-vector solutions like Deskan Fastparts. But first he needed a raster to vector converter.

"The Deskan doesn't have a vectorizing feature and I did not want to create one. I wanted to source a well-priced converter that does the job for people with a limited degree of skill and understanding of the vectorizing process. It needed to be foolproof and capable of creating cutting files with a minimum of clean up. We tried bundling the Deskan with other raster to vector converters. All of them were OK but none were outstanding" he said.

As Ferrier had customers with copies of Scan2CAD who spoke highly of it, he evaluated Scan2CAD. "I liked what I saw" he said. After satisfying himself that Softcover gave good technical support on Scan2CAD, Ferrier asked us if we were interested in marrying our software with his Deskan FastParts. What a question! So, we are now pleased to announce that Scan2CAD is the new vectorizing front-end for Deskan FastParts.

"Any business that has to duplicate or reverse engineer CNC parts will find our Deskan Fastparts an asset. It allows users to scan a component up to A0 in size, vectorize the part and cut it out by machine quickly and easily with minimal knowledge of both processes. Combined with Scan2CAD it's a great scanning system for rapid reverse enginering of CNC parts, one we plan to market aggressively" said Ferrier.

For more information see:
http://www.deskan.com
INTERVIEW: Ian Ferrier, Deskan
PRICEBUSTER: Large format's lateral thinker - the scan-in-strips Deskan 6!

ALLYCAD

Professional CAD.
Superior CAD Technique with Advanced Toolkits.
See demo clips at www.allycad.com/demo.asp

All you need to know before buying a large format scanner for CAD!

CAD users wanting to buy a standalone wide format scanner for archiving, printing or raster to vector conversion of technical drawings and maps face a growing array of choices and confusing claims.

We wrote this article, first published in MCAD Magazine (16th September 2007), to help you make an informed choice about the large format scanner that's best for you.

Read more ...

Scanners4CAD

Large format scanner news, views and buying advice
http://www.scanners4cad.com

Scan-to-PDF: Benefits and Considerations

Scan-to-PDF is something that a growing number of CAD users want to do with a wide format scanner. The popularity of PDF is slowly replacing traditional scanned image raster file formats like BMP, TIFF and JPEG for sharing drawings, archiving and other purposes.

All scanning software supplied with the major makes of large format scanners now save scans as PDF files. While this highlights the growing popularity of the PDF file format among CAD and scanner users, what exactly are the benefits of saving scans as PDF files and do these benefits extend to scanned technical drawings?

Read more ...

PDF2CAD

New version!
PDF2CAD converts vector PDF files to DXF, DWG, DGN etc.
Find out more and download a fully working demo:
http://www.frontpagecart.com/app/?af=434421

Safe Scanning: How to protect fragile and damaged technical drawings

Sod's Law dictates that if a valuable drawing can snag, get stuck, chewed up, crumpled or concertinaed in the scanner roller mechanism, it will do so perfectly.

Read more ...

Do you run a scanning bureau?

List it free on Scanners4CAD!
http://www.scanners4cad.com/bureaus.htm

Quick tip - adding a white border to an image in Scan2CAD

A problem we sometimes see - particularly with logos - is an image with no white space between the item to be vectorized and the image edge.

Scan2CAD cannot convert items that are right at the image edge. There needs to be white space between the logo and the edge of the image.

Click here to find out how to add white space.

And Finally ...

This issue's And Finally was supplied by Scan2CAD user Steve Roberts. Thanks Steve!

Law of Mechanical Repair:
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

Law of Biomechanics:
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Law of the Workshop:
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of Probability:
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Law of Close Encounters:
The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Variation Law:
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).

Law of the Result:
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.