From PDF to Solid: More Fun Using Images to Create SolidWorks Layouts

by Josh on June 4, 2008 · Comments

Sometimes, flipping back and forth between a PDF or AutoCAD drawing is enough to make you start humming loudly and spinning in tight circles. That’s ok… when you don’t have to get a drawing out, but when you need to get some concepts going or figure out how things fit together, you can use some good ol’ images to speed up the process.

Here’s some super quick to get your from a PDF to a Solid and a method that’s sure to make it more fun.

I use to spend hours taking measurement off another CAD drawing or trying to infer some scale from a sheet. Now, the first thing I do is scan or convert a file to PDF, then to a JPG image. Here’s the process I go through that keeps me from going insane.

Save the PDF as a JPG
You need full-blown Acrobat to do this. If you don’t have it go to Zamzar.com for a quick file conversion.

Use Sketch Picture
The Sketch Picture command is located in Tool, Sketch Tools near the bottom. You can only bring this into parts. Start a part and bring in that cool .jpg image you created.

Add Picture to an assembly
After you shout triumphantly, save the part with the picture in it and drop the part into an assembly. I do this because I can add as many parts as I want to the assembly.

Scale picture and make transparent
Double-click on the picture to edit it. Scale it by grabbing the corners and adjust the transparency in the Property Manager so you can see your better.

Draw Reference
Draw some simple on top of the picture to use as reference for other parts.

Insert Parts for the pieces
Insert a part for each assembly you want to represent in the layout. You may also prefer to use one part. In this case, you can keep each items separate by unchecking Merge Results in the Property Manager.

What’s nice about this is that the parts can be as simple or as complicated as you like. If you’re having trouble figuring out where to start, try this out.

Are there more?
I’m sure there are you have for using pictures to create models. Are there more than these measly few?

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Tagged as: sketches, solidworks, tips

  • You could printscreen to get the pdf to a jpeg format.
  • Great tutorial Josh;

    I have acrobat professional and never thought to try converting a pdf to jpg, this is very useful.

    In a previous project I modelled a duct layout using a jpeg screen capture from a Google Earth satellite photo. The photo gave me a guide to the walls and topography that would interfere with the duct run.

    http://aaadrafting.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-pag...

    I ended up using the google earth image as a background for the models in my presentation to management.

    Your technique has a lot more applications where only pdf scanned hand drawings are available.

    It's wise to have a reference object whose size is known so you can scale the jpeg image properly. In my google earth image, I knew the column spacing to be 25 feet, so it was just necessary to adjust the image scaling to match 2 columns drawn at this distance apart.

    Keep up the great work!
  • Josh
    Right on! Print Screen for a screen capture works really good too. Having some accurate dims on the image is a real time saver too or like Adrian says, having reference for an object.
  • marijn
    You can do the same technix with your own sketches here an example of a car I designed:
    http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7135/sketchp...
  • GREAT TUTORIAL JOSH! I love how you broke it down step by step. Like Adrian I never thought about doing this using pdf to jpg. Awesome stuff and keep up the great work!
  • MasterJack
    Good stuff. I tried Print Screen but the resolution is not that great. Try this - open the PDF file, select the Snapshot tool, ZOOM IN (important) into one of the the corners of the drawing, click on the corner to start the snapshot tool then drag to the opposite corner - the screen will pan automatically. This will grab the image to the clipboard at a much higher resolution. You can then paste it into your favorite bitmap program and save as a JPG.

    MasterJack
  • marijn
    if you want quality use png always use png if you do not have to put it on the internet ;)
  • Dave9T5
    Some more direct ways to convert:

    1. VECTOR-TO-VECTOR: Open the PDF with Adobe Illustrator, then re-save as DXF.

    2. RASTER-TO-VECTOR: ProgeCAD 2008 Professional has an AUTOMATIC Raster-to-Vector conversion engine. (http://www.progecad.com/compra/index.asp?left=p...)

    SWX could do with native implementation of both ways. Method 1. would seem a no-brainer for a vector software such as SWX. Method 2. well, ProgeCAD is based on IntelliCAD engine (same as the crummy DWGEditor).

    Dave
  • We use truck chassis in our drawings that we send to customers. The mfg. send .step files for us to use but they come in on a DVD and the files are huge. Can I use this method to take the 3 views of a chassis and convert it to a 3D that looks ABOUT LIKE a chassis?
  • hmmm, i think i see what your talking about. You could use this to create a model of a simplified chassis. I've had to do something similar with airframe models. What I typically do is create different SolidWorks asemblies from the data and simplify it for my needs. In your case, it may just be the front section of the chassis without anything else around it.

    Whatever you do, I'd try to simplify the parts that are just being referenced.
  • Sheldon Booth
    i have been looking for a way to do this since i got started on sw 08,many thanks
    keep up the good work
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