can i put a 3d pdf from my solidworks drawing

Convert PDF to 3D SolidWorks Model

PDF icon, SolidWorks logo, Scan2CAD logo

Well-nigh SolidWorks

SolidWorks is a powerful second and 3D CAD programme that has seen extensive apply with digital drafters all effectually the globe. In 2016, Dassault Systèmes reported 2.three million active users in more than 230,000 companies and eighty different countries and that number has but connected to grow.

A lot of its popularity comes from its intuitively like shooting fish in a barrel interface and plan workflow. It employs a " pinnacle-down " approach in design – the user starts with a 2d sketch oriented on a starting aeroplane and and so gain to sculpt a 3D model out of the initial 2D geometry. The program'due south listing of 2nd and 3D sketch tools is all-encompassing, with CAD standards such equally lines, splines, arcs, and circles and all the typical 3D modeling tools as well.

Thinking and designing in 2d first before working on the 3D model helps drafters remember about precise measurements and proportions more hands and more thoroughly. Ideally, users volition have editable CAD files to work with when converting 2d into 3D merely most drafters will understand the frustration of how, at times, all you accept to work with every bit reference are customer-sent PDF files.

PDF files are created for the meaty sharing of documents and drawings. It's a file format that mostly only Adobe programs can readily edit. Equally such, PDF files are non easily editable in-programme within SolidWorks and that difficulty only gets worse when you consider how a lot of PDF files incorporate raster images rather than vector information. So what are our options and how exercise we proceed?

Let's take a look at how PDF to 3D SolidWorks model processes piece of work and what our all-time course of action can be.

SolidWorks interface

The basic SolidWorks work interface Source

On importing images

SolidWorks can handle importing most of the mutual paradigm file formats as follows:

2nd Paths

– AI (Adobe Illustrator)

– DWG (Drawing)

– DXF (Drawing Interchange/Exchange Format)

3D Mesh

– STL

– WRL (VRML)

3D Solids

– .x_t (Parasolid)

– IGS, IGES

– Sat (ACIS)

– STP, STEP

CAD and Vector

– ASM (Pro/Eastward Associates)

– ASM (Solid Edge Associates)

– IAM ( Inventor Assembly)

– IPT (Inventor Function)

– PRT (Pro/E Part)

– PRT (Unigraphics)

– PRT, CKD (CADKey)

– PSM (Solid Border Part)

Sketch Picture

– BMP (Bitmap)

– GIF (Graphic Interchange Format)

– JPG, JPEG (Articulation Photographic Experts Grouping)

– PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

– PSD (Adobe Photoshop Document)

– TIF, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

– WMF (Windows Metafile)

Special Files

– CATIA Graphics

– IDF, EMN, BRD

– IFC

– Point Cloud Files

– Rhino Files

– VDA (VDAFS)

As extensive as the listing may be, PDF is not one of the native file types that SolidWorks can handle. In that location are, however, some workarounds which we'll get into shortly.

Clarity is the number one gene in considering reference images to use. This determines how accurate our final product will be and how hands we are able to attain our end goals. A 3D model made from pixelated, askew, poorly-scaled 2nd reference files will nigh certainly be subpar for most professional settings. And so the first step is making certain nosotros take the all-time possible starting betoken with the best possible version of the reference paradigm.

Once you accept a articulate epitome, the about straight-forrad manner of converting it into editable SolidWorks elements is to simply trace over it. For simpler images, SolidWorks even has an automated tracing function that aims to trace over the sold lines of the image. Do note that this may not be the most ideal solution since the automated tracing leaves some to be desired when it comes to make clean, accurate output. So if you do want to employ Solidworks' automatic tracing, keep in mind that it's only suitable for unproblematic line images with plenty of room for inaccuracies.

With more complex technical drawings, users will typically use Solidworks' 2D CAD tools to trace over the lines in the image, similar to how manual drafters would replicate drawings by using tracing paper and transmission drafting tools.

Although this method is accurate and is express simply by the user'due south comprehension of the original prototype, it is non the fastest method and certainly non the easiest to do. Luckily, there are diverse third-party programs such as Scan2CAD that specialize in raster-to-vector conversion and can do so with much better results that whatsoever CAD program'south automated tracing functions. These programs can catechumen your raster PDF'southward into readily editable vector files that y'all can plop into SolidWorks and work with without having to do a lick of digital trace-over.

Raster vs. Vector

We've been covering a lot of basis on how importing images into SolidWorks works so far and a lot has been mentioned about raster and vector images. Permit's take a quick refresher on what the differences between the 2 image types are.

Raster images, also known equally bitmap images, consist of amassed colored pixels that class a coherent prototype. Most of the more well-known image file types are raster formats such as .jpeg, .png, and even .gif. Raster images are static, uneditable image types with quality that depends on the file size and number of pixels in the image.

Vector images, on the other manus, are fabricated of formulas and data that are and then digitally converted into images. A vector epitome of an arc, for instance, is really a file containing data that dictates the arc's radius, line length, color, thickness, etc. Editability is this file type's potent suit since it isn't constrained by pixel number or quality and can be readily opened and changed past any vector-editing program.

PDF files are tricky to work with since they can contain both raster and vector information. It's easy to understand why we would prefer vector PDFs to raster PDFs but what do nosotros practice when the file has both? We'll cover what to practise in that situation and more in this article.

Converting a PDF using SolidWorks tools

When all is said and done, uploading a PDF image to trace and model in SolidWorks is a straight-forward and simple procedure. It might require some workarounds since the program can't natively handle PDF files, but the process as a whole is easy to sympathize.

  1. The first affair you'll want to do is go a workable file format out of the PDF you lot desire to use as a reference image. Both modern Macs and PCs take built-in screenshot tools you'll want to accept reward of. Even if your machine doesn't have that, there are enough of gratuitous screen capture programs y'all can download and use.

Take a screenshot of the part of the PDF y'all desire to employ as a SolidWorks reference and save information technology in a file format that the software tin handle. From this point on, yous won't have to worry almost the PDF anymore and only use the saved screenshot every bit your image reference.

  1. On SolidWorks, figure out the plane y'all want to be sketching in. If the prototype is a height-down view, cull the Top plane. If information technology'south a sideways view, choose either the Correct or Left planes and choose the Front plane if it's a front end view. Click on the aeroplane on the left side of the screen and create a sketch.
  1. Under the Tool menu, choose Sketch Tools > Sketch Flick. On the dialog box that pops upwards, browse for your reference image and open it up on your called plane.
  1. You'll want to practice a concluding resizing and cropping of the reference photo before you first sketching. It'southward always all-time to exercise this at the starting time and then you don't have to become through the trouble of correcting your sketch size later on on.
  1. From here on out, it'south just a matter of tracing over the prototype with SolidWorks' sketch tools and then using the corresponding trace to create a 3D model. Information technology's a simple process but becomes a tedious task if the reference image in question is large enough or complex enough equally a reference drawing.

Converting a PDF to SolidWorks

If you ever find yourself in demand of a conversion program for PDF files, a quick Google search will internet you with pages upon pages of results for online conversion tools. With near all of these results, the quality of the output y'all're getting is just downright subpar. If you're lucky enough to find ane that produces something decent, you'll probably be dealing with watermarks or partial conversions. Another issue to consider is the sheer amount of privacy risks you lot're taking with uploading or emailing your PDF documents for conversion.

If you're dealing with a depression-risk, one-fourth dimension conversion, this might exist good enough for yous. But for anything more, your best option would have to exist specialized desktop programs such every bit Scan2CAD.

Step 1: Catechumen the PDF

Programs like Scan2CAD will commonly require a buy or subscription, but if yous're dealing with repeated PDF conversions for piece of work, the program will eventually pay for itself. Scan2CAD specifically even has a 14-twenty-four hours gratuitous trial period for y'all to try and come across if the plan is worth the payment. In that location simply isn't a better solution if you're looking for a reliable, consistent, quality conversion programme.

So let'southward take a wait at the step-by-footstep process of using Scan2CAD to convert your PDFs into usable file formats for SolidWorks.

  1. Open up the reference PDF file you want to utilise on Scan2CAD. A dialog box will open that will display both the raster and vector elements in the certificate. Unfortunately, if the certificate has both elements and y'all demand both the raster and vector elements every bit references, you'll have to convert and relieve both individually.
  2. For raster data: Using the Clean image option, plough the raster image monochromatic and clean information technology up until you're satisfied. Proceed to convert the raster image into vector information and save information technology equally a usable vector file that yous can and then edit on SolidWorks.

For vector data: Simply open upwards the vector information and then relieve it as a workable file type.

We have plenty of information on these processes in the grade of tutorials and articles if yous want to larn more than well-nigh how to use Scan2CAD.

Step 2: Import into Solidworks

  1. Open up up the now workable vector file and apply that as an editable reference on SolidWorks.

Here'southward a quick video to detail that process:

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Source: https://www.scan2cad.com/blog/cad/pdf-dwg-solidworks-model/

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