Printing service that recognizes CAD formats

Hello,

I design automatic tooling for micro-parts, and 95 percent of my work I am able to print out myself using a standard 8.5 X 11 size printer. However there is that pesky 5 percent that will not fit on standard size paper and requires either legal 8.5 X 17, or ledger 11 X 17 printing, at printing 1:1. 5 percent does not justify my purchasing an oversize printer or plotter. That being said, would anyone here know of a printing service that recognizes CAD formats, so I can print out the few that I need one to one. The formats I use are dxf, dwg, sldprt, sldasm, 3dm.

Thank you,

Chubarka

Why would PDF and or other vector (dwf) formats not work? Are you printing sheets? 11x17 inkjet printers are not that expensive, depending on where you are located in the world. I saw one on Amazon for $110.

Thanks for your response. That is a pretty low price, I have never seen anything approach that one. I have had printings done using pdf in the past, I believe they were done by printers using the

percentage technique to increase or decrease, they never did approach real accuracy like that I get by doing it 1:1 in AutoCAD. Since I posted this query, I have been in touch with a Blueprint

company that boasts real good accuracy, we'll find out real quick. I thank you for your response again.

Chubarka

OK, I am confused. AutoCAD has it's own PDF printer installed, well current versions do. I understand that a PDF printed from one driver can differ from another put once it's on paper it should look the same. Is someone scaling off your drawings? Isn't that usually a "no-no"? Sorry for my confusion

When I am able to print out from AutoCAD, that means that my printer can handle the size, I have no problems whatsoever with accuracy whether I print pdf or dxf at 1 : 1. However because a printer recognizes pdf , it is not necessarily compatible with AutoCAD, is only a guess on my part. For example I just today had a print for a progressive die printed out at a large franchise printing service. The length of the die itself is 13". It came out 13.130". When I gave it to the Printer, I was told to save it as a pdf. As sure as you are a foot high, I will get a complaint from the Client.

Thank you again,

Chubarka

Huh, could you share a design to test print?

The problem with 13=13.13 is simple they or you have done a FIT to the sheet rather than use true size at a nominated plot scale in that it would have been 1=1, re 11x17 just make your pdf that size do not use any scale factor say 11x8 rescale to 11x17 thats asking for problems.

There shoud be only very tiny errors in the printing maybe 1mm at most not 1/8" we have measured A1 24x36 plots and they are like on the other side of the ruler measured indicator mark thats like 0.25mm.

There is no good reason why, even using AutoCAD 2007, you cannot produce a suitably accurate PDF file that when printed on 11x17 paper, and checked, isn't accurate. We do it all the time printing to three printers manufactured by three different companies (HP, Kyocera and Cannon) and using different versions of AutoCAD.

Please attach a sample copy of a .dwg or .dxf file for testing purposes to your next post.

There are several printers on Amazon under $150 that will do 11 x 17 or larger.

Brother

Canon

I have that Canon at home.

FedEx office should handle CAD file types, is there one close to you? You should be able to take a USB in and print it yourself.

I agree with Bigal and Remark, no reason at all that the plots should not be spot on or at least very close. Again one should NEVER scale off a drawing. That's what dimensions are for

Here is one to play with.

LDB Foldover amendments.dwg

Just curious. What version AutoCAD was used to create the drawing? Your profile says one thing; the drawing may indicate something else.

Well if I draw a rectangular box around your drawing, making it as tight to the geometry as I can the overall dimensions of the box are 18.199 x 9.886 meaning that if you plotted it at a 1:1 scale on a 11x17 piece of paper it wouldn't fit. To make it fit you would have had to chose the "To Fit" option and forego the 1:1 scale.

With a little tweaking the drawing could be made to fit on an 11x17 and still be done to a 1:1 scale. Just needs a tad bit of massaging.

I have real cheap a Canon BJ330 undersize A2 plots oh maybe its broken anyone else remember these a very good printer. My B-W A4 11x7 laser cost $69. Good for filing away tax returns etc.

Well I printed off a section from AutoCAD 2018 to 11x17 paper at 100% and then the same section to an 11x17 PDF and then printed that to 100% scale and saw no difference. Still, one should NEVER scale off a drawing.

In terms tolerance a printer is the least accurate tool a drafter could use. I agree if your tolerance is very tight then dimensions are how it should be done. Now concerning the OP question about printing services using dwg files if it is FedEx, Office, or Staples forget it their printers are never calibrated or tested of accuracy. Most assuredly a graphics shop or a drafting service would the best choice if you have to produce accurate drawings. I would even go so far as to have them print everything for you even if you have your own printer. Printers can be close but when it is in the 1000ths for tolerance they are not even close if they are just a everyday store bought printer.

I think the drawing could be printed fairly accurately at any one of the shops listed above.

BTW...here is my reworked version of your drawing. BTW...I used a layout (viewport is cyan colored and set to "no print").

Depending on who you talk too fairly accurate is what a lot of people would accept if they were building a house. But for those that need to be dead center every time then fairly accurate is not acceptable. An accurate drawing will include not only dimensions but the tolerance allowed. That's what makes them accurate.

The OP said he wanted someone to be able to take measurements off a 1:1 scale print of his drawing. Given the nature of the drawing he provided there is no way he is going to measure to four decimal places with a scale. Any measurements taken will be well within acceptable limits. And, as previously stated, no one should really be taking "accurate" measurements off of a print anyway.

BTW....I printed the drawing seen in the image above on our Kyocera office printer which can handle 11x17 sheets. After printing I checked the dimensions using a 12" rule marked off in 32nds of an inch. Everything measured as expected.