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PDF to DWG conversion!


ED RDNZ

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Hi everyone,

 

here i am, asking for help once again. I need to convert a mechanical plan originally in pdf format into dwg version. Can someone give me a hand with this?

 

thanks very much!!! ;)

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The topic has been covered numerous times. Check out some of the Similar Threads below (or search on the word "conversion"). Depending on the method/software you use you'll either be very disappointed or only mildly happy.

 

Your options tend to be limited to bringing the PDF into your drawing and tracing over it or using a conversion program with or without some additional help from another piece of software (Illustrator?).

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Hi everyone,

 

here i am, asking for help once again. I need to convert a mechanical plan originally in pdf format into dwg version. Can someone give me a hand with this?

 

thanks very much!!! ;)

 

Yes I can. Cadtutor special...I'll redraw it for you for $35 per page! (Normal rate is $50). That is the best and most accurate method of conversion I know of.

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Conversion never works "great." The resulting *.dxf file is often broken in many pieces.

 

If, IF, the *.pdf was created from within a CAD program, results are useable. I frequently convert *.pdf to *.dxf files.

Then, the fun begins. Lots of cleanup required! However, when you need it, conversion does work.

 

I use www.pdf2cad.com have for years. Try their trial offer.

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Seriously, if you plan to edit it at all, you can redraw it in less time than it will take you to clean up the conversion. As Tankman said, if you convert a pdf that was output by a cad program, you can get somewhat usable results. If you convert a pdf that was done by scanning a paper drawing, you wind up with a "mell of a hess". No text or dimensions, all little broken lines. No circles, or arcs, just thousands of little segments. Adding dimensions to a mess like that is virtually impossible. File size will be enormous. Something that should be 400-500K will be anywhere from 10 to 50 times that size. And heaven help you if there's a lot of hatching. Every little bit of the hatch will be a separate line. I recently cleaned up a drawing like that for a client that just the architect's logo after being scanned and converted had 92,000 drawing objects in it. This was on a D size print and occupied an area that was about 2" x 3" in the upper right hand corner.

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Ed: Have you had any luck with converting a PDF to a DWG? What conversion method/software did you use and what were the results? Your answers will be helpful to others with the same problem.

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anyhow, i don't feel like converting method is good, nope... it's getting worst, and i agree with Jack_O'neill who said "And heaven help you if there's a lot of hatching. Every little bit of the hatch will be a separate line." something bad does happens.

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I will add my 2¢ worth. Recently did a project for a company which sent me CAD files which had been converted from PDF files. Not bad if all you needed was a quick, helicopter view of the drawing in a CAD file, but scales were a mess, almost all the lines were broken into pieces, dimension lines were not real dimenions...etc. If all you need is the overall picture, which is what I used it for, you're in great shape. But beyond that, you really can redraw a complete floor plans, details, hatches and all, faster than you could ever clean up a converted file.

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Probably the easiest method is to contact the owner of the intellectual property and request a dwg.

(expect to pay a fee - there is probably a reason the property was released as pdf format)

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That is a sad fact of the matter. The architects and engineers I work with fall into basically two catergories. Those who realize that whether a drawing is on a piece of paper or in an electronic file, those who are seeing it have all the ideas, concepts, etc... that the intellectual property involved with that drawing contains. And then there's the other group who are very territorial which basically thinks don't show anyone anything. Of course there are some trade secrets and things which should be protected and can be protected. But the way to really speed things up for all the other trades involved in a large project is to share the files...especially the cad files. With services like Buzz Saw and many architects and GC offices making the files available via FTP sites, I think the territoriality will eventually fade away.

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Cleaned up some pdf-dwg´d files a few months ago... Damn that was a lot of work! I think the originalls where from the 70s and made by hand, pretty decent work but when they came out of the conversion damn that was UGLY!

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Probably the easiest method is to contact the owner of the intellectual property and request a dwg.

(expect to pay a fee - there is probably a reason the property was released as pdf format)

 

I don't think we've ever charged anyone for giving them the CAD files. The client pays for it, it is their file and data. If Company B rings us up and asks for it and we don't know who they are we don't send it to them without getting the okay from the client although I can't ever recall a client requesting that Company B (who is also doing work for them) is to not be given the CAD file.

 

The only reason we send PDFs primarily is that everyone can open them and it also stops someone changing something in the drawing inadvertently. A PDF is a part of a paper trail so to speak.

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As Dink stated, "a paper trail." Not all have AutoCAD available but, have a need to review design(s).

 

Plenty of "junque" produced converting *.pdf to *.dwg format. In a pinch it works when you really need it.

 

Known clients can request the *.dwg if they need (or want) it.

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I am in no way associated with these guys but found their service very good. (Free too)

 

If the PDF was created with Autocad 2010+ using DWG to PDF you will have greater success since this creates a vector PDF and generally hatches are raster.

 

Vector PDF's can be converted back with layers if layers were retained when PDF'd!

 

LINK

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