.PDF Drawing Converted to .AI or .EPS

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

I have a Solidworks drawing that was saved as a .pdf. Anyone know of a process to convert this .pdf to an .AI or .EPS drawing?

[R. Pare]

I don't believe that you can do it directly is SW, but there are plenty of converters you can use, like this one:

https://cloudconvert.com/pdf-to-eps

No idea about the quality of the conversion, or what you can do to edit it afterwards.

[tsiembieda]

I used to convert pdf to .ai and .eps files when I worked for a commercial printer. I would open the pdf in Adobe Illustrator then save it as a .ai or .eps file. I have an older version of Illustrator and might be able to convert it for you if you want me to try.

[phantomjock]

Hey Rick -

Thought I might have something on my CAD-Drive, but no soap. But, I found 2 sites that will do it online for free - but don't know if they're "secure" or if that is important.

https://pdf.iskysoft.com/pdf-tips/co...pdf-to-ai.html

and,

https://www.freeconvert.com/pdf-to-eps

Mind you - I've not tried either, but at free might be worth a go.

Cheers - Jim

[Rick Iverson]

Tony, I would be grateful. I'll PM you the .pdf if you need it

I used to convert pdf to .ai and .eps files when I worked for a commercial printer. I would open the pdf in Adobe Illustrator then save it as a .ai or .eps file. I have an older version of Illustrator and might be able to convert it for you if you want me to try.

[alangbaker]

Gents;

I have a Solidworks drawing that was saved as a .pdf. Anyone know of a process to convert this .pdf to an .AI or .EPS drawing?

Rick, assuming you need to have an .ai file (or .eps) for use in Illustrator, you should know that modern versions of Illustrator can open PDF files directly.

What's the plan?

[Rick Iverson]

Rick, assuming you need to have an .ai file (or .eps) for use in Illustrator, you should know that modern versions of Illustrator can open PDF files directly.

What's the plan?

Alan;

The plan is to have five (5) Stack dash plates LASER cut if I can get a vector drawing of the .pdf /.jpeg I enclosed.

[Mike B]

Rick,
My old version of Photoshop will save a .pdf as an .eps, if that is what you're looking for.
On the other hand, the laser shops I work with can use a .dwg or .dxf, which would be easy to create from SW or from scratch, given the detailed image you posted.

[Rick Iverson]

Mike;

On the advice from a gent on Apex, I am looking at a business that runs small orders quite reasonable. But the manager replied to me today with this:

"Do you have a "vector-based" version of your design that we could use? We will need the art to be in a format such as Adobe Illustrator .ai, or .eps."

Rick,
My old version of Photoshop will save a .pdf as an .eps, if that is what you're looking for.
On the other hand, the laser shops I work with can use a .dwg or .dxf, which would be easy to create from SW or from scratch, given the detailed image you posted.

[Bardahl77]

As simple as the blueprint is, you could probably recreate it in LibreCAD as easily as going through the various conversions. Raster graphics to vector graphics can be kind of nasty, unless the past few years have come up with better converters.

[R. Pare]

Alan;

The plan is to have five (5) Stack dash plates LASER cut if I can get a vector drawing of the .pdf /.jpeg I enclosed.

If that is all, just redraw it and save as a .DXF. Whomever is doing the lasercutting should be able to use as-is oe convert it themselves.

[tsiembieda]

You can pm me and I'll see what I can do with the pdf.

[Rick Iverson]

Hope this works

[tsiembieda]

I have the pdf converted to both .ai and .eps files. I cannot attach them to the thread because they are not a supported file format.

Can you pm me your email address and I can send them to you.

[Rick Iverson]

I have the pdf converted to both .ai and .eps files. I cannot attach them to the thread because they are not a supported file format.

Can you pm me your email address and I can send them to you.

msengineering at cox. Net

[tsiembieda]

Thank you, files have been emailed.

[Bardahl77]

Can the shops work with a bitmapped image or do they require an actual vector file such as in a CAD package?

[E1pix]

If these need to be dead accurately cut, any “conversion” of this from .pdf to .ai will have compromises — the question is with the significance of some deviation (talking a few thousandths here).

“Auto-Trace” is hack, and will always be hack. It was created for those insisting it’s their only choice when it’s absolutely not and has been a source of angst for anyone having to clean it up afterwards.

Opening a pdf in Illustrator will not get you the “cutting path” you need for this to be in proper vector art. Think of the “path” in the same terms as the software would need if it were to cut out vinyl graphics.

I’ve done a ton of work in Illustrator since ‘88, and despite knowing I could trace this very closely, by hand and in layers, and likely within working tolerances, I recommend you send what you have (the above art) to the company cutting it out and let them decide exactly what tolerances are needed.

Asking on a forum is asking for parts that don’t fit. Just saying — and mean no offense in saying that.

I’d be happy to recreate this correctly, at N/C, but don’t want to waste a minute on it if someone else is already doing it.