How can I print an A2-size design at exactly 1:1 "life size", using 2 sheets of A3 paper?

john_smith077

Hello

I need to print a drawing of my OnShape designs at a scale of exactly "1:1"  / "life size".

I have an A3 printer (an Espon WorkForce WF-7840 inkjet printer). However my design is too large to fit onto a single sheet of A3 paper, and would require TWO sheets of A3 paper to print it.
i.e. The design is A2 in size and I need to print it using two A3 sheets of paper.

Do you have any hints or tips about how to acheive this?

J

john_mcclary

Honestly.

I would export to DXF/DWG then use autoCAD window plot

john_smith077

john_mcclary said:

Honestly.

I would export to DXF/DWG then use autoCAD window plot

Can you say more - Is "autoCAD window plot" a free utility?
Or are you saying I need to install full-blown AutoCAD (which costs £1,986/paid annually)
I have near zero budget for this.

J

john_mcclary

There are free autocad clones

NanoCad is a good one. 

john_smith077

john_mcclary said:

There are free autocad clones

NanoCad is a good one. 

OK thanks. So to get clear, you are suggesting:
1. Export into DXF or DWG, then
2. import into NanoCad... and then
3. There is some way of plotting the current window onto multiple sheets of paper on any printer at 1:1 size, yes?

john_mcclary

There is no import to nanocad, it will open the dwg natively.

Yea, then you make sure i'ts full scale
Draw some rectangles over ther part that are A3 in size
hit ctrl+p to plot. Use window select and use each of the A3 squares for each sheet. 

Really only talking a few seconds of work. 

But noboy makes that task easier than that. 

There will be some work arounds in Onshape, but not really worth the effort

john_smith077

Sounds promising. I shall have a go probably tomorrow. Many thanks.

john_mcclary

Np, let me know if you need anything, i can make a step by step video if you want

wayne_sauder

 Another option, check out this thread. https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/17346/how-to-print-a-full-scale-drawing.

Evan_Reese

wayne_sauder said:

 Another option, check out this thread. https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/17346/how-to-print-a-full-scale-drawing.

This is what I do.

john_smith077

john_mcclary said:

There is no import to nanocad, it will open the dwg natively.

Yea, then you make sure i'ts full scale
Draw some rectangles over ther part that are A3 in size
hit ctrl+p to plot. Use window select and use each of the A3 squares for each sheet. 

Really only talking a few seconds of work. 

But noboy makes that task easier than that. 

There will be some work arounds in Onshape, but not really worth the effort

This is a nightmare.

I can't get NanoCAD to accept my printer (EPSON WF-7840) - it keeps trying to get my printer to "Fax" rather than print!

Any other suggestions?  There as to be an easier way!

john_mcclary

The link @Evan_Reese posted actually looks promising.

But as far as your printing issue, you may have the wrong driver installed?
or the port is set up wrong?

john_smith077

john_mcclary said:

The link @Evan_Reese posted actually looks promising.

But as far as your printing issue, you may have the wrong driver installed?
or the port is set up wrong?

Maybe but doubtful because I completely re-installed the driver for my Espon printer a couple of months ago. And it works just fine for all of my other applications. 

J

john_smith077

In desperation I am now trying to export my drawing to PDF format. But I still can't work out how to print at "life size" across multiple pages...