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etching
kevin_mason558
Member Posts: 64 EDU
we send parts o a company to manufacture for us sometimes,
i usually download and send dxf of flat pattern for cutting. with a pdf of the drawing.
they also offer laser etching, i asked how they need files to show the etching and they said just add lines to the dxf, red if possible.
i think they mean red line on the drawings? if so how do i colour the lines on a drawing.
and if theres a way to add lines to the dxf?
or do i draw a sketch off the flat pattern and then download the sketch as a dxf?
trying to speed up our fabrication. if we have etched lines to line things up, would be quicker than measuring/marking/jigging before tacking and weldin as sometimes location tabs arent possible.
does anyone have experience in etching that could help please.
thanks kev.
Answers
You can change the colour of lines/curves in the drawing views. I do that for laser cutting/bending, for example. My laser software can then mark bend lines on sheets or cut different colurs in a sequence (like holes first).
Right-click on the view to get the menu. Here come the steps:
This will carry through to PDF, DXF/DWG and SVG exports. Note there will also be layers.
@martin_kopplow this is on the drawing? thankyou.
how do i get this onto the dxf of the flat patterns
Just insert a flat pattern as a view in your drawing. I usually use an empty sheet for this. Then export the drawing as DXF/DWG.
I suspect your laser company also expects DXFs to be 1:1 scale and in a particular unit, not some arbitrary drawing scale and unit. Might want to confirm with them and find out before using @martin_kopplow 's drawing→dxf idea.
You can set scale to 1:1 in drawing. paper size doesn't even need to be big enough it exports just fine.
I use a custom blank drawing template that has nothing in it except the view and is large enough to take a 1:1 drawing of all parts that fit onto the laser bed. Of course everything's metric around here, so no issue with units.