But there are other valuable benefits to converting your images than just editing your drawings. What if your goal is to create a searchable database of the data held within your images? This is where technology like OCR can be a real game-changer.

If you convert text within your imagery to text strings, you can begin to catalog your imagery into a searchable database. Once organized into such a system, one would simply have to search for a text string within the imagery and the relevant image would appear. This level of efficiency is possible when you use conversion software that incorporates the power of OCR.

In this article, we’ll explore the process by which you can transform your images into versatile, editable and, most importantly, searchable documents. Let’s get stuck in!

Table of contents

• What is OCR and how does it work?
• Raster text vs vector text
  • Raster
  • Vector
• Why make searchable databases from your images?
• How OCR can create searchable documents
• Why you need more than just OCR
• Tips to ensure OCR is successful
  • Optimize for conversion
  • Select the right conversion software
• Convert your images to searchable documents

What is OCR and how does it work?

 OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It is the technology that allows computers to detect and highlight text within an image. You can see it in action in various different forms across the globe, as it is put to use by industries with a range of OCR needs. For example, the cameras that police use to track number plates rely on OCR, as does the software that enables law clerks to search for particular legal cases within a giant database.

There are a number of different techniques that OCR utilizes, the two most common of which are pattern recognition and feature extraction. The former involves a computer searching an image and comparing the information within to a collection of fonts, numbers and symbols that it already has stored. While somewhat effective, this approach is limited in the sense that the OCR will only be able to detect common fonts like Times New Roman or its very own OCR-A. 

Feature extraction, on the other hand, has vastly improved the accuracy of OCR technology. Instead of matching similar letters, the computer is looking for certain features that it has learned, in combination, form a particular letter or number. It should recognize, for example, that a short horizontal line sitting on top of a longer, vertical line makes a ‘T’. Using this technique, a computer system that can retain multiple neural networks (which allow for deep learning) can even be trained to recognize handwritten text!

Raster text vs vector text

Raster

Raster images are good for certain purposes. If you want to store high quality photographs, for example, TIFF files are handy because they support a large number of colors and boast lossless compression—allowing images to retain their quality even after editing or compression has taken place. 

The issue when it comes to text, however, is that raster images are made up of pixels. And that’s it. Even if a raster image appears to contain text, for all intents and purposes (in other words, from a computer’s perspective) the text is indistinguishable from the imagery because it’s all just pixels. The text isn’t really text and thus it isn’t possible to search for these details within a raster image.

What’s more, data cannot be attached to particular elements of the file, and zooming in or changing scale will result in a reduction in quality of the overall image. All of this is to say that having textual information stored in a raster format is a bad idea.

Vector

Vector images are comprised of distinct elements, each of which is defined by a mathematical equation. This means that users can edit or attach data to individual components (including text) of a technical drawing. 

As vector text is recognized as such (distinct from the surrounding drawings) you can search through it as you would in any other document. There’s also the option of attaching data to the text elements within vector images. You may, for example, add metadata like ‘page title’ or ‘draft number’ to your drawings. 

Before you can make the most of this potential versatility, however, you need to convert the text in your images using OCR. 

Why make searchable databases from your images?

Patent drawing of the Cameron EVO BOP (a drill part).

Making your images searchable can save a huge amount of time and effort. Imagine you have a large volume of patent drawings, for example. In such a case, storing them as raster images isn’t efficient at all. What you have is just a collection of pixels—the images do not hold any useful information about their contents. How will you ever be able to locate the image that refers to, say, ‘fig. 2’ when needed?

Enter OCR. When you use OCR to convert the pixels in your image into vector text, you are creating a database of information related to the image. This information can then be searched for by users who may be faced with tens of thousands of images to scroll through. 

On a somewhat more serious note, making your images searchable can also provide protection on a legal basis. Take, for example, designs for products. If your work is patented, this needs to be documented and available for others to see, so that they don’t infringe on your designs. Inventors working for large companies like Nike ensure their patented designs are searchable through large online databases. Interested parties can then find the images by performing a simple search on engines like Google Patents.

Aside from benefits to your workflow like increased efficiency and organisation, making your images searchable can also be a savvy business decision. It’s not just easier for you to locate your work—depending on where you store it, it’s also easier for other people to find. This could be great for promoting your services and getting your name or brand out there.

Why you need more than just OCR

There are many simple OCR solutions available which will convert imagery containing only text to fully editable text strings. However, if the imagery you are converting contains elements other than text you will hit a multitude of problems. OCR software will attempt to convert whatever it is provided therefore a key part of the solution is in identifying what should and shouldn’t be sent to OCR.

Scan2CAD is focused on solutions for converting technical drawings. Scan2CAD’s technology will identify which elements are likely to be text and ‘send’ these elements to the OCR, other elements are vectorized into their appropriate vector entities creating a much higher level of OCR accuracy.

Scan2CAD identifies the areas of the image which are likely to contain text. Converting only the appropriate elements using OCR

Tips to ensure OCR is successful

Optimize for conversion

If you want to end up with a high quality image, your original document needs to be optimized for conversion. This means making sure the raster text is as clean and clear as possible. Manually erase any dirt or smudges, to prevent the software assuming that such flaws are part of the actual image. It’s worth running through Scan2CAD’s raster text quality checklist to ensure that the image you want to use is suitable in the first place.

Please note: if your image contains too many flaws like overlapping characters, text positioned at different orientations, or unusual fonts, successful conversion may not be possible.

Select the right conversion software

As with many things in life, the quality of the end product in text conversion largely depends on the quality of the software you use. Cheap (and even free) conversion programs are available on the internet. We urge you to exercise caution when it comes to these enticing options, though.

If you don’t invest in a legitimate brand, the OCR may not be up to scratch. Issues like text orientation and non-standard fonts can easily stump basic conversion software. This may result in the final product containing exploded text, rather than defined text strings. The former is just a collection of vector lines and curves. In other words, the software has assumed that the letters are mere shapes rather than text. Thus, you will not be able to edit them as text—let alone make them searchable!

So, even when the results produced by cheap online converters initially look promising, closer inspection may reveal otherwise…

Convert your images to searchable documents

Using Scan2CAD to convert text and other elements in an image

Scan2CAD is the world’s leading solution for converting technical drawings. Scan2CAD’s powerful OCR capabilities are designed for real-world technical drawings. Not simplified text-only images.

Want to give it a try yourself? Learn more about Scan2CAD.

The downside to the ‘one software fits all’ nature of this program is that it is quite complex and  thus it may take you some time to get to grips with it. Indeed, don’t be surprised if your first ventures into the SolidWorks world leave you feeling a little overwhelmed. We urge you not to give up, though!

Once you can handle the basics, you’ll discover there are plenty of hacks that can make shifting between SolidWorks’ various functions a breeze. The most useful of which are shortcuts. These handy little commands improve efficiency and can drastically speed up your work process.

In this article we’re going to explore some of the most useful SolidWorks shortcuts to have in your repertoire. Let’s get started!

Introduction to SolidWorks

SolidWorks was originally released in 1995, and was one of the first affordable and easy to use 3D CAD softwares on the market. Two years later, it was acquired by tech giant Dassault Systèmes and became their flagship product.

Regularly updated to utilise the latest technologies, today SolidWorks enables CAD users to create auto-generated 2D drawings, build advanced 3D models and perform various simulations and analyses. 

Since its initial release in the mid-1990s, SolidWorks has always only been available on the Windows platform. This means there is no dedicated desktop software for the macOS. However, you can open and use SolidWorks online product trial using your a browser on a macOS device. This solution allows you to remotely control a Windows computer remotely via Amazon Appstream. In this regard, while you can seamlessly operate the software using a macOS device, you are essentially operating a Windows computer. And as we have detailed below, this essentially means there are no dedicated macOS shortcuts .

SolidWorks 2022 Interface

What are SolidWorks Keyboard Shortcuts?

As we briefly mentioned, commands and shortcuts are codes (ranging from single letters to a couple of words or keys) that users type to produce a certain action. Using shortcuts saves a lot of time and effort because it means you don’t have to search for the specific function you need—they come to you!

Let’s say you’re in the middle of editing a model and you need to use the magnifying glass feature. Rather than scrolling through various menus to find it, simply type ‘G‘ and it will appear. Simple!

You’ll find all of the shortcuts and commands listed within the CommandManager, which is docked at the top of the screen if you’re using the default interface.

Do note that the shortcuts are based on the layout of Windows keyboards. This is because the SolidWorks desktop software is only available on the Windows platform. 

The SolidWorks Shortcut Bar

Unlike AutoCAD commands, SolidWorks shortcuts don’t necessarily have to go through a command line interface. Most can be executed simply by typing the correct key while the program is running. If you forget a certain combination or require more functions, however, you can search within the CommandManager or use the shortcut bar.

The Shortcut bar. Image source: The SolidWorks Blog

The latter is an extremely handy menu that provides quick access to some of the most useful commands. It’s context-sensitive, meaning different commands will appear depending on the type of work you’re producing. In other words, the software anticipates the type of tools you might require at that particular moment and provides a relevant menu. There are 4 options: part, assembly, drawing and sketch.

Funnily enough, you access the shortcut bar by using a shortcut! Simply type ‘S‘ and it should present itself.

SolidWorks Keyboard Shortcuts: The Essentials

Now that we’ve covered what shortcuts are, it’s time to start using them! Below we’ve listed a range of the most useful and common key combinations that will help with drawing, modelling, editing and more. Memorizing just a handful of these shortcuts will enable you to work in a more productive and efficient way.

Once you get adept as using commands and shortcuts, you can even customize your keyboard to gain quick access to the functions you most frequently use. Let’s not run before we can walk, though! We’ll just cover some of the basic (yet still rather extensive) default options for now…

Basic Actions/Shortcuts for SolidWorks

Let’s kick things off with some of the basic actions that people use on a daily basis, no matter their role within CAD. You’ll notice that some shortcuts are very similar (if not the same) as standard Windows shortcuts, which also work within SolidWorks. The following should become second nature for anyone who aims to be a SolidWorks pro.

Drawing, Sketching & Modelling Shortcuts for SolidWorks

Now let’s turn to functions required by those working on the creative side of things—whether it’s designing 3D models or producing technical drawings. If this is your forte, some of the shortcuts below are definitely worth learning.

Display & Editing Shortcuts for SolidWorks

Finally, a few keys and combinations that will come in handy when you need to tweak drawings, revamp old designs or play around with models that are still in the experimental stage. 

Changing Shortcuts in SolidWorks

How to Create Custom Shortcuts in SolidWorks

SolidWorks enables you to create custom shortcuts or change the default shortcuts. To customize the SolidWorks shortcuts or modify the default settings, follow the below steps:

1. Click the Tools tab on the quick-access toolbar
2. Select Customize on the resultant drop-down menu, which opens the Customize window
   
   

   Tools Dropdown Menu in SolidWorks

3. Click on the Keyboard tab on the Customize window
   This allows you to view all the SolidWorks commands. To narrow down the number, simply select the ‘Commands with Keyboard Shortcuts’ options on the field titled ‘Show.’
   
   

   Customize Window in SolidWorks

4. Double-click the cell containing the default shortcut you want to change.
   Next, hit the delete or backspace key on your keyboard to delete the default shortcut. Finally, press the key representing the letter, symbol, or special character you want to use as the new shortcut. The new letter, symbol, or character will automatically populate the cell.
5. Hit OK to make the changes permanent.

How to Change Custom SolidWorks Shortcuts Back to Default

Sometimes, the custom shortcuts may not work as well as you had initially envisioned. This may necessitate the need to reset the settings back to default. Use the procedure below to reset to factory defaults:

1. Click the Tools tab on the quick-access toolbar
2. Select Customize on the resultant drop-down menu, which opens the Customize window
3. Click on the Keyboard tab on the Customize window
4. Hit the ‘Reset to Defaults’ option and then click OK on the pop-up window that is displayed

Reset Shortcuts Pop-up Window

Conclusion

Hopefully you found at least a few of the listed shortcuts useful for your own work. Navigating the SolidWorks interface certainly seems less daunting when you have quick access to some of your favourite tools! If you are a beginner, however, the sheer number of shortcuts might seem overwhelming at first. Fortunately, and to ensure you have a reference whenever you are using SolidWorks, we have prepared a cheat sheet containing SolidWorks keyboard shortcuts to the regularly used commands.

To stay up to date with the latest CAD news and tips, be sure to check back in with the Scan2CAD blog!

Don’t be put off by the forward march of the technological revolution. On the contrary, if you’re in industries such as architecture or design, where visual content is particularly important, these sites can be a godsend.

Case in point: Houzz. This incredibly useful website provides a platform on which you can share your designs, hone your creativity and get directly in touch with people who could benefit from your services. The best news? It’s free! So, if you’re not already making the most of Houzz, read on to find out how you can start tapping into its significant potential.

Table of Contents

• What is Houzz?
• Who can (and should!) promote themselves on Houzz?
• How to win clients on Houzz
  • Getting started
  • Showcase your work
  • Share your knowledge
• Embrace the power of online social platforms

What is Houzz?

Image source: Forbes

Houzz is an online community created for anyone interested in home improvement and renovation—be they professionals or enthusiasts. The homepage encourages visitors to “Get inspired. Shop products. Find pros.” And judging from the amount of activity on the site, it’s clear that many people are! In fact, Houzz boasts 14 different global sites and currently welcomes 40 million users a month. Not too shabby! 

When browsing Houzz, you’ll find a plethora of inspiration and advice in the form of portfolios, ideabooks, professional profiles, message boards and more. Adding your work to the site and getting involved in the community is a really effective way of increasing your online presence and thus building awareness of your brand. Plus, while you’re there, you can keep an eye on what your contemporaries (ahem, competitors) are up to!

Who can (and should!) promote themselves on Houzz?

Just a taste of the kind of professionals who could benefit from using Houzz. Image source: Houzz

We don’t have to tell you that ‘home improvement and renovation’ covers a wide range of services, products and skills. There are plenty of people out there who would benefit from having a profile on Houzz—be you an architect who specializes in large, modern builds, or a craftsman with a penchant for tiny glass coffee tables.

If you have a product or skill that people can use to improve their homes, you’re missing out by not promoting yourself on this platform. If pushed to be specific, we’d say it’s particularly useful if you’re an architect, home builder, kitchen fitter or interior designer.

To see what Houzz could do for your personal business, check out the story of Andrew from APD Interiors, below:

How to win clients on Houzz

So, now that you’re convinced Houzz is worth your time, let’s get stuck in to how you actually go about using it effectively. The most important thing to remember is that this should not be viewed as a purely money-making endeavor. Yes, some extra cash could be a nice perk once you’ve created a strong presence, but your initial goal should be to add value to the community while becoming an authority in your field. Once you’ve achieved this status, the benefits will become very apparent.

Getting started

The first thing on your Houzz ‘to do’ list is to create your professional profile. This basically acts as your shop front, so make sure it is both enticing and impressive. If you’re not sure how to present yourself in the best possible light, take a look at some of the existing profiles on the site that are doing well. There’s no harm in copying a few of their tactics!

Think about what represents your brand: include high-quality images of your work, details of recent projects and maybe even awards or testimonials, if you have them. Once your profile is complete, don’t see it as done and dusted—you need to re-visit it regularly, to make sure it’s fresh and up-to-date.

There is also the option of a Houzz Pro+ account, which includes advertising tools. Before seeing dollar signs and jumping at this opportunity, find out how well the free version works for you first. Give yourself time to really perfect your profile and successfully engage with the community. This will give you a basis for comparison, should you choose to access the paid features later.

Showcase your work

One of the great things about Houzz is that it gives you the opportunity to make your work accessible to a large audience. So, make the most of it! Utilize images that really show off your skills and present the full spectrum of what you are able to achieve. When uploading pictures, use keyword tags (based on the kind of thing your target clients would be searching for) to label them. This should increase your visibility and make it easier for people to find your work.

You can also have fun creating ideabooks, which are a bit like Houzz’s take on Pinterest boards. An ideabook is a collection of sources like photos, stories, professional profiles and discussions. Aim to create collections that stick to a specific theme or project, e.g – ‘Scandi style living rooms’.

Ideabooks are a great way to organise your own creative thoughts and show other people what you can do. Don’t be afraid to include the work of others, too! Once they’re assembled, you have the option of sharing them privately with specific clients, or making them public. The latter is a really useful way to build your brand identity.

While you’re at it, have a flick through the ideabooks of other professionals whose work you admire—there’s inspiration to be found all over Houzz!

Share your knowledge

Once you’ve established a presence on Houzz, make your voice heard. Comment on the work of others (keep it positive and polite), help fellow professionals by leaving reviews on services you’ve tried and respond to any user questions aimed at you in a timely manner. Being useful and not too self-promoting is the best way to make yourself a valuable member of the community.

The Houzz website includes a discussion section that covers an extensive range of topics. Image source: Houzz

Anther great area where you can join in the conversation is on the discussion boards. Filter the topics based on your expertise and start dishing out advice where you can. Again, don’t be too much of a know-it-all, just let people know you can be a source of help. It goes without saying that you should keep it professional and friendly at all times.

The more your name pops up in these various discussions, the more people will notice you and, by extension, your work. This process lays the groundwork from which you can gain a following of people who appreciate your designs or products. As is the case with social media, the Houzz platform thrives when users both give and take.

Embrace the power of online social platforms

We hope this guide showed you just how valuable a platform like Houzz could be to your business. Why overlook a free tool that can help you both personally (organise your ideas and gain inspiration) and professionally (increase your online presence and gain new clients)? Plus, it’s easy to use and opens you up to a wide range of professional opportunities. What’s not to love?!

For more industry tips and advice on how to make the most of your work, check out the rest of the Scan2CAD blog.

This quick guide will explain what the term actually means, how it relates to the world of CAD and why the three industries (clue drop!) are so often lumped together. Here we go…

Table of contents

• What is AEC?
  • Architecture
  • Engineering
  • Construction
• Why are these industries often combined?

What is AEC?

Let’s get straight to the point: AEC stands for architecture, engineering and construction. Now, we could stop there, but that really doesn’t tell the whole story.

You may have noticed that AEC is included in our very own glossary of terms, and that’s because people in these industries often require raster-to-vector conversion programs. Indeed, all three fields have been heavily impacted and consequently shaped by the rise of CAD, BIM and CAM.

There are many overlaps in the job roles of people within the AEC industries and a lot of projects combine the skills and input of all of them. To get a clearer understanding of how they might work together, let’s explore the characteristics of each individual component.

Architecture

Architects plan and design a wide range of structures. Architectural drafters, for example, may create blueprints for homes or commercial buildings. Before the emergence of sophisticated CAD software, a lot of architects would rely on basic design methods like the use of a pencil and paper to produce their work. Now that programs like AutoCAD Architecture exist, however, a lot of architects will draw their designs straight into a computer.

During the planning process, people working in this industry have to take into consideration structural factors like weight and volume, as well as economic factors like materials and costs. Once again, computer software has revolutionized the way they approach and carry out such tasks. Technological advancements now allow for visualization tools like 3D renderings and virtual reality, for example, so architects can produce simulations of their designs and inspect them for errors before construction begins.

Engineering

Similar to architects, engineers spend a lot of time designing and planning. Rather than floor plans and foundations, though, they tend to focus on things like machine parts and infrastructure. There are a variety of different types of engineer, including mechanical, civil and industrial. Engineers themselves might work on anything from a tiny modification on a cell phone to building an entire jet plane.

CAD software often plays an integral role in the production and testing of designs created by engineers. Parametric modelers like CATIA, for instance, provide specialized toolsets for the design process and enable engineers to make use of features like mechanical surfacing capabilities and digital prototyping. These technologies allow engineers to achieve high levels of accuracy and create complex but cost-effective designs. Plus, they are able to see how their products will perform before they are actually built. In other words, the entire production process is made more efficient. 

Construction

Construction largely refers to the creation of structures (like buildings and bridges) and infrastructure (like roads or train lines). You could argue that construction begins with the designing of a plan for something (say, a skyscraper) and continues throughout the entire process of that building being erected.

The construction industry often plays a role towards the end of processes that may be initiated by those in the architecture and/or engineering sector. It is particularly key when a production process reaches a point where something physical is actually produced. In most cases, without input from architects and engineers, construction would not be possible.

Why are these industries often combined?

Image source: CAD Services

By now you should be able to see how the roles of each of these industries intertwine and overlap. In fact, these days, it can be incredibly hard to fully separate the three. Hence, the common use of the phrase ‘AEC’.

Thanks to their heavy reliance on CAD, it’s also become convenient for software companies to combine architecture, engineering and construction when developing programs that facilitate their work processes. Certain collections produced by CAD giants like Autodesk and Dassault Systèmes are designed specifically with the AEC industries in mind (and are named as such). After all, why make three separate versions when you can market one to all of them and it’s convenient for everyone involved?

As technological advancements have encouraged a merging of roles among these core CAD users, they have also come to be reliant on BIM. Building Information Modeling (whether it refers to a particular software or simply a style of workflow) streamlines projects that involve the collaboration of people within AEC. It means everyone involved, even if they are not in the same company, can access and contribute to one central database of information. This could be the creation of a new office building or planning for a new city park.

People in the architecture, engineering and construction sectors often share similar skills, use the same software and even work on the same projects. So, it makes sense that we have a term to describe them as a single entity—thus, AEC!

To find out more about how CAD has become a vital tool for those in the AEC industries, check out our articles that take a more detailed look at the work of Architects and Engineers. And don’t forget—for all the latest CAD news and tips, visit the Scan2CAD blog!

So, what have we deemed the cream of the crop? Well, an incident in China proves AI has a long way to go, designs for the latest addition to the London skyline have been revealed, tech giant Apple is almost knocked off its perch by an old rival, and there’s a must-see artefact of cinema history for any Star Wars fan. 

Ready? Let’s crack on!

Chinese businesswoman accused of jaywalking after AI camera identifies her face on advert

As you may have read in our guide to object recognition software, artificial intelligence has proved to be an incredibly valuable tool in the security sector. Try telling that to the President of China’s biggest air condition company, Dong Mingzhu, though. She found herself being publicly shamed (in China, culprits of traffic crimes have their images projected onto public screens as a warning to others) for illegally jaywalking.

Surveillance cameras with AI features are widely employed in cities across China to spot and alert police to people flouting traffic laws. The thing is, what facial recognition technology had actually picked up in this instance was Mingzhu’s face on the side of a bus. The (not really) offending image was part of an advertisement.

As the businesswoman is fairly well known in China, it caused quite a stir. Authorities quickly responded by deleting the crime alert and technicians later assured that they had upgraded the system to prevent further mistakes. With the country projected to install over 626 million surveillance cameras by 2020, let’s hope that’s true!

Design for what could be London’s next iconic skyscraper ‘The Tulip’ revealed

Image source: Dezeen

Fresh off their Stirling prize win detailed in last month’s news round-up, British architects Foster + Partners submitted planning applications for their latest project, ‘The Tulip‘, this month. It’s an ambitious endeavour, to say the least. The flower-shaped tower will include multiple viewing platforms and spinning gondola pods (similar to those on the London Eye) on 3 of its sides. Designed to stand at 1,000 ft tall, The Tulip would become London’s second tallest tower, with the 1,003 ft Shard building taking the top spot, so to speak.

Funded by billionaire Jacob J Safra, The Tulip is intended to serve as a cultural and educational facility. It will sit right next to the fruit of Safra’s previous investment, 30 St Mary Axe (better known as The Gherkin). Should they get the go-ahead, the tower is expected to be completed by 2025. Watch this space!

Microsoft momentarily surpasses Apple as world’s most valuable publicly traded company

Image source: VentureBeat

Monday proved to be a particularly exciting day for Satya Nadella. The Microsoft CEO got to watch his company overtake its biggest Silicon Valley rival, Apple—for a few hours at least. In what’s been a bit of a turbulent time for the US markets, the two tech giants sat neck-and-neck at the top spot.

Then, at just after 1pm ET on Monday, the US stock market valued Apple at $812.60 billion and Microsoft at $812.93 billion. This marks the first time in just over 8 years that Microsoft was worth more than Apple in terms of market cap. 

Tim Cook’s company has taken a significant hit of late, with a drop in demand for iPhones causing a significant fall in shares. It’s not all bad news, though. By the time the market closed for trading, Apple was back in the No 1 position. The gap is certainly shrinking between the two, though, and it will be interesting to see how each tech juggernaut finishes out the year…

Original sketchbooks belonging to Star Wars costume designer up for auction—take a peek inside…

Mollo used his experience as a military illustrator to inform his costume designs for Star Wars. Image source: Jedi Insider

The sad passing of Star Wars costume designer John Mollo in late October has encouraged many to revisit and appreciate his work. Mollo began sketching designs for George Lucas’ characters in the early 1970s. He went on to win an Oscar for his work on the first film in 1978.

Next month, Bonhams will be auctioning off a collection of his sketchbooks—they’re sure to be a hit with art lovers and film enthusiasts alike. The New York Times managed to get their hands on a range of his sketches, including looks for Hans Solo, Chewbacca and, of course, Darth Vader. It’s a chance for those of us who can’t afford to fork out the estimated $160,000 for each book to take a look inside!

And, finally…

• AutoDesk release AutoCAD 2019 for Mac. The upgrade includes a new DWG compare feature, the ability to purge multiple objects at once, and improvements to the Plot Preview dialog. 
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise launches new edge offerings and composable cloud technology. The giant tech company is looking to expand and redefine the way servers are used.
• PTC acquires Frustum. It looks like the software company is furthering its plan to embed new technologies in Creo.
• Chaos Group Releases V-Ray for Unreal. The latest creation should help users create more in-depth content from their V-Ray scenes.
• Dassault releases migration bridge from CATIA V5 to 3DEXPERIENCE. This will enable users to take their CAD models into a ‘zero-file’ environment. 

That’s it for this month’s news round-up! Be sure to join us next time to stay on top of all the important happenings for the world of design, engineering, architecture and beyond!

And yet, despite these capabilities being right at their fingertips, many designers still rely on the trusty pencil and paper approach—at least for the early stages of a project. Given the availability of sketching software, you may assume that CAD has replaced the need for hand-drawn designs. So, if they aren’t technically necessary, why are people still producing them? 

There are actually a number of reasons we shouldn’t turn our back on doing things ‘the old-fashioned way’. It depends on what exactly you’re designing, of course, but sketching by hand can prove useful to a project in both practical and creative ways. Combining these benefits with the vast capabilities of CAD software could prove to be the best approach. 

Let’s take a closer look…

Table of contents

• The creative process
  • Liberating for the artist
  • Issues of accuracy
• Skill
• Cost
  • Time
  • Thinking green
• Communication
  • Presentation
  • Sharing
• Quality
• Are hand-drawings a lost art?
  • Convert your paper designs with Scan2CAD

The creative process

It is still reasonably common for designs drawn on paper to play a role in the early stages of a project. At this point, ideas are still being conceived and many designers enjoy the freedom of being able to play around with materials. Using computer software, with its set tools and the limits of a screen, can stifle creativity in a way that sketching with a pencil does not. 

Liberating for the artist

Graves’ hand-drawn design of Denver Central Library. Image source: Michael Graves & Associates via The New York Times

Some would go so far as to say that drawing by hand onto paper is not just useful, but vital to the creative process. In a 2012 op-ed for The New York Times, the late Michael Graves explained the intertwined nature of hand-drawing and architectural design:

Architecture cannot divorce itself from drawing, no matter how impressive the technology gets. Drawings are not just end products: they are part of the thought process of architectural design. Drawings express the interaction of our minds, eyes and hands.

For certain designers, drawing on paper is not just a way of presenting their work—it is how they form their designs in the first place. Sure, those using the latest CAD software can also produce initial sketches on the computer, but drawing by hand allows for a more flexible exploration of ideas. 

In practical terms, it also means that designers and architects can draw-up ideas whenever inspiration strikes. Not relying on a computer system means you don’t have to be tied to a desk. A pencil and paper can be taken anywhere! 

Issues of accuracy

Before you become a complete convert to hand-drawing, it’s important to acknowledge its limitations when it comes to professional designs. The freedom of sketching on paper can mean that the resulting drawings suffer in terms of accuracy and precision. What’s gained in creativity may not be very helpful for those whose job it is to turn the ideas into some kind of a reality…

Using CAD software to create designs provides the comfort of knowing that the technology is taking care of the mathematical equations, leaving you to focus on the creative side. A computer is likely to flag up any dimensional or structural errors before they are noticed by the designer, for example. 

Skill

A focus on paper designs can be limiting in other ways, too. While the ability to draw by hand used to be an essential skill for those in the design sector, CAD software had opened the door for people who have great ideas but struggle to get them down on paper. There are many talented designers out there who aren’t necessarily great artists. Replacing hand-drawings with sketches created on a computer has therefore allowed more people to enter the design industry. 

While hand-drawing is beneficial to the creative process, not everyone has the artistic skills to produce work like that shown in the video the above by hand.

Then again, anyone who has had to get to grips with new CAD software knows that it isn’t always straightforward! To become proficient enough on a computer to produce detailed designs may require some formal training. Complex technology can be quite hard to master at first. This could mean it’s tricky to have full control over your ideas when just starting out. 

If a career in design is your goal, though, you really do have to get with the times. Most (if not all) jobs in these sectors will expect you to understand how to use the leading software and be able adapt to the latest versions quickly. 

Cost

Time

If design is part of your career and not just a hobby, the old mantra ‘time is money’ will no doubt ring true. The speed with which you are able to create different designs may have a direct impact on how much you are able to earn. Whether hand-drawing or using CAD software allows you to work faster largely depends on the type of project you’re working on.

Those working on film sets, for example, have found that members of the art department sketching by hand (be they cinematographers or production designers) can produce work quicker than those ensconced in the digital design side of things. The former have the luxury of being able to draw directly onto construction blueprints, while the latter must first build 3D models of the set before they can start layering on new elements. 

On the other hand, people working in manufacturing need to be able to easily switch between different scales and amend aspects of a design without slowing down the entire production process. For such tasks CAD software is pretty unbeatable. Rather than having to re-draw the whole thing, on a computer it can just take a few clicks to alter a design in accordance with a client’s demands. 

Thinking green

If you’re just starting out or money is a bit tight, creating designs with a pencil and paper is obviously a much cheaper way to work. There’s no need to invest in pricey software or worry about racking up an eye-watering electricity bill. 

We live in an age, though, where it’s also important to think green in another sense—being eco-friendly. In terms of the cost to the planet, computer software doesn’t use up as much material or create as much waste as drafting on paper. Those who are conscious about such things should keep in mind that storing and sharing designs on computers is better for the environment. 

Communication

Designers often work with people who may not be creatively-minded or have a thorough understanding of the laws of physics. This means it is vital that the drawings they produce effectively convey their intended concept and (at least hint at) its potential.

Presentation

Hand-drawn plans can be a great way to present designs because there is an intimacy to them that suggests both originality and flexibility. If meeting one-on-one with a client, it is quite easy for designers to quickly make tweaks to their work or draft slightly different alternatives during the collaboration process. 

Using both hand sketches and computer drawings can be even more effective. The video below shows how layering hand-drawn designs on top of technical drawings created with CAD software can produce a highly-detailed and accurate floor plan. It’s also a great example of how complex these designs can be and the amount of different factors one needs to consider before embarking on such a project!

Some even argue that computer images can be too realistic—giving the impression that there is little room for manoeuvre. There’s little doubt, though, that combining both approaches can elevate your work to the next level.

Consider the fact that CAD software provides the means to create mixed media presentations. You can chart the evolution of a design from drawings on paper to 3D models and a virtual reality experience. If this doesn’t thoroughly express what you’re attempting to create, nothing will!

Sharing

A major advantage of creating designs using a CAD program is that your work will be much easier to save and share. You can produce as many identical copies of a design as you want and share them with collaborators all over the globe in the click of a button. For practical purposes it is therefore advisable to convert your work to a digital format at some point. 

Just imagine if you were to distribute the paper version of your designs and then learn of an error or modification that needed to be implemented. It would be an absolute nightmare to rectify. A lot of current CAD softwares actually store design specifications in one central data set. This means that any changes trigger automatic updates within files that can be seen by everyone working on the project. 

Quality

Sketches are great when forming ideas, but in its final stages a design should be characterised by precision and clarity. The slick results offered by computer software can be hard to match by hand. 3D renders and CGI technology provide an incredibly realistic vision of a designer’s work. For professional results with the least amount of manual labor, CAD is the way to go. 

This does not mean that hand-drawing cannot produce high-quality results. On the contrary, products designed by hand are often associated with luxury. As you can see in the video above, many top fashion houses rely on designs drawn by hand as the basis of their products. This links back to the idea that using a pencil and paper can encourage a more fruitful creative process that results in original work. 

Are hand-drawings a lost art?

Given the number of designers still relying on a pencil and paper, at least at the formative stages of their work, it doesn’t seem accurate to suggest that this method is a ‘lost’ art. There is no doubt, however, that the advanced capabilities of CAD software present a decent alternative to traditional methods. As this technology is likely to continue to improve, it is very possible that in the next decade or so the process of hand-drawing designs (at least in the AEC sector) will become obsolete. 

The obvious (or perhaps on-the-fence, depending on your personal standpoint) conclusion is that each technique is suitable at different stages of a project. For the sake of preserving the creative process and allowing people to work on the go, it would be beneficial for the two methods to continue to coexist. There will always be people who favour one over the other, but for now there is no reason to make either approach the industry standard.

Convert your paper designs with Scan2CAD

If you do want to enjoy the best of both worlds, the good news is that Scan2CAD makes converting your paper drawings into CAD designs incredibly simple. It’s a case of scanning your paper design into the software (this can be done directly or indirectly, depending on the scanner you are using), saving it as a raster file format and making any necessary clean-ups, and then converting said file to a vector format. This vector file can be easily edited with CAD software, allowing you to make the most out of your designs.

With Scan2CAD at your disposal, you’ll enjoy a range of benefits, including:

• The ability to convert your designs to a wide range of popular raster and vector file types.
• An extensive suite of drawing and editing tools that can be used on both raster and vector designs.
• Powerful OCR technology that automatically converts text and can even be trained to recognise handwriting.

To test out Scan2CAD’s features for yourself, simply download a free 14-day trial using the link below.

As soon as you start exploring the changes, it becomes clear that the SolidWorks team has really listened to customer feedback on previous iterations of the software. Increased productivity and a more user-friendly interface seems to be the aim of the game here. Tweaks to existing features allow for fewer steps in the work process and an efficient and enjoyable modeling experience.

So, whether you’re a designer, manufacturer or machinist—SolidWorks 2019 has something new that will enhance your performance. Let’s delve into a few of the highlights…

Table of contents 

• General performance improvements
• For design
  • 3D mesh modelling
  • Updates to the touch user interface
  • Tool enhancements
  • Extended reality (XR)
• For manufacturing
  • CAM improvements
  • Access for machinists
  • Smart manufacturing
• The verdict

General performance improvements

From the off you’ll notice that with SolidWorks 2019, the software developers have acknowledged that, these days more than ever, time is of the essence.

How does this show itself in practical terms? Well, for starters, the installation manager downloads far more quickly and across the board you’ll see improved functionality. The newest version of SolidWorks supports the latest graphics cards, so frame rates are increased for a better viewing experience. Head over to the recent documents section and you’ll find that you now have quick access to your last 100 pieces of work—a big increase on that shown by previous SolidWorks editions. 

General improvements also mean that assembly performance is significantly faster. You can now quickly design large and complex assemblies and edit them with ease using the Large Design Review Mode. The process is a lot speedier and you still have access to all of the capabilities you would expect from SolidWorks’ design reviews.

For design

Explore different textures for your 3D designs in just a few clicks. Image source: SolidWorks Blog

When it comes to the design features in SolidWorks 2019, the scope of what you are actually able to model hasn’t seen any drastic changes, but improvements to a number of tools means you can achieve incredible results in far fewer steps. Lots of processes have been simplified and it’s a major time saver! Let’s explore a few of the key updates.

3D mesh modelling

With SolidWorks 2019 you can now automatically convert 2D textures into 3D geometry. Plus, new texturing tools allow you to create 3D mesh models and experiment with different designs in just a few clicks. 

The design process is significantly enhanced by the fact that multiple profiles can now be projected onto multiple surfaces, whereas in previous versions you could only project in one direction onto a single surface body. This meant that one section of a design could end up requiring multiple sketches and projected curves. You can now do everything in a single process and you have the option of a bi-directional viewpoint. Think how much time you’ll be saving!

Updates to the touch user interface

SolidWorks 2019 can save handwritten notes and 3D mark-ups on models. Image source: Fisher Unitech

Those who spend a lot of time using the touch screen will be pleased to hear that the capabilities of the sketch recognition feature have widened considerably. It can now pick up common shapes used by engineers and designers like splines and slots.

Perhaps even more impressively, it is able to recognize handwriting. You’ll be able to write dimensions straight onto your designs during the sketch process, rather than having to switch over to the dimension tool to type in a number. These updates should save a lot of time that would previously have been spent going back and forth from keyboard to touch screen.

The gesture recognition feature has also been trained to understand copy, select and drag. So, when working on 3D models, you can tap and grab things within designs and shift them around in what is a more natural feeling movement.

Collaboration on projects is now much easier thanks to the 3D mark-up tool. Touch screen or pen users can now make annotations directly onto 3D models and these mark-up files will remain with the relevant model. So, no more taking screenshots and discussing potential problems in a separate file—you can now directly communicate with collaborators all in one place.

Tool enhancements

You may be familiar with the tab and slot tools that were introduced in SolidWorks 2018—they’ve also experienced a revamp for the 2019 software. Corner options have been increased to include styles like dog-bone and rounded and you can group tab and slot features within a project so that all selected features can be made uniform and modified as a group, rather than individually. This comes in handy when working on jobs like creating patterns for laser-cutters.

There are also brand new tools to experiment with, including partial fillet and partial chamfer options. This allows for far more precision when editing designs and includes interference detection for multi-body parts, so you can make the necessary changes (in terms of engineering requirements) as you go along.

Extended reality (XR)

One of the most exciting features to come out of this software update has to be the introduction of the extended reality (XR) feature. The creators refer to it as a kind of ‘mixed reality’—a combination of virtual reality and augmented reality. In practical terms, it allows investors and consumers to experience and explore CAD models in the most realistic way possible. Enhancing your designs with this format couldn’t be easier, either—simply select File→ Save → Extended reality. Find out more about this feature in the video below:

For manufacturing

CAM improvements

The CAM side of SolidWorks 2019 is where you really start to see how this software can streamline work processes. Take, for instance, tolerance-based machining for turn parts. Once MBD (model based definition) data like dimensions have been applied to tool paths they link up with SolidWorks Inspection and any changes or improvements will be automatically updated to the same central data set. This means that the profile for machine parts should be correct from the very beginning. In other words, manufacturers will automatically be using the dimensions that the engineers and designers had in mind.  

Tolerance-based machining in SolidWorks CAM 2019. Image source: SolidWorks Blog

There are also new settings for CAM-users to enjoy, which should speed up their tasks considerably. For example, the new zigzag mode for high-speed machining means you can remove material much faster when cutting a particularly long part. There’s also support for tapered shanks, increased parameters and the ability to create machine-specific strategies that will automatically become default when you are the user.

It’s worth noting that CAD subscribers with SolidWorks also get SolidWorks CAM Standard thrown in for free.

Access for machinists

Machinists don’t need to feel left out, either. In SolidWorks 2019, Machinist Standard provides access to part files or customer files (depending on which their particular job may require) so that machinists can do programming on a part and take advantage of the modeling capabilities of SolidWorks. Enjoy the best tools and features without having to fork out for the professional version!

Smart manufacturing

The fact that one file from the start to finish of a project stores all relevant data sets enables what has become known as ‘smart manufacturing’. From concept, to simulation, to inspection, one location contains all of the information any collaborators along the way may need. Model based definitions are easy to find and so it’s easy to pinpoint the source of any issues, should they arise. 

SolidWorks 2019 further enhances this process by facilitating the integration of a range of SolidWorks features. These include:

• SolidWorks Sell, which allows users to add their designs to a cloud-based configurator, share concepts across multiple devices and use AR to show how they would perform in their intended environment.
• Improvements to SolidWorks Inspection, including a new grid layout and changes to the bill of characteristics.
• Communication tool SolidWorks Composer, through which designers and manufacturers can share technical information with stakeholders and/or consumers.

The verdict

The improved functionality, optimized workflows and enhanced performance offered by SolidWorks 2019 all contributes to an outstanding user experience. For more information on new features and the chance to really get into the nitty gritty of what’s changed, check out the full SolidWorks solution portfolio.

The reach of object recognition software stretches far beyond the CAD industry. This complex type of computer vision is useful to a range of fields—from defense to social media. In this article, we’ll explore what object recognition is, how it works and the variations in software that make it a useful tool in a number of different contexts.

Table of contents

• What is object recognition?
• How object recognition software works
  • Machine learning
  • Deep learning
• Industries that rely on object recognition software
  • Security and defense
  • Media
  • Tech
  • CAD
• Object recognition software

What is object recognition?

Object recognition refers to the process by which a computer is able to locate and comprehend an object in an image or video. It is important to distinguish this term from the similar action of object detection. The latter defines a computer’s ability to notice that an object is present. Object recognition takes this one step further and involves the system correctly identifying what the object in question is. 

Object recognition is important because object detection alone is often not sufficient. In CAD, for example, mere detection does not necessarily mean that said object can be subsequently edited for design purposes. Similarly, in the security industry, a program that is able to locate a human face is not half as useful as software that has the ability to locate a particular individual from a crowd of faces. 

In the most basic terms, object recognition software can discover, correctly identify and label objects within a video or image.

How object recognition software works

Humans experience recognition when we have a previous knowledge or understanding of something. This may be because we have been directly exposed to the thing in question before, or because we know of similar things that share its features. It is with this process in mind that computers are trained to carry out object recognition.

There are, of course, a number of approaches to this task. Different models are created depending on factors like the complexity of the subject material, time constraints of the job or how accurate the recognition needs to be. Software programmers must also account for the fact that issues like lighting, changing angles and obstruction of objects can hamper the success of object recognition. 

We’re going to explore two of the main approaches used to create object recognition software. Keep in mind that some industries will use a hybrid of both techniques.

Machine learning

Image source: Chatbotslife

This is one of the most common forms of object recognition software. It works on the basis of what is known as feature (or pattern) detection. You may be familiar with this term if you have explored the process of optical character recognition.

Machine learning involves a computer being provided with specific features that are associated with certain objects. It then stores these predefined rules and uses them to label new objects with which it is presented. The more varied the samples the system has access to, the more accurate the resulting software will be.

This kind of algorithm is based on an established set of rules. In other words, the system is not learning as it goes. Rather, it keeps referring back to the features it has been programmed to recognize.

Deep learning

Image source: Mike MacKenzie on Flickr

Deep learning is similar to machine learning in that it utilizes techniques like feature detection and feature extraction. However, rather than relying on one algorithm, deep learning involves the creation of a structure of layered algorithms called an artificial neural network. 

An ANN aims to produce a model that works very similarly to the human brain. In terms of object recognition, this means software that not only uses previous knowledge of features associated with certain objects to classify new ones, but also continually analyzes the new data it is given and uses this to draw new conclusions. So, in a way, it is learning as it goes.

Once it has been trained to recognize a particular set of features, the model builds on its collection of known features with every new piece of data it receives and begins to categorize them. When a sizable amount of data has been inputted, the software is able to make assumptions and predictions about new objects it has never been exposed to before. 

The deep learning process requires a lot of data, but the results tend to be highly accurate thanks to the complex abilities of the neural network.

Industries that rely on object recognition software

Security and defense

A rather obvious application of object recognition outside of the CAD world is in the security and defense sectors. Video surveillance has come leaps and bounds since basic CCTV was installed across the country. Now, thanks to sophisticated use of object recognition software, cameras can detect, identify and track moving objects. This could be used to locate the possible whereabouts of a missing person or, more controversially, target enemies in a conflict situation.

Object recognition is also incredibly useful when setting up high tech security systems. It allows for safety features like facial recognition scans and cameras that alert homeowners to intrusions on their property.

Media

When shopping around, you may notice that object recognition often comes as part of a collection of cognitive computer services wrapped up in an API (application programming interface). These packages are particularly useful for people working in media. For example, many of these APIs boast that their object recognition software has the ability to recognize celebrity faces. This would be useful for those working in journalism or marketing, as it enables companies to create searchable image libraries and categorize the pictures they have on file.

This type of object recognition is used by social media companies, too. Ever uploaded a picture to Facebook and it prompts you to tag friends that it has been able to detect? That’s object recognition at work. By detecting and extracting certain features, the program recognizes individuals that have been present in previous pictures (based on this prior knowledge), and labelled new images where it sees fit. Clever (and slightly creepy) stuff!

As for all you sports fans, it’s object recognition software that allows pundits to play around with sophisticated post-match analysis technology.  Take football as an example. Video analysis includes recognizing certain plays and “pathing” where the ball (object of interest) goes on the pitch. 

Tech

Image source: Automobile Italia on Flickr

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that the tech world itself often employs object recognition for all kinds of projects. In fact, it constitutes the basis of most robotic vision. A particularly notable case that’s been in the news recently is driverless cars.

These systems require 3D object recognition in order to detect and comprehend objects like stop signs and pedestrians. You can see how the ability to go beyond mere detection and actually comprehend what an object is becomes important here, because stop signs and pedestrians require different responses. 

CAD

And, of course, we couldn’t wrap up without touching on object recognition’s contribution to the CAD industry! As we’ve mentioned, it comes in particularly useful during file conversions, as it ensures a higher level of accuracy.

You may find that some conversion software doesn’t come with object recognition. These programs might be sufficient if you just want to convert a basic logo. When it comes to more complex designs, though, you need to be careful and choose the right software. Some programs may not be able to identify and thus correctly convert some of the more complicated elements of a technical drawing like arcs or dash-lines. If you’re an architect or engineer, this simply won’t do. After all—professional results require professional software.

Object recognition software

As you can see, object recognition is an incredible tool that can be used for so many different purposes. No matter your field of work, there’s probably a way you could incorporate a version of the software into a project! In fact, if you’re so inclined, you can even create your own object recognition software. Programs like MATLAB provide you with the ability to do just that! 

We think we’ll just stick with Scan2CAD for now. If you’re looking to use object recognition with CAD, why not try out a 14 day free trial of Scan2CAD? Click on the box below and test out our features for yourself!

If you’ve taken the plunge and purchased AutoCAD for yourself (although there are plenty of free CAD programs), you’ll soon find that besides the sophistication of the technology, advanced user interface, and sheer range of available tools that can be a little overwhelming at first, it is also possible to learn AutoCAD basics in a short time span.

For this article, we’re going to assume that you’ve had the opportunity to go through the history of AutoCAD, purchased and installed AutoCAD software, played around with it and gotten comfortable with the interface, and established which tools are most useful for your line of work.

Got the basics firmly under your belt? Great! Now it’s time to take advantage of the AutoCAD commands. Yes, the folks behind the software know that there’s a lot to take in, so they created handy shortcuts that enable you to navigate the controls with ease. Once a few of these commands become second nature, you’ll be producing work in the most efficient way possible.

• About AutoCAD
• What are AutoCAD commands?
• AutoCAD commands: The essentials
  • Basic actions
  • Drawing
  • Modifying
  • 3D
• AutoCAD commands: Final thoughts

About AutoCAD

AutoCAD is the flagship product of the software company Autodesk. Created in 1982 to enable the production of high quality 2D and 3D technical drawings, it was actually the first CAD software developed for PCs.

Though initially designed to cater to the mechanical engineering industry, the capabilities of AutoCAD have since expanded to suit a wide range of professionals including architects and animators.

Today, AutoCAD is considered to be one of the leading design programs available and has grown to be the most widely used CAD software out there. With new applications facilitating mobile-friendly options and the use of cloud storage services, the software continues to evolve by integrating technological advancements.

What are AutoCAD commands?

At the bottom of the drawing screen in AutoCAD, you’ll find the command window. Trust us: this handy little box is a lifesaver when you have lots of work to do and you’re up against a deadline.

Examples of AutoCAD commands that come with shortcuts

In the most basic terms, commands and shortcuts are words or letters that you type into the command window to produce an action. For example, if you wish to draw an arc, rather than searching for an arc among the tools, you could just use a command. In this case, type ‘ARC‘ or even ‘A‘ into the command window, press Enter, and an arc will appear. 

Some commands come with shortcuts (a single letter alternative), while actions that are a little less common tend to require a command that is 3 or more letters long. AutoCAD recognizes hundreds of commands and, once you get more advanced, you can even customize the toolbar—adding or prioritizing the commands you find to be the most useful.  

AutoCAD commands: The essentials

As you can imagine, given the vast capabilities of AutoCAD, there is a huge AutoCAD command list that users can use to make their work easier when using the software. Whether you’re sketching designs, drawing up blueprints, or producing 3D models, there will be commands available to make the job easier. In the interest of saving time and space, this guide provides a list of AutoCAD commands that we deem to be the most useful. So, let’s get started! 

Basic AutoCAD commands

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the commands used in drawing and modifying, it’s important to first grip the basic AutoCAD commands that you require to get started with the software. From pasting to spell check, here’s a selection of commonly used commands:

Drawing

This software is specifically designed with technical drawing in mind, so you’ll find a wide range of geometric shapes and sketching capabilities at your disposal when working in AutoCAD. To save yourself the time of scrolling through the library every time you need a particular line or solid, learn some of these commands:

Modifying

Your first draft is complete—now it’s time to play around with the properties and tweak your designs where necessary. For this stage, the following commands are sure to come in handy:

3D

Fear not—the commands are not exclusive to 2D work! If you’re taking your AutoCAD project to another dimension, there are plenty of commands that can speed up the process. Here’s a brief taster:

AutoCAD commands: final thoughts

The above list of AutoCAD commands should help make it easy when working with the AutoCAD software and also improve the overall productivity. While a majority of beginners only master the basic AutoCAD commands, mastering the entire AutoCAD command list gives you an upper hand when it comes to working with AutoCAD.

Once your AutoCAD expertise rises and you reach the level where you’re able to customize the quick access toolbar, you’ll end up with a program tailored to your particular style of work. 

While our list is fairly comprehensive, should you wish to find more, Autodesk includes a full guide to shortcuts on their website. 

An OCR API can be used to add OCR capabilities to your software. OCR API’s are in high demand because converting text is a common requirement for image processing software yet developing the capabilities yourself would be an extremely time consuming and complex project. 

There are many OCR API options out there to choose from. Big companies like Amazon and Microsoft provide these services, as well as lesser-known companies that offer free versions. With so many factors to weigh up, it can be hard to know which one you should go for. For this reason, we’ve compared a few of the best looking options avaliable. Let’s see how they measured up…

Table of contents

• What is OCR?
• OCR API
• What to look for in OCR APIs
  • Issues that can stump OCR technology
• The best options compared
  • 1 Microsoft Computer Vision
  • 2 Google Cloud Vision
  • 3 Amazon Rekognition
  • 4 Cloudmersive
  • 5 Free OCR
• OCR API—which to go for?

What is OCR?

Using Scan2CAD to convert text and other elements in an image

OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is the technology that enables software to recognize text in an image. Within a CAD context, you may know it as the feature that enables you to convert raster text into vector text—thus allowing you to edit said text with CAD software. 

Initially, OCR relied on the process of pattern recognition to distinguish text from other image elements. The technology would compare objects in an image to a library of figures it already had stored. When it found a match, it would know to regard it as text. This technique was fairly limited, as OCR then only stored well-established fonts, like Times New Roman or its very own font, OCR-A. 

As the technology behind OCR has improved, it has increasingly relied on the technique known as feature extraction. This involves a computer associating various features presented in a certain combination with particular letters or figures. For example, a vertical line topped with a smaller, horizontal line is understood to represent the letter ‘T’. Once OCR software can perform feature extraction, it can even be trained to recognize certain handwriting. 

OCR API

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It’s a fairly general term that can cover a wide range of technologies. You can consider them a tool that allows a distinct piece of software to interact with an established application or program, with the purpose of providing certain methods or properties that the main application lacks.

So, in the case of OCR, an API could be used to detect and extract text from an image that you provide. This is really useful for people working with software that doesn’t offer OCR capabilities. The OCR APIs can return their work with text that is editable or better displayed. 

What to look for in OCR APIs

There are certain qualities that you should always look out for when shopping around for an OCR API. The most important feature is that the technology should be able to extract data (letters and figures) correctly and with precision. This might sound obvious, but you’d be amazed by how many applications fail to cut the mustard. 

Example of vector text strings. This is the desired result of vectorization because they can be edited and displayed correctly.

If you’re already a pro at converting raster files to vector formats, you’ll know all about the pitfalls of exploded text. In short, when using OCR to extract text from an image, the result you’re looking for is text strings. This means the characters are rendered and presented correctly and can be easily edited.

Example of exploded text. The characters are formed of vector shapes rather than actual text.

Software that lacks precision and accuracy may send you back a file containing exploded text instead. This is not really text, but rather a group of vector shapes that will be almost impossible to edit. Selecting the right OCR API is vital if you want to avoid these annoying flaws.

Outside of capability and precision, price and ease of use are aspects to consider before making any software selections. Sometimes you can find efficient services for free; other times, it’s worth shelling out for a top quality product. This is why it’s important to make an informed choice before separating with your cash. 

As for ease of use, it’s important to make sure you are providing the software with images that are optimized for OCR. 

Issues that can stump OCR technology

Images with any of these problems are unlikely to convert successfully.

Yes, OCR technology is very sophisticated and its capabilities increasingly impressive, but you do need to meet it half way. As is the case with converting raster images to vector images, when using OCR you should make sure your original image is of a high quality.

You can’t expect the technology to be able to detect text in an image that is out of focus and blurry. Similarly, OCR may struggle to separate characters that are very similar (like ‘S’ and ‘5’) or presented in a confusing manner. For the best results, make sure you’re providing a strong starting point.

The best options compared

There are plenty of OCR API options to be found on the internet. From the offerings of the major tech giants, to free online converters, we compare 5 of the best below. 

1 Microsoft Computer Vision

Image source: Pixabay

Microsoft Computer Vision, part of the Microsoft Azure platform, offers so much more than OCR capabilities. This software has the ability to analyze video, recognize celebrities and read handwritten text within images (though the latter is still in preview stage).

If basic OCR is all you’re looking for, the free tier option is quite generous. You’re allowed up to 5,000 transactions per month. With  the power of Microsoft behind it, you can expect accurate results and a wide range of special features. You can pick from two OCR endpoints: image file or URL. 

2 Google Cloud Vision

Image source: Medium

Once again, this is a service that offers much more than OCR. Google Cloud Vision can recognize a wide range of text (including handwritten), detect faces, landmarks and is even able to extract logos. This OCR API benefits from having the power of Google image search behind it, providing a huge library of brand logos from which the software can perform feature recognition. 

The free package allows for up to 1,000 free API calls per month. So, not quite as generous as Microsoft, but with this API you are treated to a slightly larger range of extra capabilities.

3 Amazon Rekognition

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

This platform is divided into two main features: Rekognition video and Rekognition image. Amazon’s OCR is referred to as ‘Text in Image’, part of the Rekognition image suite.

Amazon Rekognition boasts the ability to locate and extract text from both natural and on-screen scenes. Once analyzed, the text will be returned with a detected text label and a confidence score. The free tier lets you analyze up to 5,000 images per month. 

The technology behind this platform is sophisticated and there is a high emphasis on customer service, should you run into any problems. However, this API option comes up short in terms of extra capabilities—that is, unless you’re working with videos. Another downside is that the technology only works with images and videos stored in Amazon S3. 

4 Cloudmersive

Image source: Cloudmersive

This API has the capabilities to convert scanned images, photos of documents and receipts into text. Over 90 different languages are supported and it even has the ability to deskew and rotate text that has been captured at an angle (don’t push this last one too far, though—cleaning up your images is still vital).

Though it doesn’t come with the backing of a giant tech name, hold on to your hats, because Cloudmersive provides an incredibly generous free version. Sign up for an account and you’ll be allowed up to 50,000 calls per month. Do bear in mind, though, that this tool is designed for simple text recognition and extraction. Don’t expect many extra features.

5 Free OCR

Image source: Free OCR

This API sells itself as a simple way to get text extracted from images and PDF documents. Despite its name, not all versions of this software come without a price. Nevertheless, the free tier is fairly generous—allowing for 25,000 requests a month.

Free OCR is probably a good option for people who only have very basic OCR needs. It’s a no frills affair and basically does what it says on the tin. We’d recommend using the free tier to test out the quality of the results. Be wary of free online services, they don’t always provide professional results. On the other hand, such sites are certainly worth a look if you’re just playing around with images for fun.

OCR API—which to go for?

As you can see, there are plenty of OCR API’s available on the web. Which one you go for will largely depend on how many images you need to process and the extent to which extra capabilities (like face recognition) will be useful to you. It’s probably worth trying out a few free versions before you commit to anything. 

Working with CAD and don’t have time to experiment with different applications? Rather than signing up for an OCR API, you can rely on software like Scan2CAD to serve all of your needs in one place. Basically, it provides the whole conversion package, including OCR and a full raster and vector editing sweet—saving you from having to fiddle about with different software providers.

No need to take our word for it, sign up for a free trial below and see why Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software! 

The future is flat-pack

It looks like the IKEA influence has well and truly peaked in 2018, with the prospect of flat-packed housing becoming a reality. Yes, innovative technology like 3D printing is rapidly becoming vital in the development of modular homes. This means CAD could end up playing a vital role in tackling the current housing crisis.

RDA’s production process for sandwich panels (Source)

Manufacturing firm RDA modular might be pioneers of the process. The company uses a combination of cold welding technology, 3D printing and a 3D injection system to create large monolithic panels (eventual walls and floors) that firms can transport in upright stacks and construct with relative ease on site.

Influenced by aerospace and automotive approaches to manufacturing, these panels make for efficient and environmentally friendly construction. In an interview with BIM+, RDA Modular’s chief technology officer, Romy Jardine, explained: 

“We’ve been working (…) on some brand new technology that hasn’t been used in construction, including housing or modular. Using modern materials means we can make much stronger and lighter panels that are more eco friendly.”

This approach saves money in terms of both transportation costs and labor. In fact, thanks to these panels’ durable quality and significant strength, you can stack them up to four storeys high. Jardine envisions these apartments blocks becoming part of the landscape in future suburbs and cities.

Don’t start saving up for your very own modular home yet, though. While the flat-packed houses themselves are economical, the technology required to create the various parts comes with a hefty price tag. 3D injection equipment is around £8 million a pop, so whether this manufacturing approach takes off depends heavily on outside investment.

RDA Modular estimates that if they do succeed in establishing factories for these flat-packed homes, they could be pumping out 4-bedroom houses on a 6-9 month time scale. Impressive stuff!

Digital dentistry is on the rise

Image source: Malmstrom Air Force Base

Did you know CAD is helping to protect your pearly whites? As is the case with many other industries, computer aided design speeds up the manufacturing process and provides quick and affordable solutions for a range of dental requirements. We use milling systems, for example, to create crowns and bridges; 3D printers may be behind your latest retainer; and digital imaging makes dental scans a breeze! 

In fact, digital dentistry is on the increase, according to recent studies that highlight its many benefits. Frost and Sullivan wrapped up a major analysis of the digital dental solutions market this August. A big takeaway from their findings is that the role of CAD in the dental world is likely to continue expanding in order to meet patient demands.

While CAD and CAM solutions are already prevalent in dental laboratories, such technologies are now moving into local surgeries. For example, chair-side milling systems (by which dentists can make things like crowns while the patient waits) are increasing in popularity and availability. Frost and Sullivan propose that such developments will cut long terms costs, as technology is able to simplify a number of common dental processes. On top of this, the heightened focus on CAD solutions should improve the scope and accuracy of the digital treatments currently available. 

CAD implants helping patients with rare chest muscle deformity

Ever heard of Poland syndrome? Nope, neither had we. All of that changed, however, when we heard about how CAD is helping those with the condition.

Poland syndrome is a congenital condition that affects roughly 1 in 30,000 people. The syndrome causes chest abnormalities that lead to the underdevelopment of one side of a person’s pectoral muscles. Those suffering from the syndrome (mostly men) often opt for cosmetic procedures to even out the appearance of the chest. And here’s where CAD comes in…

A paper in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reveals how doctors are using innovative techniques to create the silicone implants used for reconstructive surgery. Here’s how it goes down:

“A thin-section computed tomography scan of the patient’s chest is obtained. The digital data are used to create a 3D CAD model of the implant, ‘virtually correcting’ the patient’s chest deformity. A prototype of the CAD model is prepared using 3D machining and used to cast a rubber silicone elastomer implant.”

It’s a far cry from the way many of us typically use CAD in fields like engineering and manufacturing. We’re always glad to see the varied applications of CAD, though—especially when it has such a positive use!

Work to begin on a new ‘WiFi road’ in the UK

Smart motorways are about to get a whole lot more intelligent, thanks to the introduction of WiFi. That’s because, in Kent, England, engineering and consultancy firm Costain have received the contract to design and install the A2/M2 smart motorway. You might also hear this referred to as the Connected Vehicle Corridor project.

The company recently revealed plans to install WiFi on the carriageway to send data between roadside units and vehicles. The information transmitted could be anything from speed limits to road conditions.

Costain want to use the findings to work out the best way to share information between vehicles and infrastructure. The company hopes that, once installed, the ‘WiFi road’ will improve journeys and reduce congestion by informing drivers of disruptions like road closures well in advance. 

This is a big, important project, with government institutions, tech firms and telecom companies all coming together to work on the plans. 

Costain chief executive, Andrew Wyllie, explains: 

“This is an important step in making our roads safer and improving journey time reliability by embracing cutting-edge technology.”

It’s great to see so many business sectors embracing technological advances. These are really exciting developments that could also set the standard for future smart motorways. Given the traffic jam we endured on the commute to work today, we sure hope so anyway! 

That just about wraps up the most interesting and important news from the CAD industries this month. Be sure to check back in at the end of September for all of the latest. Things sure move fast in the world of tech, so who knows what we’ll be dealing with by then!

For now, we’ll leave you with this super mesmerizing mechanical GIF, courtesy of the Reddit community. Enjoy! 

When a waterjet isn’t limited to 90 degrees. (Source)

This super handy collection of letters and digits translates your work so that it can be understood and replicated by a wide range of technology. Want to create your own t-shirts using just your designs and a 3D printer? G-Code. Fancy carving your brand logo in steel to create a striking business sign? G-Code. Planning to use a photoplotter to turn your graphics into wallpaper? G-Code. You see where we’re going with this.  

So, how do you get to grips with G-Code? Or, at least, how do you optimize your designs so that they’re ready to be converted to G-Code? Thankfully, there’s software out there that will do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. This is not to say that you can convert any old file to G-Code. In fact, you can make the entire process much more straightforward by making sure you select the right kind of file in the first place.

This article will lay out everything a beginner needs to know about G-Code, and which file formats you should use to achieve consistent, professional results. Let’s get stuck in!

• What is G-Code?
• Why convert your files to G-Code?
• Which files can you convert to G-Code?
  • Vector Files
    • DXF
    • DWG
    • SVG
  • What if I’m starting with a raster file?
    • TIFF
  • Vectorization
• How to convert your files to G-Code

What is G-Code?

G-Code is the language used to program Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines and other manufacturing hardware like 3D printers. What may look like a series of jumbled letters and digits to the untrained eye are actually Cartesian coordinate locations—instructions to the machine that determine measurements like speed, direction and depth.

In essence, the geometric code tells a computer where and how to move. You’ll see this kind of technology at work in machines like water jets—which can create physical designs based on mere computer images. Impressive stuff, really.

A simple drawing of straight lines doesn’t look so simple written in G-Code!

As we’ve previously touched upon, you don’t need to become fluent in G-Code in order to use a CNC machine. Far from it. Instead of writing the code yourself, we highly recommend using CAM software or CAD editing programs to create the relevant G-Code for you. 

Of course, if you’re passionate about this kind of thing and want to learn how to write the programming language yourself, it is possible. Be aware, though, that the code can differ slightly from one machine to the other. Best start studying your personal equipment’s user manual ASAP!

Why convert your files to G-Code?

Drill attachments for a CNC machine

To get the most out of them! With G-Code, you can create a whole range of products based on your designs. Furniture, clothes, machine parts, jewelry, signs—there’s a wide range of possibilities right at your fingertips. You can even start off small, using your own CNC kit or 3D printer to play around with designs. 

If you manage to successfully convert your files to a G-Code format, it also means other people can do interesting things with your designs. This is great for collaborative projects or scenarios in which you want to sell your designs on.

Which files can you convert to G-Code?

You can convert almost any file to G-Code with a solution like Scan2CAD

Technically, there’s a wide range of file formats that you can (eventually) convert to G-Code. But, let’s be honest, you’re here because you want to know the quickest and most efficient way to convert files to G-Code. If time (and patience) is in short supply, we recommend starting out with a vector file format.

Vector Files

Vector files are particularly compatible with CAD and CNC because they are made up of objects, as opposed to pixels. Each object is defined by a mathematical equation and can be edited individually by CAD software. This means, for example, that precise alterations can be made to parts of an image without it affecting the file as a whole. In addition, re-scaling or zooming in on said image (actions that are often necessary during CAD and CNC work) will not cause the overall quality to suffer—as can be the case with raster images. 

Check out some popular vector file formats below.

DXF

Short for Design eXchange Format, DXF files are an excellent option if you’re planning to convert your designs to G-Code. Created by Autodesk, it has become the standard format for those who work with different CAD software to exchange designs. Thanks to their open source format, people who don’t have Autodesk applications are still able to access DXF files created in AutoCAD.

Particularly if your designs are 2D vector images, we recommend storing them in the DXF format. From there, it will also be fairly simple to convert them to G-Code.

DWG

Similar to DXF in that it is also a creation of Autodesk, DWG (or DraWinG) files are primarily intended to be used in AutoCAD. In fact, it’s the native format for that software. So, if you’re working with AutoCAD and want to get the most out of it, DWG is the way to go. The downside, of course, is that if you (or your collaborators) are not using this specific software, you may not be able to access some DWG files.

The DWG format supports both 2D and 3D images—which is probably why it’s popular across a wide range of industries!

SVG

Another popular vector file format is SVG. Short for Scalable Vector Graphics, they’re (no surprise) particularly useful if you want to present your work in a range of different sizes. The benefits don’t stop there, though.

Rather than using them in CAD, these files are designed to be suitable for web-based work. You’ll find that most web browsers support the SVG format. On top of this, it’s quite simple to embed SVG images into web pages, so they’re a perfect option if you’re looking to replace raster files in this context.

What if I’m starting with a raster file?

As we’ve covered, files like DXF, DWG and SVG don’t need to be vectorized, so they can be exported directly to G-Code as they are (in most cases, anyway). If all of your work is saved in a raster format, do not panic. All it means is that you’ll have to perform an extra step before making the conversion to G-Code. Luckily, if you’re using software like Scan2CAD, both stages can be performed using the same program.

How easy this process will be largely depends on the quality of the file you’re starting with. If you must go raster, we recommend opting for a format like TIFF.

TIFF

One of the most versatile raster formats, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) files benefit from lossless compression—meaning even though they can be compressed, the overall quality of the image doesn’t suffer. This is particularly impressive because TIFF files can support literally millions of colours. It’s no surprise, then, that this format is a popular choice among those working with very high quality images.

It’s not all sunshine and roses, though—storing all of these colours requires space. Yes, TIFF files tend to be on the large side. Furthermore, you may struggle to find a web browser that will support them.

Vectorization

Left: The original raster image, Right: the image converted to vector outlines for G-Code

Even if a TIFF file is your starting point, it still suffers a lot of the same drawbacks as other raster files. They’re made up of pixels rather than individual objects, which means you cannot edit them with CAD software. Re-scaling and zooming will also result in pixelation and thus a loss of quality in your image.

However, when it comes to G-Code, the key issue is that you’re aiming to provide a CNC machine with directions to follow. Converting a vector file to G-Code is easy, as the objects in a vector file are defined by mathematical coordinates. It doesn’t take too much of a leap to go from one set of coordinates to another—it’s like translating into English from Spanish. Going from a raster file to G-Code, meanwhile, would be like translating into English from a bowl of Jell-O.  That’s because, while a raster image may look like it shows a series of lines to the human eye, a computer simply can’t perceive it. Instead, it sees every single pixel as distinct. It’s for this reason that you need to vectorize a raster file before attempting to convert to G-Code.

The process of vectorization involves tracing vector entities over a raster image. This can be done either manually or automatically. Before starting vectorization, you should clean up your original image and ensure it is in optimal condition. For advice on how to achieve this, consult our raster quality checklist.

Manually tracing your image requires skill, time and patience. If you’re adept at this kind of thing or enthusiastic about learning, be our guest. In general, however, we would always recommend automatic tracing. This simply involves getting computer software to do the hard work for you. Avoid relying on cheap (or free) online converters to complete such a task—they tend to be unreliable and often produce poor quality vector images. 

Programs like Scan2CAD can achieve professional results in seconds. Simply open your image in Scan2CAD, select your required vectorization settings and save! Now you should be ready for the switch to G-Code… 

How to convert your files to G-Code

You made it! You have a vector image cleaned up and ready to go. So, how do you make the transition to G-Code? Well, if you’re using Scan2CAD, it can be done and dusted in just a few simple clicks!

All you have to do is load your file into Scan2CAD and save it in a G-Code format. Yes, it’s that simple. In terms of the G-Code file extensions Scan2CAD supports, you have three options: .CNC, .NC and .TAP. Deciding which one to opt for generally depends on which one is going to be compatible with the CNC machine (or other hardware) you’re using. Consult the manual or give each one a try—after all, it’s not like it’s a particularly laborious process.

The conversion job doesn’t have to stop there, either. If you fancy getting a bit more specific with the settings (and employing some of your superior CNC knowledge) Scan2CAD also gives you the option to adjust the following:

• G-Code Bezier options – pick between cubic splines, arcs or polylines
• Arc and Circle Rotation – rotate clockwise or anticlockwise
• Z Settings – Set the Z Offset, Z Max for Passes, Z Limit per Pass and Z Retract per Pass
• Scaling – establish the required scale, either via the Menu or when prompted to upon saving.

You’ll be able to make these alterations using Scan2CAD’s CNC export dialog. 

You can convert many file formats to G-Code, but the process will be made smooth and simple if you begin with a vector image and use trustworthy conversion software. To give it a whirl yourself and start making the most of your designs, download your free trial of Scan2CAD today! 

Any kind of raster text is tricky to convert, but handwritten characters take things to a whole new level of complexity. In contrast to established fonts, the latter rarely contain regular or predictable patterns—which is basically what computers are searching for when you instruct them to find text within an image. This means that, if you’re looking to convert handwritten text, you need to use very sophisticated technology. Achieving the desired results depends both on selecting the right software and ensuring your original image is optimized for conversion.

This article lays out the extent to which it is realistically possible to convert handwritten text using OCR. We explore the potential and limits of current technology, and provide advice on how to get the most out of your handwritten work in a CAD context. 

The results of using OCR on handwritten text in Scan2CAD

Table of Contents

• What is OCR?
• How does OCR work?
  • Neural networks
• Why convert handwritten text?
  • Problems with raster images
    • Quality issues
    • Editing your images with CAD software
• How to ensure successful conversion
  • Image quality
  • Font
  • The right software
• How to convert handwritten text

What is OCR?

Optical Character Recognition, or OCR, is the technology that allows software to recognize text within an image. It thus performs a vital stage in the process of converting raster text to vector text. In fact, OCR’s ability to extract text from graphics or documents makes it an incredibly useful tool across a wide range of industries. Consider security cameras that can pick up car number plates, or digital architectural blueprints containing editable annotations—neither would be possible without OCR.

It comes in particularly handy in the world of CAD. Anyone who’s attempted to manually trace an image with text in order to convert it to a vector format knows that getting a computer to do the job is much easier! Until fairly recently, though, automatic tracing was not recommended if the image to be converted included handwritten text. A computer simply cannot compete with the human eye’s ability to recognize letters and numbers.

With OCR technology, however, certain software can now be trained to recognize a wide range of fonts and convert them accordingly.

How does OCR work?

OCR uses more than one approach when it comes to recognising text. The most basic way the technology distinguishes characters from pictures is through a technique known as pattern recognition. This involves a computer comparing objects within an image to letters already stored within its software. In other words, the software is equipped with a library of characters and the computer will search for the same patterns within your work and recognize when it finds a match.

The computer refers to its own catalog of characters to carry out pattern recognition

The problem with pattern recognition, at least for our purposes, is that it cannot detect handwritten text. No one writes in Times New Roman, after all. Thankfully, as the technology has become more sophisticated, it increasingly relies on a different tactic known as feature extraction.

Rather than trying to recognize full letters, feature extraction occurs when a computer detects certain features (lines and loops, for example) and understands that they signify a character. The letter ‘H’, for instance, will be picked up by the software whenever it detects two vertical lines joined in the middle by a smaller, horizontal line.

This technique means that a computer’s ability to recognize characters is not constrained to a limited number of fonts. From here, it can be trained to detect even handwritten text. 

Neural networks

Once software is able to perform feature extraction, it may be trained to detect features in handwritten text. Using neural networks, conversion programs like Scan2CAD can train OCR to recognize features from text that the user provides. Once it has learned to recognize a certain style of text from examples you have input, you can train the software to detect the same writing in different pieces of work.

If OCR is trained to recognize a particular individual’s handwriting (perhaps someone who creates technical drawings), it opens up a whole world of possibilities in terms of what they can do with their work.

Why convert handwritten text?

If you’re starting out with handwritten text (either scanned into your computer or written on a tablet), it will be in a raster format. Converting the image to a vector format will make your work more versatile and allow edits to be made by yourself and others.

Problems with raster images

Quality issues

Raster images are comprised of pixels. This means that if you attempt to zoom into or rescale the image you’re working on, the overall quality will suffer. In a professional context this is not exactly ideal. Take technical drawings, for example—your work may appear blurry when people attempt to zoom in to inspect certain details. Plus, it’s useful to be able to resize an image for different purposes. This is not possible with a raster file without compromising its overall quality.

Vector images, on the other hand, are made up of objects. Each object (be it an arc, path, line,  etc.) is defined by a mathematical equation. As every individual element has its own fixed relative position, re-scaling or zooming will not affect the overall quality of the image. 

Editing your images with CAD software

Vector files are the ultimate choice if you are looking to edit your work with CAD or CNC software. The objects that comprise a vector image can be edited individually, allowing for a high level of accuracy in the process. Raster files are not compatible with CAD software and even the most basic adjustments will have an impact on the entire image. 

Anyone working in an industry that uses CAD requires vector images to get the most out of their projects. If you are working on an architectural design that includes useful handwritten annotations, for example, you want your collaborators to be able to both read and amend the text where necessary. This level of precision and control is not possible with a raster image.

How to ensure successful conversion

Converting handwritten text, though possible, is by no means a simple task. You need to be realistic about the kind of characters a computer is going to be able to detect. To optimize your chances of success, you need to make sure your original image is viable. If you’re looking for professional results, the image needs to be cleaned up as much as possible. Consult our raster text quality checklist to ensure you have completed this stage.

Raster images with any of these problems are unlikely to convert successfully.

OCR software still has its limitations. If you find that your handwritten text cannot be converted automatically, it may be best to simply type over it with vector text. 

Image quality

The biggest issue that is flagged up by conversion software is image quality. If you want good quality results, you need to start with a good quality image. Computers are incredibly powerful, but they’re not miracle workers.

If the original file is of a low resolution, for instance, the software will have a hard enough time picking up any details—let alone the handwritten text! Your image should be clean, crisp and contain no overlapping text. It should go without saying, therefore, that joined up handwriting will be impossible for a computer to detect.

Font

There is actually a font specifically designed to be read by OCR technology, handily named OCR-A. It’s commonly used for banking purposes—you’ll recognize it as the font on credit cards and cheques.

Digits in OCR-A font

Generally speaking, for OCR purposes, established fonts like Arial are a suitable choice. This obviously isn’t realistic for what we’re covering here, but it’s a good rule of thumb to remember for general OCR practices. At least try to ensure your handwriting is as neat, consistent and clear as it can be.

As you’ll be using a non-standard font (handwriting), make use of technology like the aforementioned neural networks. If the relevant software is already trained to recognize your writing, you stand a higher chance of success when it comes to conversion. 

The right software

Example of vector text strings. This is the desired result of vectorization because they can be edited and displayed correctly.

Repeat after me: not all conversion software is created equal! This is especially apparent when it comes to converting text, be it handwritten or typed. The result you’re looking for is a text string. If you use a cheap online converter, you may end up with what is known as exploded text.

The latter is not in fact text, but a collection of vector shapes that are basically impossible to edit. Scan2CAD, meanwhile, will ensure that conversion produces text strings—text that is rendered correctly, presented logically and can be edited easily. 

How to convert handwritten text

Once your raster image has been cleaned up and you’ve run through the checklist, it’s time to convert. Scan2CAD allows you to do this with handwritten text, and it works in two stages.

The first stage is font training which, as we’ve previously mentioned, involves using neural networks to train the software to recognize your writing. This is a fairly complex process, but don’t worry—the computer is doing most of the work!

In short, you’ll need to create a new training set, add your text examples, train the neural network to recognize them and then test that it has learned the new training set. For detailed instructions head over to the ‘How to train Scan2CAD to recognize a font‘ section of the user manual. 

Now that your handwriting is detectable by the software, you can carry out the conversion following the instructions under the convert a raster image with text section. 

Once your image is saved in a vector format, you can start really making the most of your work! 

Video: Converting handwritten text with Scan2CAD

Table of Contents

• What is vectorization?
• Common vector formats
  • DXF
  • DWG
  • SVG
• Why vectorize an image?
  • Raster vs vector
    • Common raster formats
  • For use with CAD
• How does vectorization work?
  • Manual tracing
  • Automatic tracing
• Pre-vectorization
  • Clean up for optimal results
• Post-vectorization
  • CAD software options

What is vectorization?

Vectorization refers to the process of converting an image to a vector format. While raster files are made up of pixels, vector images are made up of a collection of individual objects. These objects may be in the form of arcs, lines, text, etc. Each one is defined by a mathematical equation. This means that even if you zoom in on the image or re-scale it, the quality will not be compromised.

The same cannot be said for raster files. Zooming in or resizing an image stored in a raster format will result in pixelation—thus, the quality will suffer. As a result of these kinds of drawbacks, people looking to create, share and edit designs with CAD software will need to vectorize their raster images.

Common vector formats

DXF

DXF is a vector file format developed by Autodesk. It was created with the intention of allowing users to share their designs between multiple CAD programs. This explains its full title: Design eXchange Format. DXF is an open source format, which means that developers can include support for it in their software without having to pay for licensing. This has the effect of making the sharing process easier. Even if you’re working with AutoCAD drawings, for example, other people do not necessarily need to have Autodesk software to access them (which can be an issue with some other vector file types).

Thanks to these benefits, DXF has become the standard file format for data exchange within CAD. Industries across the globe are able to successfully collaborate on projects without being restricted to a single type of CAD software. We highly recommend using DXF files if you’re looking to be able to share your designs.

DWG

DWG is a file format that was also developed by Autodesk. Initially created in the late 1970s, DWG was included alongside DXF from the very first version of AutoCAD in 1982. So, what makes it different? Well, DWG is the native file format for AutoCAD. DWG files are designed to be used with this specific software in mind and should enable you to get the most out of all of its features. This file format is therefore a great option if you work primarily with AutoCAD.

DWG stand for ‘drawing‘, with both 2D and 3D images being supported. As you can probably guess, the downside to this file type is that not all programs (especially those not made by Autodesk) will be able to access DWG files. It’s still not the end of the world if you find yourself needing to open DWG files and you don’t have the native software. While you might not be able to edit the images, there are ways you can at least view DWG files without AutoCAD.

SVG

Standing for Scalable Vector Graphics, this vector format is—you guessed it!—particularly useful if you’re going to be re-scaling your designs.

What separates SVG from other vector files, like DXF and DWG, is the fact that SVGs are suited primarily for use on the web, rather than with CAD. Practically all web browsers support this format. Plus, it’s easy to embed SVG images into web pages, making them a great replacement for raster images in this realm.

Why vectorize an image?

Raster vs vector

While raster and vector formats can both be useful in their own ways, vector images are a necessary choice if you’re looking to use your designs in a CAD context. We’ve already touched on the quality issues that come with re-scaling images that are a collection of pixels—and that’s not where the issues end.

Raster images need to store color information for every single pixel, resulting in the file sizes being fairly hefty. This isn’t ideal in terms of computer storage. You also might not be very popular with the colleagues you share designs with, as you’ll be forcing them to download large files.

Raster images can still be of a high quality and are useful for those working in roles involving digital photography or web design. Additionally, despite their large size, most standard image editing software supports raster files, so they can be useful for sharing and storing images. However, if you need to edit individual elements within your image, or make it compatible with CNC software, vectorization is the way to go.

Common raster formats

For use with CAD

The major advantage to vectorizing an image is that they can then be easily edited with CAD or CNC software. Remember those individual elements we referred to earlier? Well, each one can be recognized by CAD software and edited separately. This means that, whether you’re dealing with lines, paths or curves, each can be tweaked without making changes to the rest of the image. Every object is designated its own mathematical formula, allowing for a significant level of precision in the editing process.

As we’ve already mentioned, while you’re editing a design, you can zoom in and out of the image to your heart’s content, without the overall quality being affected. This is not the case with raster images—designs cannot be edited pixel by pixel and zooming or rescaling can leave you looking at a blurry image. As a result, if you’re looking to use your images in CAD, vector formats are certainly the way to go.

How does vectorization work?

In order to vectorize an image, the original raster version must be traced. This can be done either manually (by hand), or automatically (by a computer).

Let’s look at the pros and cons of each option…

Manual tracing

Manual tracing is exactly what it sounds like—physically drawing vector elements over the raster image. This is usually achieved using either a graphics pen or computer mouse. You will need to possess both basic drawing skills and a lot of patience to complete this task. If that sounds doable, there are certain benefits to this approach.

Carrying out the tracing yourself means you can closely control the entire process. Computers might be very clever, but they are yet to be able to recognise small details in images as accurately as the human eye. Doing it yourself is therefore the better option if your image is low quality, as you’ll be able to pick up details that may be missed by vectorization software. Converting an image through manual tracing can also be an interesting (if you’re a design enthusiast) and rewarding journey. You’ll be improving your skills and no doubt learning new things along the way.

On the other hand, be careful not to be too ambitious. Unless you’re a professional tracer, the manual approach should only be attempted if the image you’re working with is fairly simple. Otherwise, vectorizing the image could turn out to be an incredibly time-consuming and burdensome task. Be prepared for what you’re setting yourself up for!

Automatic tracing

If you don’t fancy doing all the work yourself, there’s a range of software out there that can automatically trace the image for you. Once your work has been opened with a conversion program, the technology is able to detect the features of your raster image and trace over them with vector entities. Thanks to constantly improving technology, many programs can now produce highly professional results in an amazingly short amount of time.

Automatically tracing a technical drawing floorplan using Scan2CAD

Take Scan2CAD, for example. Our software makes the conversion process quick and easy. Open your raster image in Scan2CAD, run vectorization and export the image to your chosen vector format.

In a matter of seconds you’ll have a professional vector image with which to work. To have a go at this yourself, download the free trial below.

Despite the obvious convenience of automatic tracing, you will need to make sure that your original raster image is appropriate and optimized for the conversion process. In other words, you should ‘clean‘ the image. 

Pre-vectorization

Clean up for optimal results

Once you’ve decided to vectorize an image, there’s a couple of steps you need to take before actually starting the process. In order to achieve the best results possible, make sure your raster image is of a high quality before conversion. Ensure you do this even if you think your original image is fine—there are often flaws that you won’t notice at first glance.

Beware of these common image problems.

There are a few different steps you can take to clean up an image to make it suitable for conversion. These include altering the color depth, smoothing or thickening lines, and ensuring any holes are removed. For a thorough description of what each of these steps involve, and others you should take, consult Scan2CAD’s raster quality checklist.

Be aware that if your original image is broken, fuzzy, or contains overlaid information, it is unlikely to be suitable for vectorization. If you notice any of these features, select a new starting image before wasting any time attempting to vectorize.

Once your chosen image is as clean as you can make it, you’re good to go!

Post-vectorization

Now that you have professional standard vector images to play with, you can get to work making the most of your designs! But how to start? Well, when it comes to CAD, you have a wide range of software options. Consult the following table to learn more about some of the top names in the industry. 

CAD software options

These days, a specialized CAD mouse can offer all of these features and more. Selecting which one is right for you can be hard when the amount of choice is overwhelming. If you’re here, we’re assuming you’ve decided to go for something a bit more advanced than a standard 3 button mouse. It should be noted, though, that many CAD users actually prefer to go back to basics and make do with these. It saves money and isn’t such a big deal if your mouse ever needs replacing. 

Then again, if you really want to take your designs to the next level and improve workflow, it makes sense to take advantage of everything modern technology has to offer. In this article we’ll run through a few of the top options on the market for CAD users and weigh up their pros and cons. The main consideration to take into account when purchasing any hardware is quality versus price. With CAD in mind, it’s also useful to think about which mouse will slot efficiently into your existing workstation. So, let’s get into it!

Uses of a Good CAD Mouse

The hardware you select will largely be shaped by what you intend to do with it. CAD of course involves a range of tasks, but it’s likely you’ll be spending a majority of your time using the mouse to draft. The important difference when selecting a mouse lies in whether you’re drafting in 2D or 3D. So, what exactly do you use a CAD mouse for?

Those drafting in 2D need their mouse to enable them to have full control over their designs, with a highly sensitive cursor for accuracy. 3D drafters need this too, of course, along with the ability to smoothly navigate in three dimensions. That means panning, zooming and rotating. Professional CAD users need to be able to do these actions simultaneously, without having to stop and start again when changing directions.

You will find a range of CAD mouses designed exactly for the purpose of manipulating 3D images. Some drafters even prefer to use a ‘primary’ mouse in conjunction with a specialized 3D motion controller, in order to gain a high level of precision with their movements. Expect a slight hike in the price if you want equipment that specializes in 3D navigation, but it is often worth it, as it can make a vast improvement to your work.

Factors to Consider when Buying a Mouse for CAD

1. Comfort

Forget the fancy extra features—CAD drafters might be using a mouse for more than 8 hours a day, so the first detail to check off the list is whether the mouse is comfortable to use. You may not get a realistic idea of how it will feel over time until you’ve actually put in a full day of work. Based on personal preference, though, there are certain ergonomic designs you can veto.

Along with the standard 3 button mouse shape, models designed for CAD can come with trackballs attached, extra buttons down the side, and even in vertical form. Everyone will have differing opinions on whether these extras are a help or a hindrance. 

When considering a new mouse, it’s also important to think about the length and intensity of the work you do. The mouse you choose will have a dramatic effect on on how your hand will be positioned throughout the day. Comfort is a key factor in productivity, so don’t overlook this element.

2. Buttons

Basic mouse commands on AutoCAD

When working on something as complex as CAD designs, there’ll be a variety of different commands you need to be able to implement. As a result, three buttons is rarely enough. Thankfully, plenty of CAD mouses come with extra buttons. This can be great, as long as they don’t take up so much room on the mouse that it starts to affect the comfort element.

A way many manufacturers get around this issue is by adding a small number of extra buttons, each of which can be programmed to access different commands, or take you to a different menu. These features are generally designed to be compatible with software like AutoCAD. Customizable buttons are a great feature that opens up a world of possibilities in terms of how you can create and edit designs.

The scroll wheel is also a major point of contention for many people. It’s great for panning and zooming, but if it is also acting as a button, it can be tricky to avoid scrolling when you’re just trying to select something. Find a mouse that makes the scroll wheel easy to click or, better yet, provides an extra button behind the actual scroll wheel.

3. DPI

A major specification most CAD users look out for in a mouse is sensitivity. That is, how far the cursor will move on the screen in relation to how far you move the mouse. This is measured in dot per inch (DPI). So, if a mouse has a sensitivity of 800 DPI, the cursor should move 800 pixels for every inch you move the mouse.

Those working with CAD are generally looking for a high DPI. Constantly making big motions with the mouse when navigating designs is no good for your work space—or your arm for that matter!

4. Wireless or USB

Image source: Rayi Christian Wicaksono on Unsplash

It’s pretty basic, but you should also think about whether you prefer a wireless mouse, or one that connects to your computer via a USB cable. Bear in mind that a cordless mouse might be heavier due to the batteries inside. If this is an issue for you, some manufacturers produce wireless models that can be charged by cable, rather than battery run.

Those of you who have had experience with them will also know that it is often extra frustrating trying to determine the root of connectivity issues with a wireless mouse!

On the other hand, if your mouse connects by cable, it involves more desk clutter and you may find yourself knocking things over when you’re required to move your mouse in elaborate motions. Given the amount of hardware CAD often requires, it’s likely there’s already a lot of things competing for space on your desk.

As you can see, each comes with its own pros and cons, so it’s mainly down to personal preference.

5. The best mouse for 2D drafting vs 3D modelling

If the majority of your CAD work involves 2D drafting in software such as AutoCAD then your mouse requirements might be much simpler than if you are predominantly working in 3D modelling. CAD engineers who design 3D models may wish to easily and intuitively switch between different 3D views of their CAD model. This fluid changing of views can be enabled by a suitable CAD mouse designed specifically for this use-case.

6. Price

For a mouse that you can use with CAD, you can pay anything from $10 (a standard computer mouse will do the job) to over $200. If you’re looking for high quality and special features that are designed to enhance the CAD process, expect a figure at the mid to high-end of this spectrum.

Making a wise decision really depends on how often you’re using the mouse and how advanced you realistically need it to be, based on the work you’re required to produce. In other words, will paying over $100 for a CAD mouse be an investment, or an extravagance? If your career is rooted in CAD, a specialised mouse is certainly a worthy item to invest in. 

Mouse for CAD: Our top 5 picks

Here are the 5 best options for a CAD mouse:

1. 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro 3D Mouse
2. Logitech MX Master 3S
3. Keychron M6
4. Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro Wireless Mouse
5. Logitech Triathlon M720

Be sure to continue reading below for detailed descriptions of each option.

1. 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro 3D Mouse (3DX-700040)

Features of 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro 3D Mouse (3DX-700040)

• 15 buttons
• Controller cap with patented 6-degrees-of-freedom sensor
• Controller cap that can be pushed, pulled, twisted, or tilted to pan, zoom, or rotate a 3D drawing (6 degrees of freedom)
• Compatibility with Windows (7, 8.1, and 10), macOS, and Linux
• Ability to automatically recognize application environments and assign appropriate commands to four Intelligent Function Keys
• On-screen display that provides visual reminder of the commands assigned to each Intelligent Function Key
• Shift, Control, Esc, and Alt buttons (thanks to these buttons, you do not have to move your hands regularly to use these very keys on the keyboard)
• QuickView Keys to access different views within the CAD application environment

Product Description

The SpaceMouse Pro 3D mouse does not conform to the conventional definition of a mouse. This is because it is not a mouse. Instead, it is a 3D motion controller that comes with additional keys – 15 of them – designed for people who want to take 3D navigational ability to the next level. It’s made by the same company that produced the CadMouse Pro and is perfect to be used in conjunction with that mouse, for optimum control. Its ergonomic design as well as a full-size, soft-coated hand rest improve comfort and ensure optimal hand positioning in order to easily and more naturally use the controller cap.

The controller cap’s superior ability to manipulate 3D digital imagery comes from its patented 6-Degrees-of-Freedom sensor. By pushing, pulling, twisting and tilting the controller, you are not only able to move up, down, left, and right—but front and back too! Panning, zooming and rotating is a breeze thanks to this patented technology.

It’s fitted with multiple buttons, including some that you would ordinarily find on a keyboard. We are talking about the Shift, Control, Esc, and Alt buttons; 3Dconnexion  includes these buttons to boost the user experience by minimising unnecessary hand movement considering the other hand is meant to rest on a mouse. Other buttons include the Intelligent Function Keys and QuickView Keys. The SpaceMouse automatically assigns commands to the function keys while the QuickView keys are designed to enable you to quickly toggle between multiple views.

While impressive, this is quite specialized equipment. It is in fact not regarded as a mouse. Rather, it is a 3D motion controller. We’d only suggest investing in such technology if it will play a large role in your work. 

3. Keychron M6

Features of Keychron M6

• 800 mAh rechargeable battery with up to 80 hours usage duration (1K version) or up to 120 hours (4K version)
• Lightweight, ergonomic design
• Detachable Type-C to Type-C cable + Type-A to Type-C adapter
• Bluetooth 5.1 and 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity
• Polling rate of up to 4000 Hz (4K version) and up to 1000 Hz (1K version)
• PixArt 3395 sensor
• DPI range of 100 to 26,000
• 80 million click switch lifespan
• 10 customizable buttons
• Ability to adjust DPI and polling rate without software installation (thanks to buttons at the bottom)

Product Description

Features of Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro

• Dual connectivity (it can connect to two devices simultaneously)
• Up to 120 hours of battery life on bluetooth mode
• 8 programmable buttons
• RGB lights
• Focus+ 20,000 DPI optical sensor
• Injection-molded rubber side grips (for more secure swipes)

Product Description

If you require a high DPI ratio, look no further than the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro. The DeathAdder V2 Probuilds on an already storied history of its predecessor, the DeathAdder. Known for its ergonomic design and compact shape that made it perfect for a palm grip, the DeathAdder has sold over 10 million units. With the DeathAdder V2 Pro, Razer has built on this legacy and made additional improvements that improve not only  the accuracy but also the user experience. The V2 Pro has shed weight while retaining the original shape – it now weighs a paltry 3.1 ounces (88 grams).

Despite its relatively average size, this mouse packs in eight programmable buttons. Additionally, Razer has not compromised on the battery life – you can in fact use the DeathAdder V2 Pro for up to 120 hours on Bluetooth mode or up to 70 hours when you switch to the Hyperspeed Wireless mode, which increases the performance of the mouse. According to Razer, the Hyperspeed Wireless mode makes the DeathAdder V2 Pro 25% faster than competing wireless mouses.

While this kind of mouse is often used primarily for gaming, many people have found it to be highly beneficial for CAD as well. One of the features that makes it well suited for design work is its 2nd generation optical switch that eliminates unintended double clicks. This, coupled with the 99.6% resolution accuracy, makes the DeathAdder V2 Pro one of the best mouses for CAD.

5. Logitech Triathlon (M720)

Features of Logitech Triathlon (M720)

• 24-month battery life
• Dual connectivity
• Easy-switch technology (enables users to switch among three paired computers)
• 1000 DPI 
• 8 programmable buttons
• Logitech Options Software that lets you customise the different buttons
• Hyperfast scrolling
• Laser-grade tracking
• Compatibility with Windows 10, 11, or later; Linux; macOS 10.5 or later; Android 5.0 or later; iPadOS 13.4 or later; ChromeOS

Product Description

Conclusion

Hopefully this list has narrowed down your search for the perfect CAD mouse. When it comes down to it, comfort and functionality are key—so make sure your hardware at least checks those boxes. Anything you can use for long periods of time, without having to take a break, is going to aid your productivity significantly. That said, here’s a list of the best CAD mouse for different categories:

• Best 3D modeling mouse/controller: 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro 3D Mouse
• Best cheap CAD mouse: Logitech Triathlon M720
• Best high precision CAD mouse: Keychron M6
• Best ergonomic mouse: Logitech MX Master 3S
• Best compact CAD mouse: 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse
• Best overall CAD mouse: 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro 3D Mouse

Still not sure which mouse to go for? When in doubt, keep it simple. Just like in choosing a CAD monitor, for instance, whether you even need a 4K monitor, there’s no point spending a lot of money on a mouse that doesn’t suit either you or your work. Try out different styles where you can, and build up a list of personal preferences until you’re ready to invest in one of the more specialized models. And if you intend to build the ultimate CAD PC and are in the market looking for a budget CAD monitor, consider checking out our analysis of the best CAD monitors under $1,000.

Anyone considering upgrading their system these days may contemplate forking out for what is considered the crème de la crème of display screens: the 4K monitor. If you’re looking for incredible image quality, high pixel density and exact rendering, it doesn’t get much better.

While still fairly cutting edge, 4K isn’t exactly new. In fact, 4K monitors have been around for over a decade. What is a recent development is monitors of this standard being available to the masses. In other words, you no longer need to remortgage your house in order to own one.

The BenQ BL2711U 4K Monitor will set you back a very reasonable $463.00

Quite the opposite—these days you can get a 4K monitor of your very own for less than $500. Given the reasonable pricing, the decision to invest in a 4K monitor might sound like a no-brainer. Don’t get your wallet out just yet, though.

Before taking the leap into the undoubtedly dazzling world of 4K, make sure you’re aware of its possible shortcomings. In this article we’ll explore the pros and cons of 4K monitors, and contemplate whether now is the time to upgrade to ultra high definition.

Table of Contents

• What is 4K?
• The benefits of switching to 4K
  • Incredible image quality
  • More room to play
  • Investment in the future
• Issues with 4K
  • Software compatibility
  • Hardware compatibility
  • 3D performance
  • Eye strain
• 4K monitor for CAD—should you invest?

What is 4K?

4K is named so because it denotes a horizontal screen resolution in the order of 4000 pixels. This makes them double the horizontal and vertical resolution of FHD (full high definition) displays. Though the 4000 pixel count is not exact (in fact, there are a range of resolutions that fall under the ‘4K’ banner), each version of 4K is still a major advancement from FHD standards.

A screen packing this level of pixel density is able to show intricate details of an image in an impressively high quality, without users having to zoom in. In the last few years, the television and film industries in particular have been making the transition to 4K. The incredibly sharp images and vivid colors produced by the technology enhances viewing experiences significantly. Plus, as you might imagine, it can take gaming to another level!

But what about CAD? Sure, many in the industry have already made the move to 4K—but it hasn’t exactly been plain sailing. The falling price of 4K monitors doesn’t necessarily correlate with CAD software’s ability to support these resolutions. Plus, depending on the specs of the rest of your workstation, you may need to upgrade some of your other hardware components if you want them to be able to keep up.

Thankfully, things move fast in the world of tech and the issues that crop up are constantly being ironed out. The more accessible 4K is to consumers, the more computers and operating systems are getting better at handling 4K.

The benefits of switching to 4K

Incredible image quality

You simply can’t escape the fact that 4K monitors provide outstanding clarity and a level of precision that is unmatched by most other displays. Considering the importance of detail and accuracy in computer aided design, 4K monitors should be a welcome addition. A workman is only as good as his tools, after all!

The benefits of 4K monitors match CAD users’ needs in a variety of ways. The level of intricacy and crispness of images provides the perfect canvas on which designers can make adjustments with a very high degree of accuracy. Colors and gradients will be precise, and the overall quality will be clean, professional and striking. With every aspect of an image presented in high resolution, your designs will never look better!

More room to play

With 4K, you no longer have to navigate multiple screens

Say goodbye to your dual display set-up—4K monitors allow far more information to be displayed on a single screen. After all, you’re working with four times as many pixels now! When you first turn your new monitor on, you’ll notice icons and text appear much smaller. Despite this, they’ll be just as clear and defined (if not more so) as before. The resulting increase in workspace means your display can handle multiple applications being open at the same time.

This is great for multitasking, as everything you need is in the same place. Plus, you can clear space in your actual office environment because you only need one screen. You might be so used to having multiple displays that you don’t want to reduce to one, and that’s fine. Nice to know you have the option, though!

Many CAD users also report that 4K monitors can increase productivity. You can see the entirety of your designs in glorious ultra high definition—so you don’t need to spend as much time zooming in and out. Add to this the fact that you’re not constantly switching between screens, and you can see how work rate can improve.

Investment in the future

Samsung U28E590D 4K Monitor

Even if you run into some initial hurdles with your 4K monitor, it’s likely to be because this part of your workstation is too advanced—either for some other hardware or the software you’re using. Though this is frustrating in the short-term, at least you know that everything else will eventually catch up.

Such a purchase can be considered a worthwhile investment, because it is still fairly new technology and so is unlikely to become outdated any time soon. Particularly if your system is due to be upgraded anyway, it makes sense to invest in something that will carry you through the foreseeable future.

Issues with 4K

When 4K monitors first became affordable for the average CAD practitioner, many rushed out to buy them because of the aforementioned benefits. However, many of those early consumers found that the elevated user experience promised by such technology didn’t exactly match up with the reality. The problem? It’s no use having the latest monitor if the rest of your workstation can’t keep up.

Software compatibility

Before switching to a 4K monitor, you must ensure that the CAD software you’re using supports 4K displays. If it doesn’t, you can kiss goodbye to those sharp images and accurate renderings.

Venture into the user forums of Solidworks and AutoCAD, and you’ll find plenty of people complaining about compatibility issues and less-than-stellar display quality on their 4K monitors. Icons are pixelated, text is both small and large with no discernable organisational structure… etc.

These problems usually arise because, in lieu of compatibility with 4K, the input is simply scaled to fit the screen. As a result, you may find yourself with a monitor displaying the opposite of the high resolution results that were advertised.

If you don’t think your CAD software is to blame, it’s also worth adjusting the scaling settings on your operating system. There are known scaling inaccuracies with 4K monitors and some older versions of Windows, for example.

In 2018 these issues have largely subsided, as most CAD software providers have released updated versions that support 4K displays. Native 4K support exists on the latest version of both Solidworks and CATIA—not to mention AutoCAD, as explained in our overview of AutoCAD 2018’s top features.

As is often the case with software, new issues may rear their head at any time. It’s therefore definitely worth double-checking for compatibility issues before investing in 4K.

Hardware compatibility

There are always going to be certain components of your workstation that you’re willing to invest more money in than others. It can make sense, depending on the demands of your work.

If this is the case, however, you still need to make sure that all of your hardware at least meets some kind of uniform standard. Otherwise, each component may not be able to operate at its full potential. Sure, your software might now be compatible with 4K—but is your hardware?

Make sure your graphics card is up to the job!

There are two areas in particular where this will matter. First off, 4K monitors are large and thus will require more RAM to run correctly. CAD itself can eat into quite a bit of your system’s memory, so if you’re also working with a 4K monitor, we’d suggest starting with at least 8-16GB of RAM.

You should also check whether the graphics card you’re using will need to be updated to accommodate 4K. The high resolution demands a lot of processing power, so make sure your GPUs are up to the job. If you’re unsure of what to go for, graphics cards that come with a DisplayPort are recommended for use with 4K monitors.

3D performance

Working with a graphics card that can’t keep up with 4K can have a knock-on effect to other aspects of your work. For example, if you’re working on CAD models it’s probable that you’ll want to view and edit your designs in 3D.

If your GPU is already having to work overtime to render the high number of pixels on the screen, you may find other features, like frame rates, slow down. Once applications become less responsive, basic actions like accurately repositioning your CAD model become tricky.

Again, it’s only worth investing in an ultra high definition monitor if the rest of your system can keep pace with it. Hopefully, switching to a 4K monitor won’t require an overhaul of your entire system…

Eye strain

Perhaps your software and hardware is up to scratch and your 4K monitor is running like a dream—great! The only thing is, you also have to consider the impact this large screen with highly defined graphics is having on your health. In particular, 4K monitors can cause users to strain their eyes.

As we’ve discussed, the higher pixel density means text and icons can be presented on a much smaller scale, allowing for plenty more room on your workspace. Even though the image quality does not suffer, the overall reduction in size may cause you to squint a lot. On top of this, the screen is much larger and you are likely viewing it from a close distance. All of these things can be damaging for your eye health.

Obviously it’s important for anyone staring at a computer screen for long periods of time to take a break every now and then to give their eyes a rest. The problem is, if you’re working on a CAD project, you may not have the luxury of taking frequent breaks. Another thing you can do is look into the settings of the software you’re using. Try adjusting the scaling settings to make it easier on your eyes.

4K monitor for CAD—should you invest?

A few years ago, we would probably have advised you to hang back on splashing your cash on a 4K monitor. Then again, things move fast in the world of tech. While there are still some issues affecting certain users, it’s in the interest of the manufacturers that the transition to 4K is made easier and requires less effort on the part of consumers. Improvements have certainly been more noticeable in the past couple of years, as more CAD software providers include support for 4K in their products.

Given the nature of CAD work, if you can afford it, it makes sense to invest in the best monitors on the market. Utilizing the most advanced technology at your disposal can ensure your work is the best it can be. Soon enough 4K may become the established standard, so getting comfortable with the technology now will set you up for the future.

If it’s going to require a full upgrade of your entire workstation, you might want to wait a while—at least until prices drop a little further. Work out how much of an overall adjustment it will require, and whether it is worth it in your current situation.

Planning on an overhaul of your entire workstation anyway? 4K could be the way to go. If you’re ready to take the plunge, you can find a couple of good options on our list of 5 best CAD monitors under $1000.

Depending on the conversion software you’re using, text is not always converted correctly—or even recognised at all! Thankfully, Scan2CAD includes a special feature that ensures your text won’t be overlooked during the conversion process: OCR technology. In this article, we’ll explore how this feature can elevate your work and how easy it is to get started with vectorizing your text today.

Table of contents

• Raster vs vector: why convert your text?
• Common problems with text conversion
  • Raster quality issues
  • Text strings vs. exploded text
• Using Scan2CAD to convert text
  • OCR technology
  • Step-by-step guide to converting a raster image with text

Raster vs. vector: why convert your text?

Whether you’re working on engineering plans, architectural designs or something similar, it’s likely you’ll want your project to be editable and user-friendly. In other words, it’s useful to be able to share your designs across different platforms and allow input from a variety of people.

If your work is stored in a raster format, it can suffer from quality issues and may be problematic to share due to large file sizes. Additionally, if a team in another office tries to zoom in on a certain aspect of your design, the overall image will become blurry because raster graphics are made up of pixels. This also means it cannot be edited by CAD software.

Vector files, on the other hand, are made up of individual elements (based on mathematical equations) that can be recognised (and thus manipulated) by CAD or CNC programs. Along with their smaller size and high quality, this makes vector formats a popular choice with designers and engineers alike.

Common problems with text conversion

Raster quality issues

Don’t bother converting any raster image that sports any of these problems…

One of the most common problems you may run into when vectorizing text is something that can be fixed before the conversion process has even begun: the quality of your raster image. You need to make sure that the graphic you’re converting is of as high a quality as possible. As is the case with any image about to be vectorized, text should be as clear and sharp as you can make it. 

Even when using Scan2CAD, it’s important that you clean-up the designs you want to convert. Bear in mind that your image may look perfect in full screen, but once you zoom in, flaws begin to appear. If you’re struggling with how to go about cleaning up your work, take a look at our raster quality checklist. Scan2CAD includes an image editing suite with all the tools you need to meet these standards. 

Text strings vs. exploded text

Some conversion software will fail to differentiate between images and text. In these cases the text is not recognised as such and so is simply converted to vector shapes—like circles and angles. The outcome is known as exploded text. It’s not actually text, often looks wrong, and is very hard (if not impossible) to edit. 

Example of exploded text.

When converting text from raster to vector, you’re aiming to create text strings—actual vector text that can be edited. Thankfully, Scan2CAD has the features required to produce text strings rather than exploded text.

Example of vector text strings.

Using Scan2CAD to convert text

Scan2CAD is a great option to pick if you’re converting raster text to vector. Not only does it provide the means to clean-up your work prior to conversion and thus produce the best results, it also offers a comprehensive editing suite that means you can edit the text directly within your designs post-conversion.

Meanwhile, forget the hassle of manual tracing—Scan2CAD boasts a special feature that ensures automatic text conversion with professional results: OCR. 

OCR technology

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is technology that draws on its own database of patterns to detect text characters in your work. It can then convert the text in your designs to editable vector text (or text strings). What’s even more helpful is that said text will also be rendered correctly and presented logically—a result not all conversion programs can produce. 

Even with this sophisticated technology at your disposal, though, converting text can be a tricky business. Once you’ve deemed the quality of your raster to be good enough to vectorize, it’s time to have a quick look through the raster text quality checklist. Yes, we at Scan2CAD love a quality checklist—we’re all about professional results, after all!

Here’s the raster text quality checklist basics:

• Although OCR recognises most standard font patterns, rarer ones may not be detected. Check out the font training section of the manual for help with resolving this issue.
• OCR can struggle to read handwritten text. If you’ve got the time, you can actually train Scan2CAD’s neural networks to recognise it, but you’re probably better off typing over handwritten words with vector text.
• Watch out for overlapping elements—if the text happens to be written over drawing elements, for instance, you should pick another image because OCR won’t be able to detect the text.
• Avoid having characters that are very close together because OCR will struggle to separate them. To combat this, select OCR→Settings→Split before starting OCR.

If your work meets these conditions, OCR should recognise your raster text and you’ll be good to go!

Step-by-step guide to converting a raster image with text

Converting text in an electrical schematic image with Scan2CAD

Step 1 – Preparing your image for conversion

The first step is to ensure your image is suitable for OCR. Scan2CAD has a suite of tools to clean your image making it suitable for conversion, we call these tools ‘Raster Effects’. Use the Raster Effects to remove image distortion and clean any image noise.

Step 2 – Choose your conversion settings

Click the convert icon, which looks like this:  

The Vectorization Settings dialogue will launch. You’ll find the OCR settings under the ‘OCR’ tab. Don’t forget to choose the size of the text in the raster image and the text rotation.

Step 3 – Convert

Hit the ‘Run’ button to convert your design. Wait for the conversion to complete and look at the results in the preview window. If you do not get the results you require, tweak the settings and run the conversion again until you’re happy. Finally, hit ‘OK’ to save the results.

And you’re done!

Once you’ve successfully vectorized your work (text and all!), why not make the most of Scan2CAD’s features and check out our tutorials for converting and editing vector text—it’s great for adding those finishing touches. Whether you’re working with images, text, or both, Scan2CAD is the best option for all of your conversion needs. Take advantage of our 14 day free trial and see the results for yourself!

If you’re looking to use CAD software with your images, however, you’ll soon run into problems. BMPs are raster files and thus unsuitable for use with CAD. In order to make them compatible with editing software and achieve pro results, you will need to vectorize your images.

Luckily, with programs like Scan2CAD, the vectorization process need not be complicated or time consuming. In fact, this article will outline how you can go about converting BMP images with ease. Plus, we’ll explore your options when it comes to which vector file type to select. 

Table of Contents

• What is BMP?
• What are vector graphics?
• Raster vs vector
  • Which vector format to choose?
• Converting BMP to vector
  • Manual tracing
  • Automatic tracing
• Using Scan2CAD to convert your images

What is BMP?

BMP stands for Bitmap. As previously mentioned, BMP files are the native image file format of Windows and computers will often store images in this format unless instructed otherwise. They can be useful in the sense that saving images in this format does not affect their quality because BMP files don’t use compression. On the other hand, this means that the files are on the larger side and so take up a lot of storage space. 

Another upside to BMP files is that they are widely accessible. They’re a useful choice if you’re simply looking to share your images, because most computers will be able to open them.

From a CAD perspective, BMPs are problematic because they store images as raster graphics. This means the images are made up of pixels rather than individual objects. As soon as you zoom or attempt to re-scale a raster image, you will notice a reduction in quality. Perhaps most importantly, raster files are not compatible with CAD software. If you’re looking for pro results, it will be necessary to vectorize your files. 

What are vector graphics?

Image source: serif.com

Vector graphics are made up of objects, the position of each of which within an image is mathematically defined. An image in vector form is therefore a collection of individual elements—be they lines, text, arcs, etc. As a result, even if the image is re-scaled, the quality does not suffer. Importantly, CAD and CNC software can recognize these individual elements, which is what enables vector images to be edited. Examples of vector file formats include SVG, DWG, DXF and PDF.

Raster vs vector

Raster and vector files can both be useful in their own way—deciding which to use depends on the nature of your work. As we’ve already mentioned, if you just need to store or share files, raster graphics are fine. Although, if you’re using the BMP format, you might want to consider converting to TIFF. It’s a raster file type that tends to be smaller in size than BMP, while retaining the high image quality that the latter format allows.

If you’re looking to go beyond simply viewing and sharing an image, vectorization is key. There are many vector file types to choose from, but for the purpose of this article we’ll focus on DXF and DWG—probably the most popular file types to use in conjunction with CAD or CNC. 

Which vector format to choose?

Working with AutoCAD? Your best bet is to convert to DWG—the software’s native format. DWG files support both 2D and 3D images, tend to be nice and compact, and can store a wide range of objects including x-references and line weights. Basically, it’s a no-brainer if you want to make the most of everything AutoCAD has to offer. 

On the other hand, if you’re not tied to AutoCAD and you want to be able to access and share your files across more than one type of CAD program, DXF is the way to go. Like DWG, this format was created by Autodesk, but unlike DWG, it has an open source format. These files are thus free for anyone to use and share (hence the name: Design eXchange Format).

Converting BMP to vector

So, you’ve decided to vectorize your work and have an idea of the vector file type that suits your needs, but how do you actually go about ‘vectorizing’? Well, converting from raster to vector involves tracing your image. You have two options:

Manual tracing

If you want to be very hands on and have maximum control over the entire process, you can manually trace your image. This involves using a graphics pen or computer mouse (depending on the image editor you’re using) to physically draw vector entities on top of your raster image.

Manual tracing requires a certain amount of skill and quite a bit of patience. We recommend this option if you’re working with simple, low quality images—the human eye can pick up details in a blurry image that a computer may not, for example. Overall, though, this option is laborious and time-consuming, so you might be better off cleaning up your image and going for option two. 

Automatic tracing

Rather than investing in a graphics pen, your life will be made much easier if you plump for vectorization software instead. Simply upload your work into one of these conversion programs and it will detect the different features of your raster image and trace over them with vector elements. The technology behind such software is constantly improving, so you can rely on most programs to produce vector images of a professional standard.

To achieve optimum results, it is important that the raster image you’re starting with is of a high quality. If you’re wondering how to go about cleaning up your original image, consult our raster quality checklist. The software will do the rest of the work for you. 

Using Scan2CAD to convert your images

In this animation we convert an anchor image to a vector outline for CNC using Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software, particularly if you’re looking for pro results. The conversion process is made quick, efficient and professional. Simply load your raster image into Scan2CAD (File→ Raster→ Load→ Select your file), begin vectorization (Run→ Vectorization) and export the file to your chosen format (File→ Vector→ Save as). And you’re done!

If you need to optimize your raster image before converting, there are numerous raster effects tools available within Scan2CAD’s editing suite. 

Here’s just a taste of the features that enable Scan2CAD to produce professional results in a matter of minutes:

• OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology that can detect and convert text along with images (it can even be trained to recognise handwritten words!)
• A batch processing option that allows for numerous files to be worked on simultaneously
• A comprehensive image editing suite that enables users to optimize images before conversion and add any final touches to the image post-conversion

Don’t just take it from us—start your free 14 day trial today and see why Scan2CAD is the best option for all of your conversion needs.

Converting your files to G-Code does not have to be a complicated process. If you’re starting out with an accessible file type like DXF, it’s actually really easy. No need to learn code—just use software that can do the work for you.

This article explores what DXF and G-Code actually are, and how you can convert from one to the other in a few simple steps.

Table of Contents

• What is DXF?
• What is G-Code?
• Why Convert DXF to G-Code?
• Using Scan2CAD to Convert Your Files to G-Code

What is DXF?

DXF is a vector graphic file type that has become the standard format for data exchange. Indeed, the full name for this file type is actually Design eXchange Format. Created in 1982 by Autodesk, it’s particularly useful for sharing designs across different CAD programs. The files have an open source format and enable people to access AutoCAD drawings, for instance, without the need to use Autodesk applications. DXF files are a sound choice if you’re working with 2D vector images, and a great starting point if you’re looking to convert to G-Code. 

What is G-Code?

G-Code is a programming language made up of letters and digits. It’s largely associated with CNC machines, but can also be used in 3D printing and photoplotting. In terms of the former, G-Code tells CNC machines where and how to move. Using what are called Cartesian coordinate locations, the machine is fed instructions including direction, speed and depth—thus enabling it to create products from a computer image.

An example of G-Code within a CNC editor. As you can imagine, it’s not easy to write the code yourself unless you’re an experienced CAM programmer!

The G-Code itself looks quite complex and can be intimidating if you’re new to CNC. Don’t let that put you off, though—you certainly don’t need to be a code breaker to work with these tools! Rather than writing the G-Code yourself, or attempting to modify existing G-Code, you have the option of using CAM software or CAD editing programs to produce the code.

Why Convert DXF to G-Code?

CNC projects can be fun, satisfying and educational. Plus, they allow you to create a huge variety of useful products. Tools, furniture, machine parts and even jewellery can be made using CNC machines. The possibilities are almost endless!

If you’re new to CNC, or want to simplify the process of using CNC machines, DXF files are a particularly useful place to start. Designs saved in the DXF format don’t need to be vectorized, so you can export them directly to G-Code using programs like Scan2CAD and they’ll be ready to cut!

Wondering where to begin? Have a browse through these 13 sites with free DXFs. You can also receive free DXF packs directly from Scan2CAD—simply enter your email in the box at the bottom of the page to sign up and get exploring. Use the designs as inspiration for your own work, or start experimenting straight away!

Using Scan2CAD to Convert Your Files to G-Code

We’re going to show you how to use Scan2CAD to convert your files to G-Code. There’s no need to start stressing about learning a new programming language—in a few simple clicks, the job can be done for you.

Scan2CAD makes it easy to directly export a vector image to G-Code. All you have to do is open up your DXF file in Scan2CAD and save it as G-Code. You have three options when it comes to the G-Code file extensions Scan2CAD supports: .CNC, .NC and .TAP. Make your choice based on which one is compatible with your particular CNC machine. The three listed are some of the most popular types, so you shouldn’t have any trouble. Transfer the files to your machine and production can begin. Simple!

If you need to get specific with the export settings, no problem—Scan2CAD’s CNC Export dialog presents a range of settings that you can tweak to meet your requirements:

• G-Code Bezier options – use cubic splines, arcs or polylines
• Arc and Circle Rotation – rotate clockwise or anticlockwise 
• Z Settings – Set the Z Offset, Z Max for Passes, Z Limit per Pass and Z Retract per Pass
• Scaling – set the required scale, either via the Menu or when prompted to upon saving.

As you can see, the conversion process can be as simple or detailed as you want it to be, depending on your CNC knowledge. So, whether it’s a new hobby or something you want to use to benefit your business, explore the potential of CNC today!

Today the term can refer to both a business approach and a specific type of software technology. That’s why it’s not always clear which PLM is being referenced, with the intended meaning largely dependent on context. To make matters more confusing, the two versions are often intertwined. For example, a design company may implement a strategy of PLM and use a specific PLM software to carry it out. 

This article will cover what exactly PLM is and how CAD can play an important role in any PLM strategy. 

Table of Contents

• What is Product Lifecycle Management?
  • A brief history
  • PLM today
• Why adopt PLM as a strategy?
• CAD and PLM
• What’s next for PLM?

What is Product Lifecycle Management?

Imagine you’re running an architectural firm. Taking your designs from conception, to construction, to eventual demolition, will require supervision and input from a variety of sectors. Establishing a work process that focuses on streamlining development and facilitating communication will aid accessibility and thus maximize efficiency. In other words, organize the process to make it easier for everyone involved, and the business will benefit. 

Creating this kind of structure is where PLM comes in…

A brief history

In the 1980s, automotive company American Motors Corp needed a business strategy that would allow them to compete with larger rivals like Ford. Knowing they simply could not match these companies in terms of budget, AMC turned to the manufacturing process itself. Seeing how innovations like CAD technology and product design management (PDM) had increased productivity and reduced overall costs, they decided to apply those principles to the entire process—from conception to sale (and eventual discontinuation). 

In the early ’90s they released the first vehicle created entirely using the PLM model: the 1992 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The product lifecycle management approach meant that all data was stored in a single, central system; CAD software was used for design and engineering purposes; the latest communication technology ensured all collaborators could be informed and involved at each stage, and everyone worked to the same established framework.

Bringing these elements together cut costs while significantly increasing efficiency. It’s no surprise, then, that this strategy was subsequently adopted across the board at American Motors and beyond.

PLM today

PLM has evolved to incorporate the technological advances and software capabilities of today’s business world. In fact, PLM no longer refers solely to a business strategy, but also to software that aims to encapsulate that entire strategy. Consider CATIA, for example, which is a PLM suite created by Dassault Systèmes. Like the AMC strategy before it, CATIA allows businesses to manage all aspects of the production process under one system.

The alternative to what has come to be known as ‘software PLM‘ is manual PLM, which involves implementing a range of software and tools within the PLM structure (rather than relying on a single program). Companies with more complex projects, for instance, may require a specific CAD software and separate communication tools to achieve their goals. 

A downside of PLM is that when the process is first introduced to a company, it may force changes to the way people have become accustomed to working. Shaking up routines can initially be detrimental to productivity. Workers may show resistance to change or require further training. In the long run, however, both approaches to PLM speed up the development process and allow companies to easily manage projects within a single, streamlined structure.

Why adopt PLM as a strategy?

• The fact that data is accessible to everyone involved maximizes the potential for collaboration on a project.
• It suits the global and interactive nature of current (and likely future) business scenarios.
• Both costs and the time it takes to complete a project are reduced.
• An established framework is formed, from which everyone can work towards the same end result.
• Synchronized data combined with a centralized product record encourages smooth workflow and makes life easier for everyone involved.
• The use of CAD software and communication technologies enables maximum productivity and efficiency at each stage.

CAD and PLM

Computer aided design plays an integral role in both the emergence and continued development of PLM. Not only was it an inspiration for the creation of product lifecycle management in the first place, CAD often constitutes a vital part of PLM models.

The auto industry saw how CAD software allowed engineers and designers to draft, collaborate on and edit car models with greater efficiency—resulting in better overall productivity. Combined with communication technology and a centralized database, it creates an incredibly effective business model.

Depending on the CAD software you’re using, there’s a range of benefits that can aid the PLM process. If using cloud-based CAD, for example, you can have different teams working on the same design simultaneously—further streamlining the overall process.

What’s next for PLM?

A big challenge for businesses in today’s world is how their products can remain relevant and popular, given the explosion of new technologies. Indeed, the future of PLM itself depends on how well technological advances can be integrated into PLM business models. 

An example of such advancements is the rise of the so-called ‘internet of things‘. This refers to everyday items (fridges, hearing aids, security systems…etc.) that are embedded with software to connect them to the internet. As a result, the items can be monitored and controlled remotely. For example, some modern fridges allow you to keep check of their contents through an inventory on your smartphone.

So, how does this relate to PLM? Well, it creates a marketplace in which consumers require and even expect their products to utilize the latest technologies (allowing for a more interactive user experience), while remaining fairly affordable. 

These expectations can put a strain on the relationship between designers and engineers during the production process. The two need to work together to master new software and work out how to integrate it into their vision, while being realistic about what’s achievable from a manufacturing perspective. This can cause people from different sectors to step on each others’ toes. Subsequently, coordinating a PLM framework around job roles that are increasingly ambiguous is not an easy task.

Despite the challenges posed by the explosion of new technology, the latest innovations have the potential to update and improve PLM—which was never a static term in the first place. In the right hands, PLM strategies can absorb new software and evolve, as opposed to becoming obsolete. Only the future will tell if PLM can adapt in this rapidly changing environment.