1.0 Introduction

The maxim ‘sharing is caring’ features heavily in a collaborative work environment. That the DXF format exists is a true testament to the popular saying, which, though used in informal settings, bears much weight professionally. In the DXF files, designers find an open-source vector file format that can be opened by many a CAD programs.

But it is not uncommon for the CAD programs to have their native file formats – for AutoCAD, for example, that would be DWG. Secondly, some drawings may be saved using raster formats such as PNG, JPG, or TIFF. Combined, these aspects create a problem when everything is analyzed through the lens of collaboration – not every CAD program is designed to universally open all files, raster or vector. Thus, different team members whose workflow entails working with only one CAD software may be unable to work effectively. This is especially so if they receive files saved using raster or vector formats native to other programs and not what they are used to. This is where converting to DXF format comes in.

An integral piece in boosting collaboration and smoothing the workflow, converting JPG, PNG, PDF, SVG, and DWG formats as well as floorplans, paper drawings, and Matterport floorplans to DXF is more of a necessity than a rarity. And in this comprehensive guide, we extensively cover how to convert these myriad formats to DXF format. In addition, we cover how to convert raster file formats such as PNG, JPG, raster PDF, and TIFF, as well as vector formats, namely DWG and SVG. Welcome aboard!

2.0 What is DXF file format?

Short for Drawing Exchange Format – but can also stand for Drawing Interchange Format – DXF was developed by Autodesk. Its initial release in December 1982 coincided with the launch of AutoCAD 1.0. The intention behind the DXF’s development was simple: to create an open-source file format that would enable collaboration among different CAD programs.

At that time, Autodesk had already developed the DWG file format as AutoCAD’s native file format. And it guarded DWG’s documentation and technical specifications. Unfortunately, this meant that other developers who wanted their software to support DWG either had to part with some money in license fees or reverse engineer the format. But in came the DXF file format, which was designed to represent all the data stored in a typical DWG file. And being open-source, its source code was, and still is, freely available. Thus, any developer could use it, facilitating collaboration and sharing of files. The collaboration intent is even captured in the format’s full name.

A sample of the DXF file format structure

Autodesk initially launched the ASCII format of DXF, a factor that perhaps explains its popularity to date (ASCII DXF files are more common than binary DXF files). The ASCII format completely represents an AutoCAD drawing in an ASCII text form and is easily processed by other CAD programs. On the other hand, the binary DXF format, introduced in 1988, stores the data in binary form, i.e., a cluster of zeros and ones.

The binary DXF file is technically superior to ASCII despite being less common. For instance, it takes up 25% less file space than a similar ASCII DXF file. It can also be read about five times faster than the ASCII DXF file and is more accurate. Generally, however, the acronym DXF denotes the ASCII type.

That said, what is the purpose/function of the DXF file format? DXF is an exchange format that allows engineers, architects, and designers to share drawings across different programs. And this fact has made it extremely popular.

3.0 Which file formats can be converted to DXF?

The evolution of technology has brought good tidings as far as file conversion is concerned. Now more than ever, you can convert both raster and vector files to DXF, despite the stark differences between the formats. For instance, raster drawings are made up of pixels, while vector drawings comprise vector elements that are created using mathematical formulas. Thus, whereas the resolution of a raster design diminishes with the uptick in magnification, the quality of a vector drawing remains constant as zooming in or out. This is because such actions only change the variables in the mathematical formulas, which are recalculated with every magnification.

And because DXF is a vector file format, the approach to converting a raster file varies from what would typically be required of a vector to vector file conversion. Typically, to convert a raster image to DXF, you would need to trace the outline of the drawing, manually or automatically, thereby creating a new vector drawing on top of the raster outline. This can sometimes be problematic in terms of accuracy and the time taken, especially if you elect to use the manual approach.

Fortunately, as we shall outline later, some software programs can undertake automatic raster to vector conversion with great accuracy. Using such programs, you can convert PNG, JPG, TIFF, and PDF file formats as well as SVG and DWG. You can also convert different types of drawings, from Matterport floorplans and architectural floorplans to paper drawings.

Technological advancements have, in fact, made it possible to complete the conversions online, offline, or on mobile or tablet. Additionally, you can convert multiple files simultaneously in a process known as batch conversion. Here’s how.

3.1 Converting PDF to DXF

An abbreviation for Portable Document Format, PDF is a popular file format, the third most popular file format on the web after HTML and XHTML. First released in 1992, PDF enables anyone to send electronic versions of documents and subsequently view and print them in the same state they were initially saved. PDF not only supports encryption and digital signatures but also stores metadata and different types of content. Examples of the different types of content you can save using this file format are:

• Text
• Graphics
• Rich media, such as video content
• 3D objects
• Logical structuring elements

There are two types of PDFs, namely raster PDFs and vector PDFs. As stated earlier, raster PDFs are made up of pixels and are created by saving a scanned image using this format. Conversely, vector PDFs, which are created by saving a drawing using vector software such as AutoCAD, Photoshop, or Illustrator, feature content that is defined by mathematical formulae.

That said, you cannot edit a PDF-based CAD drawing, begging the question, can you convert a PDF to a DXF file? Well, yes. When it comes to converting PDFs to DXF, you have to keep in mind the fact that you could be dealing with either a vector or raster PDF. Accordingly, as we have highlighted above, you need to take a different approach for each of the two types. But there is a simple method – using Scan2CAD.

Scan2CAD is a formidable and reliable PDF to DXF converter. (And though it enables you to convert PDFs to DXF, this is just one of the many file formats and conversions it supports.) Scan2CAD is packed with numerous helpful features with which you can clean up a raster PDF to ease the vectorization process.

3.2 Converting JPG to DXF

JPG or JPEG is the fourth most popular file format on the web after PDF and the most popular image file format on the web, according to Common Crawl. Outside of the web-based environment, JPG is still the most common image format used by digital cameras, mobile phones, and other image-capturing devices, particularly because it is the default format.

Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, JPEG, a raster image format, is famed for its lossy compression that enables it to capture and store high-quality images in small file sizes. But the compression often strips the image of vital data crucial to applications such as image editing and web design. Additionally, this format does not support transparency – the state wherein layers within an image become ‘see through.’ For this reason, JPG is rarely used to create images that require a transparent layer, such as icons and logos. But it can capture and store architectural and engineering drawings and designs.

Unfortunately, drawings saved using the JPG format cannot be edited by adding or deleting objects such as lines or curves, as you would using CAD software. Of course, you can use image editing software to change elements such as the size, color, and even add text. But you cannot modify the length of an existing line or change the font size, for example. So, if you wish to modify the drawing, you have to convert JPG to DXF.

And that’s where Scan2CAD comes in. In addition to supporting PDFs, Scan2CAD enables you to flawlessly convert JPG to DXF, provided you use the available tools to clean up the raster image. And as we have highlighted below, there’s a lot you can achieve using Scan2CAD.

3.3 Converting PNG to DXF

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a raster image format. Created in the mid-1990s, PNG is compressed using a lossless approach. (This is unlike JPG, which uses lossy compression.) It also supports greyscale images, 24-bit RGB color palettes, and full-color (true color) non-palette-based images. Additionally, PNG supports transparency and opacity.

Ironically, though Common Crawl ranks PNG lower than JPG in terms of the most popular image formats on the web, it was initially created to facilitate the transfer of images on the internet. The images could include anything from photos with illustrations and architectural drawings as well as scans of architectural drawings and more.

But like its JPG counterpart, PNG does not let you make drastic changes to the content of the photo, even using Photoshop. If you wish to modify a drawing or plan by either deleting or adding some objects, you would first have to convert PNG to DXF. And this requires you to use file conversion tools, such as Scan2CAD, which are designed to automatically complete the conversion. Alternatively, you can use CAD programs such as AutoCAD that allow you to attach the image as a reference file. You then have to manually trace over the outline of a drawing. This underlines the convenience that Scan2CAD offers.

A leading conversion solution, Scan2CAD is a formidable and reliable PNG to DXF converter. Its reliability stems from the fact that it enables you to clean the PNG image using tools such as threshold, remove speckles and holes, thicken lines, and smooth. And that’s not all. Suppose the drawing contains both geometric objects and text-based objects. In that case, you can select the Vector & OCR option, which enables Scan2CAD to convert these raster objects into editable vector elements.

3.4 Converting SVG to DXF

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is a digital vector image format created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Being a vector format, SVG has a one up on raster image formats like TIFF, BMP, PNG, and JPG, all of which are pixel-based. This advantage stems from the fact that the quality of SVG images does not diminish if they are scaled up or down. Rather, the quality is maintained throughout. On top of its characteristic as a quality file format, SVG is also famed for having a smaller file size than comparative raster images.

Little wonder then that SVG is mostly used for website icons and buttons and digital company logos. Additionally, the format stores animations, illustrations, graphs, and infographics. But where SVG falls short is in facilitating drastic modifications. After all, it is an image format.

This means you cannot permanently delete certain components of the drawing, for example, even using a vector graphics editor such as Illustrator, CorelDraw, Vectornator, and more. Such modifications would require you to convert SVG to DXF. Unfortunately, Scan2CAD does not currently support SVG to DXF conversions, but that does not mean the market does not have SVG to DXF converters.

Inkscape is proven software that not only enables you to edit SVG files but also export the edited content as DXF. This program stands out, especially because it is a free tool. You can, however, elect to use non-free applications such as CorelDraw or ReaConverter.

3.5 Converting TIFF to DXF

Tag Image File Format, or TIFF for short, is a raster format used to store image information and graphics. Like the PNG file format, TIFFs use a primarily lossless approach to file compression, meaning they retain a great deal of image detail and color depth. That said, TIFFs have better image quality and resolution than PNGs. This attribute makes them ideal for professional photography as well as saving satellite imagery and contour maps. It also makes them suitable for scans. Scans stored using the TIFF format feature unrivaled high-resolution image quality.

Generally, the quality of TIFFs is pegged on the fact that they can store extra image data and information, an attribute that translates to a larger file size. In fact, a single TIFF file can be used to store multiple lower-resolution JPG images. The advantages that the TIFF format offer, however, are no match for vector formats such as DXF, especially in a CAD setting. Here, professionals who wish to quickly edit drawings or scans saved as TIFFs would find it extremely hard.

Ordinarily, a designer’s, engineer’s, or architect’s workflow involves dealing with CAD software programs, which cannot edit TIFF files but are designed to work with vector formats such as DXF. So, converting TIFF to DXF becomes a necessity in such a scenario. And again, Scan2CAD comes to the rescue. As a TIFF to DXF converter, Scan2CAD simplifies a process that would otherwise take up a considerable length of time using other software programs.

While you can manually convert TIFF to DXF using tools such as AutoCAD, you would have to attach the TIFF as a reference file. You then have to manually trace over every line and curve. Understandably, this is bound to take up a lot of time. Scan2CAD, however, automatically traces over the geometric objects. That said, you have to clean up the raster image for the best results.

3.6 Converting DWG to DXF

DWG stands for drawing and is the native file format for AutoCAD files. Converting a DWG to DWF is very useful when you have created the DWG in AutoCAD and it is being used in another CAD package at some point else in the design process. As DXF is a universally accepted file format, it’s quite common to convert form DWG to DWF.

As DWG is a propriety file format, developed by Autodesk, applications which open, edit and export DWGs require a specially designed software for this file support. More often than not, CAD development companies purchase a ‘library’ (a small software application designed for a specific purpose) licensed by Autodesk which enables support for DWG files.

This propriety nature of DWG files means the number of CAD, CAM and CNC applications which support them is much fewer when compared to those that support DXF files. By contrast, DXF files are comparatively easy to read and support.

Converting can be done many different ways including using Scan2CAD, online converters or even Autodesk’s free file viewing software, DWG TrueView. To learn more about the different options available check out our ultimate guide to converting DWG to DXF.

3.7 Converting floorplans to DXF

Floor plan drawings are normally created by architects but they are increasingly being used for fire safety and security in buildings and therefore converting them to DXF is becoming more common. As not all buildings and homes are new, floor plans for the entire building or just one floor can be quite old, and in some cases over 100 years old.

These older drawings tend to be scanned images saved to a raster image format like a raster PDF. As these raster images are difficult to work with in CAD, they need to be converted. This process of digitizing these older drawings can be done on a one-off basis or in bulk, depending on the project requirements.

3.8 Converting paper drawings to DXF

It’s very common for large organizations, government bodies or even small machining shops to have paper drawings – and lots of them. When design departments are updating CAD software or product management software, it can kick start a digitization process of moving paper drawings to a digital format – normally vector, so they can be edited at a later date.

The process of converting from paper to DXF is challenging. Original paper drawings can be of poor quality and will have deteriorated over time. So it is important to get as good a scan of the drawing before attempting to convert to DXF using software like Scan2CAD. We have an article on how to convert paper drawings for CAD that will help you get the best results.

3.9 Converting Matterport floorplans to DXF

Matterport schematic floorplans are drawings of an architectural 2D layout of a building. Once requested, Matterport takes up to 48 hours to deliver the floorplans in PNG and PDF format and their dimension accuracy tolerance is between 1% to 2%.

For designers, architects and engineers who wish to edit these schematics in their CAD software of choice, they would need to convert their Matterport floorplans to DXF with CAD conversion software, Scan2CAD.

Scan2CAD has the ability to convert both PDF and PNG versions of the schematics to DXF using raster-to-vector conversion technology. Scan2CAD will recognize all elements in the floorplan image, converting them to their correct CAD object equivalent. This is made possible with object recognition technology. In addition, text in the Matterport floorplan will be converted to vector text strings which can be edited in your CAD software.

Matterport floorplan schematics are typically used by the Estate Agents market in which companies will survey properties utilizing Matterports’ 3D scanning hardware. It is subsequently possible to request Matterport to deliver a 2D schematic generated from the 3D scans. These 2D floorplans are an integral tool in the Estate Agents’ sales process. And having such plans in DXF format provides an extra layer of freedom, enabling users to freely edit the floorplans in their CAD software.

4.0 FAQ

4.1 Why convert to DXF format?

The DXF file format takes its name from the acronym ‘Drawing eXchange Format’. As the name suggests, the file format is intended to be freely ‘exchangeable’ between different applications developed by various development companies.

The DXF file format can be considered a more ‘open’ variation of the similar DWG format. Unlike DWG, the DXF format is written in ASCII making it easily readable and extendable by applications. The format requires no official license in order to read and export the files.

These benefits mean that DXF has become an industry standard for storing 2D CAD data. It continues to be the file format of choice for those who value the freedom of editing their files in any CAD software they wish.

4.2 Are DXF files 2D or 3D?

DXFs are primarily a 2D CAD file format. However, as we discussed previously, the DXF format is freely extendable due to it being written in ASCII and the fact that any application has a free license to develop on this format. Therefore there are scenarios in which you can find DXF files containing 3D model data.

If you intend to work with 3D models (as opposed to 2D drafting) we would recommend using a file format designed specifically for this requirement because 3D models are highly complex and DXF files which contain 3D data are often very rudimentary. Additionally, most applications which support DXF files do not read the 3D data contained within the DXF. Instead they assume the DXF is 2D and subsequently retain only the vectors on the X&Y axis.

4.3 Does Photoshop support DXF?

Photoshop is primarily a raster editing application, developed by Adobe. These raster files (i.e. photographs) are often in JPEG format because this became the industry-standard format for digital cameras. DXF files are not supported by Photoshop, they are vector and therefore there would be no sensible reason to open a DXF file in Photoshop. Adobe’s vector editing application, Illustrator, does support DXF files. Therefore Adobe customers who wish to edit a DXF file should opt for Illustrator and not Photoshop. It should be noted that Illustrator cannot be used for CAD purposes as it is not a CAD application and therefore does not have the ability to create CAD blocks and it cannot store the file data in a CAD-standard structure.

4.4 What software can be used to open DXF files?

Most CAD work is done on desktop and laptop computers running Windows or macOS. We have previously collected a list of the best free DXF viewers for your computer.

If, instead, you wish to view your CAD DXF files on a mobile device (i.e. an iOS or Android smartphone) then we have collated our recommendations for the best apps to view DXF files on mobile.

4.5 Which free software can be used to edit DXF files?

If your requirement is to edit DXF files – and not simply view them – we would recommend that you do not use a mobile device for this purpose. Instead, we recommend using a macOS or Windows computer with software specifically developed for CAD purposes. There are many fantastic CAD drafting applications available. Some free and some premium. We have previously presented a list of the best free DXF editors.

4.6 Why you should avoid online DXF converters?

If your CAD work involves viewing and editing files provided by your clients or your organization, then it is likely that you cannot reasonably upload your DXF files to an online website which offers free DXF conversions. This is because you have no control over the security of a file once you have uploaded it to a third-party website server.

Even if the security of yours’, and your clients’, files were not your primary concern, the extremely low accuracy and basic features of online conversion websites typically drives all users to finally settle on downloading and installing an offline conversion application on their computer. We discuss this further in our article describing why you should avoid online DXF converters.

5.0 Conclusion

In this ultimate guide, we have discussed how you can convert your files to DXF. As we have learned, many files are suitable for conversion to the DXF file format. Suitable source files include raster images, such as JPG, TIFF and PNG, as well as vector files, such as DWG and PDF.
It should be noted that only 2D imagery is suitable for conversion to DXF. As previously mentioned, DXF files can contain 3D information but they are far from the most suitable file format for 3D models. Additionally automatic CAD conversion software can only convert 2D imagery to DXF.

We noted that if you wish to convert your files to DXF so you can open your drawings in your CAD/CNC software of choice, you should utilize computer software which is specifically designed for this requirement. The results should be accurate to the original design. Unfortunately, accurate results are not possible with online converters and the security of such third-party services cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, conversion software developed for your Windows and macOS computers is the solution of choice.

For those who have a recurring need to convert a large number of files to DXF, they may make use of a batch conversion feature. This allows users to convert a ‘batch’ of thousands of files within a single folder directory to DXF by instructing the software to automate the conversion tasks on each individual file until all are converted into their DXF equivalent.

As such, Scan2CAD is the ultimate solution for converting your images and PDF files to DXF, offering offline conversion, batch conversion and all the features required for market-leading accurate results.

What are DXF files?

DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) file was developed by Autodesk and introduced in December 1982 to allow for interoperability of data files between AutoCAD and other CAD programs. The first AutoCAD version that was compatible with the DXF file format was AutoCAD 1.0.

The DXF was developed to provide an exact representation of the DWG file format, which is the native file format of AutoCAD. AutoCAD versions are lower than Release 10 only accepted ASCII forms of DXF files. However, higher versions support both binary and ASCII DXF forms.

7 best Free DXF Viewers

Below are the 7 best Free DXF Viewer apps that can be downloaded for free from the internet.

1. LibreCAD

Figure 1. LibreCAD free DXF viewer for Windows, Mac, and Linux (source)

LibreCAD is a free DXF viewer that also allows editing, measuring, and printing of files besides viewing. Users can also use the software to view, edit, measure, and print other files like DWG and CXF files.

It was developed as an upgrade to the QCAD Community Edition and it is supported by Windows, Linux, and Mac Operating Systems. 

It also allows users to export PDF, SVG, ICO, and BMP files among others.

It has a simple user interface that comprises neatly displayed options and settings. And amazingly, it also allows users to create custom menus and toolbars, thus increasing efficiency and flexibility.

Advantages of LibreCAD

1. Free to download.
2. Supported by Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
3. Easy to use.
4. Allows editing, measuring, and printing of DXF files besides viewing.
5. Allows users to export different file formats.
6. Highly customizable.
7. Lightweight since it is only a few MBS in size.

Disadvantages of LibreCAD

1. It was developed as a 2D CAD designing open-source software and thus cannot handle 3D CAD. 

2. Autodesk DWG TrueView

Figure 7. Autodesk DWG TrueView (source)

DWG TrueView is a product of Autodesk, which is the same company that develops AutoCAD. It is a free program that gives engineers and designers an alternative to purchasing the costly AutoCAD software in addition to other CAD programs that could probably be of more importance to their day-to-day activities.

DWG TrueView was not designed exclusively for viewing DXF files. However, it is one of the best free DXF viewers having come from the same company that developed the DXF file format.

Besides DXF, DWG TrueView also opens DWG files, which is what it was mainly developed to view.

Advantages of DWG TrueView

1. It is a free application.
2. Allows users to read layer information and also edit the layers.
3. Allows users to publish DXF and DWG files as PDF, DWF, and DWFx.
4. Allow conversion of DWG files from old versions to versions that are compatible with the newer CAD programs.

Disadvantages of DWG TrueView

1. It takes a lot of hard drive space. It is bulky for computers.
2. It was developed for Windows OS only. There are no versions for Mac and Linux OS.

3. DWG FastView

Figure 4. DWG FastView (source)

DWG FastView is CAD design software for opening, viewing, and editing CAD files including DXF files. 

It is a product of Gstarsoft Co., Ltd and has versions for Windows operating system (Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP), Android mobile phone operating system, and also for web. 

Once users download the free DWG FastView software, they can also register for a DWG FastView account to also use the mobile and web versions to open, share and communicate about project files done using the PC regardless of their geographical location.

Besides DXF, it also supports DWG, DWS, and DWT file formats. Users can also export files in PNG, BMP, and JPG formats.

Advantages of DWG FastView

1. It is light to install and easy to use when viewing drawings without the need to download large CAD programs.
2. It supports external references.
3. It has simple drawing tools such as straight lines, sketch, polylines, revcloud, ellipses, etc. for editing files.
4. It can be used for displaying both 2D objects and 3D models. 
5. It has a web and mobile version.

Disadvantages of DWG FastView

1. It only acts as a viewer and therefore does not support any markup

4. DoubleCAD XT

Figure 5. doubleCAD XT Pro (source)

DoubleCAD XT is a full-featured 2.5D CAD software and a free DXF viewer that runs on Windows Operating System. 

It is a product of IMSI/Design and was launched in 2009 as an alternative for AutoCAD LT. Although the commercial version, DoubleCAD XT Pro goes for $695, there is a free version that is available on the official webpage for download.

Its user interface is more like that of AutoCAD with dropdown and fly-out menus.

It enables users to view and edit DXF, PLT, and DWG files. It has comprehensive dimensioning, 2D sketching, and annotation tools

Advantages of DoubleCAD XT

1. Lightweight for computers.
2. Easy to use.
3. It offers an option for creating tables whose data is linked to external excel worksheets.
4. It offers an option for using different measurement units for different areas of the same object while dimensioning.

Disadvantages of DoubleCAD XT

1. It was developed to only operate on Windows OS and thus cannot be used by Mac and Linux OS users.

5. Bentley View

Figure 6. Bentley View (source)

Bentley View is a free CAD file viewing program designed for viewing, modifying, and printing DXF, DGN, and DWG files. It also supports the drag and drop feature; meaning you can simply drag and drop a file in it to open the file.

While viewing and modifying a DXF file, the user has the liberty of rotating, panning, zooming, etc.  

It was designed to run on Windows (Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7) OS.

To download the Bentley View software, however, one will require to first register for an account with the official website.

Advantages of Bentley View

1. It is free.
2. Can be used for opening both 2D and 3D DXF, DGN, and DWG files.
3. Enables users to measure the distance between two points in just one click.
4. It is available in a variety of languages.

Disadvantages of Bentley View

1. It is not supported on Mac and Linux OS.
2. It is a bit heavy for a computer. It uses too much CPU when running.

6. BabaCAD

Figure 2. BabaCAD  (source)

BabaCAD is a free DXF viewer that is supported by both Mac and Windows operating systems. 

Besides viewing DXF files, it is also a DWG viewer. Users can also edit and save files. 

In the BabaCAD 2019 Enterprise 3D edition, besides viewing, drawing, and modifying 2D DXF files, users can also open, modify, and create 3D solid objects like holes, extrude, etc. It also allows users to import and export .STL meshes and .STEP 3D models.

BabaCAD also allows users to add LISP programming extensions for creating and opening LSP files.

Advantages of BabaCAD

1. It has a free trial version.
2. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows OS.
3. Allows 3D modeling.
4. It is also a DWG viewer.
5. Customizable using user-programmed plugins (C#, .NET, VB, .dll).
6. It comes with powerful 2D drafting tools for complex drawings and technical papers.

Disadvantages of BabaCAD

1. The BabaCAD Home Edition (2020) does not have 3D modeling capabilities 

7. de.caff viewer

Figure 3. de.caff DXF viewer (source)

The de·caff Viewer is a free Java program designed to be used as a Free DXF file viewer and it runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. It reads all types of DXF files (both ASCII and binary). It is also able to read files that may be packed using zip, bzip2, and gzip.

The de.caff viewer reads both 2D and 3D DXF files and displays them as wireframes just like AutoCAD does. It also allows users to open other files specifically DWG and SHX formats.

One can also zoom, rotate, scale, and also search text in the opened file.

Users can also print and save their work in other different formats including PDF, GIF, SVG, PNG, JPG, and Postscript.

Advantages of de.caff viewer

1. Supported by Windows, Linux, and Mac OS
2. Free to download and use.
3. Supports 3D drawings.
4. Allows importing and exporting of XML file formats.
5. It can also be used as a DWG and SHX file viewer.
6. It is lightweight.

Disadvantages of de.caff viewer

1. If the files being viewed make heavy use of AutoCAD’s encrypted entities or any other recently added features de.caff viewer may not tell the user much.

Conclusion

Industrial designers’ and engineers’ work involves a lot of CAD files most of which are DXF files given the fact that AutoCAD is one of the most used CAD software. As an engineer or designer working in a team where your teammates use AutoCAD, you will have to find a way of viewing, editing, commenting and sharing the CAD files with your colleagues. To do so, you do not require to purchase the costly AutoCAD program. You can simply download one of the above-mentioned free DXF viewers for viewing, editing, commenting, and sharing the DXF files with colleagues. The choice will depend on the type of drawings (2D or 3D) on the DXF file you want to view and your computer’s operating system.

If you want a Free DXF Viewer for both 2D and 3D drawings, you could use Autodesk DWG TrueView, DWG FastView, Bentley View, BabaCAD, or de.caff viewer. On the other hand, LibreCAD is one of the best Free DXF Viewers for 2D drawings.

If you are looking for the best Free DXF Viewer for Windows, you can use Autodesk DWG TrueView, DWG FastView, DoubleCAD XT, Bentley View, de.caff viewer, or BabaCAD. If you are looking for the best free DXF Viewer for macOS, you can use LibreCAD, BabaCAD, or de.caff viewer. If you are looking for the best free DXF Viewer for Linux, then you can use LibreCAD or de.caff viewer.

If you are looking for the best DXF Viewer for Android then you can use DWG FastView.

Let’s begin with a demonstration of how professional conversion software, Scan2CAD, can convert an image to an AutoCAD format.

Table of contents

• What types of images can you convert to AutoCAD?
• What are your options when converting an image to AutoCAD?
  • Manually trace the image
  • AutoDesk’s Raster Design
  • Convert with conversion software
• Why do some converters create poor quality results?
• What if the image contains text?
• Conclusion – How to convert an image to AutoCAD

What types of images can you convert to AutoCAD?

To answer that question, we should first get specific; in this post, we’re focussing on converting raster images to an AutoCAD format DXF or DWG (e.g. convert JPG to DWG or convert JPG to DXF.) A raster image is an image formed of pixels such as JPG, BMP, TIF, and many more file types.

Raster images are different from vector images. Vector images (such as vector PDF files) are typically much easier to convert to an AutoCAD format because DXF and DWG are also vector file types. The technical term for converting raster images to DXF/DWG is ‘raster to vector conversion’.

Scan2CAD supports all the raster and vector image formats you would come across including JPG, BMP, TIF, DXF, DWG as well as raster and vector PDF files.

What are your options when converting an image to AutoCAD?

When you need to convert an image to AutoCAD you have three options:

1. Manually trace the image
2. Convert using Raster Design
3. Convert with conversion software

Option 1: Manually trace the image

If you opt to manually trace a drawing you will commit yourself to a long painstaking process of drawing over each individual element in your image. It’s surprising that many people are still manually tracing raster images when automatic conversion software could save them countless hours and therefore budget.

Some AutoCAD users may prefer to manually trace an image because they believe that it is not possible to achieve a high degree of accuracy with conversion software. This is due to the vast difference in conversion accuracy offered by the available JPG DWG converter or other conversion software (most notably, the poor results provided by online converters). In almost all cases, the far better option is to automatically convert your image to AutoCAD format and then manually edit the file to get that final 1% accuracy if required.

Option 2: AutoDesk’s Raster Design

Raster Design is Autodesk’s solution for automatically converting a raster image for AutoCAD.
Unfortunately, Raster Design is not AutoDesk’s core product and it doesn’t offer much of the required functionality to produce useful converted images, therefore a significant amount of manual input is still required.
Raster Design utilizes simplistic vectorization methods which are not designed to convert each image element to its correct vector CAD entity. Instead, all elements will be represented as lines or polylines.

Raster Design may be commonly used by AutoCAD users due to the fact that it is part of the AutoDesk product offering. Therefore there is little friction in trying Raster Design’s conversion results first before finding that better results can be achieved with another solution.

Option 3: Convert with conversion software

Using Scan2CAD to convert text and other elements in an image

Scan2CAD is raster and vector conversion software designed specifically for CAD & CAM. We have spent the last 20 years focused purely on improving the conversion performance, saving time and money for the world’s design, manufacturing, and AEC companies.

If you need to convert an image to AutoCAD format you will most likely find that Scan2CAD will offer the best performance in almost any circumstance.

Unlike Raster Design, Scan2CAD is a standalone application that doesn’t need to be run as a plugin to other CAD software. Scan2CAD offers OCR and object recognition which means you will convert image entities (including text) to the correct vector CAD data.

Why do some converters create poor quality results?

Scan2CAD converts a circle to a vector circle entity, not a collection of lines

The worst type of image conversion would be to convert every object in your image to the same vector element. For example, some vectorization software might convert a circle in an image to thousands of small vector lines or polylines instead of a single CAD circle entity.

With this type of simplified vectorization software; the text, arcs, circles, and all other elements would be represented as many individual connected vector lines. But that is practically useless if you need to edit the CAD drawing in AutoCAD.

This is why you need conversion software that has object recognition capabilities. What is object recognition? It is the process of identifying entities (objects) in your raster image and converting them to the correct vector CAD entity.

What if the image contains text?

If your drawing contains the text you will need to ensure that your conversion software has OCR capabilities. OCR (optical character recognition) converts text in your image to editable vector text strings, identical to the text strings you would create when writing text in AutoCAD.

If your conversion software does not have an OCR feature, the software will instead convert all the text in your image to a collection of vector lines or polylines. We call this ‘exploded text’ but it is not really a ‘text’ at all, but simply vectors in the shape of a ‘text’.

Text converted to individual vector lines

Text converted to text strings using OCR

The ‘exploded text’ can not be edited in CAD software so you will need to erase these vectors and redraw the text in AutoCAD.

Conclusion – How to convert an image to AutoCAD

If you need to convert an image for AutoCAD we recommend that you choose software designed specifically for that purpose.

Scan2CAD offers the most accurate photo to CAD conversions of your raster and vector designs. With automatic conversion software, you will save countless hours spent fixing poor-quality conversions or manually tracing files.

I was asked to choose some of my favourite ‘ready to cut’ design packs released so far. So here’s my pick of the bunch!

Medieval Shields

This was one of the earliest DXF packs from our designer Jay Madison. It featured different designs of medieval shields reminiscent of popular entertainment such as Game of Thrones and King Arthur.

Cars

This collection featured different kinds of cars ranging from vintage to modern, with a sports car and a convertible thrown in for added pizzazz. Who doesn’t like a nice, shiny automobile anyway?

London Scenery

The capital of the world was featured in this collection, with iconic landmarks such as the London Eye, London Bridge, Big Ben, and even the popular double-decker bus.

Art Deco Frames

The unique frames in this collection are visually striking and may be used for a wide variety of projects, such as picture frames or wall decor. Also, the designs hark back to avant garde and urban popular art.

Geometric Hearts

This DXF pack released right around Valentine’s Day put a new spin on the popular heart shape by adding geometric lines, patterns, and shapes. The result is a collection that is visually unique but still in keeping with the spirit of love.

Unique Drink Coasters

Our staff members like to entertain and have friends over at home for meals and parties, and this pack adds a totally new dimension to the trusty drink coaster. With coasters like these, table settings instantly become a party on their own.

Motivational Quotes

This pack of inspirational words of wisdom done in perfect CNC-ready style features sayings that are not just great for decorations in homes, schools, and workplaces, but also timely reminders that feed the mind and soul.

This is just a small sample of what we dish out every week, absolutely free. We’re always looking for inspiration and ideas, so if you have your own wishlist of DXF files you would like to see, be sure to let us know. In the meantime, check out our new weekly DXF packs to add to your collection.

In Scan2CAD’s latest guide, we look at what paper patterns are and how they’re used in different industries. We also give you the full lowdown on how to convert paper patterns for CAD or CNC—offering a free trial of Scan2CAD for your troubles!

Table of Contents

• What are paper patterns?
  • How are they used?
• Why convert paper patterns for CAD?
• How do I convert paper patterns for CAD?
  • What does conversion entail?
  • Conversion methods
    • Image editors
    • Online converters
    • Scan2CAD
• Converting with Scan2CAD
  • Acquiring an image of a pattern
  • Video: Convert paper patterns with Scan2CAD

What are paper patterns? 

Paper patterns are essentially cutting templates of a required shape and size which will be cut out of material. They communicate the necessary information and directions to produce prototypes—taking note of design, shape, fit and measurements. Much like an architect uses blueprints to create structures, paper patterns are used by industries to create prototypes and eventually, a final product. 

Fundamental to industries across the world, paper patterns are used for a variety of purposes, from producing garments in sewing and fashion design to manufacturing car seats in the automotive industry. While these patterns are usually made with paper, it’s not unusual for industries to use paperboard, cardboard or plastic if they’re in need of something a bit sturdier.

Image source: Stylus Apparel Group

How are they used?

The process of making paper patterns is otherwise known as “patternmaking” or “pattern cutting”. To start, designers will sketch or trace over their chosen shape. An example of this might be a glass company which will head to a site and trace the shape of client patterns on cardboard paper. Next, the designer will cut the shape out of the paper—giving them a paper pattern. 

Some companies might opt to use their paper pattern manually, using the template to cut their material. Most industrie, however, opt to digitize their patterns—converting paper patterns for use in CAD or CNC. We’ll discuss this particular process below and the benefits attached. Once digitized, the paper pattern can be opened up and modified in a CAD application—meaning changes can be made swiftly and efficiently. If happy with the final design, the pattern can be sent to factories electronically for production or sampling.

Why convert paper patterns for CAD?

Before we look at how you can convert paper patterns for CAD (hint: it involves Scan2CAD), we’re going to look at the reasons why industries opt to digitize and convert paper patterns for CAD. 

Converting a paper pattern with Scan2CAD – Watch the full tutorial in this post, below.

Easier and faster modification

Converting paper patterns for CAD ensures changes are faster and easier to make. If you’re working with physical paper patterns, even small changes can push you back weeks. In large industries, this can be a nightmare. Having to redo or revise paper patterns—due to mistakes or changes to the design along the way—wastes time and reduces the chances of meeting deadlines. If you convert to CAD, however, you can make the necessary changes without having to go back to the drawing board. 

By working with paper patterns in CAD, it can be easy to create several sizes of the same design to fit particular shapes—if you’re working with garments, for example. Additionally, it’s possible to use old designs—take elements you like—and create brand new designs. This is something that would take much longer with physical patterns. In all, converting to CAD can streamline the production and manufacturing process, meaning faster layout and cutting.

Greater collaboration

Collaboration can be difficult if you’re working solely with physical paper patterns. The physical transportation of paper patterns from companies to factories can be long and laborious. Additionally, mistakes can happen along the way. More often than not, designs are never perfect the first time around. Companies and factories mailing physical designs back and forth for corrections slows production time down and can lead to miscommunication.

If you convert paper patterns for CAD—digitizing them—you can make necessary modifications quickly and in real time. With cloud-based CAD, it’s even possible to work with colleagues—no matter how far away—in real time. Patterns can be worked on simultaneously between colleagues—enabling designers to enact fast revisions. Once happy with the final result, patterns can be sent to cutting for production. 

Better management

Physical patterns can often get worn down depending on their material. If you have a template of a dress that you keep going back to for reference, then odds are that it will begin to wear down with time. This means that sizing and measurements might end up skewed as a result. If you digitize your patterns, however, you don’t have to worry about them degrading with time. They can be kept safe and organized—ready for print or cutting at any time. 

By deciding to convert paper patterns for CAD, you can take advantage of consistency with sizing, standardized patterns and a library of easily accessible patterns. An added bonus to a digital archive of patterns is that you can save up space that may have otherwise been taken up by physical copies. 

How do I convert paper patterns for CAD?

There are many services that you can find online that will convert your paper patterns for you. Some ask you to scan your patterns and others require you to send it to them by mail. If you’d rather do it yourself, however, we’ve got the perfect solution: Scan2CAD. How does it work? It couldn’t be simpler…

1. Sketch or trace your shape
2. Cut the shape out of the paper
3. Scan your pattern
4. Convert using Scan2CAD
5. Use your design in CAD or send directly to a CNC cutter

Before we look at how Scan2CAD can convert your paper patterns for you—and other methods of conversion—we’re going to look at what conversion is and how it works. 

What does conversion entail?

So, you’ve got your scanned copy of your paper pattern. How exactly can you convert it to create a digitized copy? Conversion—or vectorization—can be enacted through manual or automatic tracing. Much like the process of creating a paper pattern, manual tracing involves drawing over your paper pattern with vector lines using an image editor. Automatic tracing, by comparison, consists of using a specialized software that traces over your pattern automatically.

If you’re working in a big industry, e.g., manufacturing car seats in the automotive industry, you won’t have time to convert your paper patterns manually. It can be time-consuming and can get in the way of tight deadlines. Automatic tracing is fast and, in some cases, can take mere seconds to complete! 

Once your paper pattern has been converted, you can save it in a vector file format that can be worked with in CAD. Typically, DXF is the go-to format. Why? It’s a universal file format that can be used in most—if not all—CAD packages. This is highly beneficial in terms of collaboration. Exporting to a common format like DXF mean that you can send patterns to your colleagues—or directly to factories—and know that they’re be able to open them. 

Conversion methods

Image editors

You might be surprised to find that some of the image editors you undoubtedly work with can be used to convert your paper patterns. If you prefer to manually trace your patterns, you can simply open your pattern in the editor and trace over it with vector tools. Alternatively, many editors have an automatic tracing tool—at the click of a few buttons, you’ll have a vector image. Here are a few examples of image editors that you can use: 

• Illustrator
• Inkscape
• CorelDraw

If you’re only converting the occasional paper pattern and you have time on your hands, there’s probably nothing wrong with using an image editor. That being said, if you have a large volume of patterns to convert, we’d recommend using a specialized solution. 

Online converters

You don’t have to look far to find an online converter that promises to convert all of your patterns for free. As with most things in life, however, it’s far too good to be true. These converters might be free, but that advantage comes with an abundance of problems. For starters, you’ll only be able to upload designs that have a small file size. In terms of the actual conversion, you can expect poor quality and issues with text. 

One of the biggest problems with online converters lies in security. When you download files from the internet, you run the risk of downloading a virus or Trojan. Additionally, you don’t know who else might end up having access to your patterns. 

Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is a market leading raster-to-vector conversion software. This means it can convert your scanned pattern—a raster image—to a vector file format like DXF that’s ready for use in CAD. The software supports a wide variety of file types—from raster file types like JPG and TIFF to vector file types like DXF and DWG. 

So, how does the vectorization process work in Scan2CAD? Once you’re happy with your scanned image—using pre-conversion tips we’ll discuss below—you need to select your vectorization settings. Then, the software will automatically detect the lines or shapes and trace over them with vector lines. The actual conversion process can take seconds.

Converting with Scan2CAD

Acquiring an image of a pattern

As with any conversion, it’s of the utmost importance that you use a suitable image. What does this mean? It’s simple, really. You can’t just take a low quality photograph of your pattern on your phone and expect the quality to be suitable. Instead, we suggest using a scanner to acquire a high-quality picture of your paper pattern. 

Once you’ve scanned your pattern, we suggest saving it as a TIFF. This raster file format gives users the best possible output for conversion. It comes with lossless compression, so you can expect high resolution and quality even after you’ve made edits to it. 

Video: Convert paper patterns with Scan2CAD

In the following video we’ll take you through all the steps required to convert your paper pattern to an accurate vector outline using Scan2CAD. 

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 JPG to vector is a technically complex process. Luckily, though, Scan2CAD is here to simplify things. Whether you need to convert JPG to DWG or convert JPG to DXF. In this article, we’ll cover the ins and outs of the conversion process, and show you how you can convert JPG to vector in just a few clicks.

About JPG

Even a computing novice would be familiar with the JPG file format. JPG is, after all, the standard image format for digital photography. As such, anyone who’s ever taken a photo on a digital camera or smartphone will have created a JPG.

For our purposes, however, we’ll need to dive in a little deeper. The first fact to be aware of is that JPG is a raster file format. This means that, like other raster formats, JPGs display a map of colored pixels—with each pixel distinct from all the others. As such, there is no structure to a JPG.

Take the image above, for example. The human eye is able to see that the image portrays a floorplan. The JPG format itself, however, simply stores separate colored pixels—in this case, black, white and gray. It cannot provide information about how these pixels are connected to one another, nor about what the image portrays. This aspect of the nature of JPG files is an important reason as to why they are unsuitable for use with CAD software—and why you would need to convert JPG to vector.

This isn’t the only drawback to using JPG, however. Firstly, as is the case with other raster files, you cannot zoom into or scale a JPG without losing quality. Secondly, you cannot attach information to a JPG—rendering it useless for CAD purposes.

Meanwhile, the JPG file format exhibits some weaknesses even when compared to other raster formats. Key to this is JPG’s use of lossy compression. In a nutshell, this means that, when you save a JPG file, you sacrifice some image quality in exchange for a smaller file size. This works well for JPG’s intended use of digital photography, but makes it completely unsuitable for CAD, where crisp, clear images are necessary.

An additional drawback of lossy compression is the appearance of compression artifacts. You may have noticed these if you’ve ever mistakenly saved an image as a JPG: blurriness, dots or blocks appearing around the edge of a line or shape, making the image appear of low quality.

Tip: JPG files are not the only raster files you may convert to vector using Scan2CAD. If you have other raster images, this guide discusses how Scan2CAD may also be used for vector conversion of these formats. 

With so many disadvantages to the JPG format, you may wish to convert JPG to vector. Let’s take a deeper look at vector files to see what advantages they offer.

About vector files

Vector files stand in stark contrast to JPGs for numerous reasons. Firstly, a vector file is made up of objects, as opposed to a JPG, which is made up of pixels. These objects lie at a fixed relative position within the image, defined by Cartesian coordinates. The result of this is that it is possible to display a vector image at virtually any scale without losing quality.

Additionally, it is possible to edit each of the objects that make up a vector image separately. Deleting an object from the image, for example, takes just a couple of clicks. This distinguishes vector files from JPGs, where any edit will affect the image as a whole.

Another benefit to the use of objects, as opposed to pixels, is the ability to attach information to those objects. This is particularly useful in fields such as architecture, where a designer could, for example, specify the building material of a certain object. As businesses have embraced PLM and adopted more holistic approaches towards design, this feature has become ever more useful.

Vector file formats for CAD

When you convert JPG to vector, you need to make sure that you get the most out of your converted image. The best way to ensure this is by converting to a format that your software supports—in the case of CAD software, this means either DWG or DXF. We’ll run through the differences between these formats and the pros and cons of each.

DWG

Anyone who’s ever used Autodesk’s flagship CAD software AutoCAD will be familiar with the DWG format. In fact, the history of DWG is intertwined with that of AutoCAD; it serves as the native file format for the CAD application, with new versions of the DWG format released to coincide with new versions of AutoCAD.

With this in mind, DWG is the ideal format for any designer who works with AutoCAD. That’s because, unlike DXF, DWG is able to support the full range of AutoCAD-specific vector entities, such as dynamic blocks. It’s also a more natural fit for 3D design than DXF.

Nonetheless, there are still some drawbacks to DWG. Key to this is that, as a proprietary format, developers must pay to include support for DWG in their software. While some have attempted to find workarounds, others have simply excluded DWG from their software. This means that, if you’re collaborating with designers from other teams, they may not have access to DWG-compatible programs. The safest bet here is to opt instead for DXF.

Converting JPG to DWG? Check out this in-depth article discussing the pros and cons.

DXF

The raison d’être of the DXF format is to enable designers to collaborate even if they use different CAD programs. Autodesk developed the format as an open standard, meaning that developers were free to build support for DXF into their software.

Today, DXF has become ubiquitous, and virtually every CAD program on the market supports it. However, this means that, to some extent, it must act as a kind of “lowest common denominator” vector format. As such, it lacks support for some program-specific objects. Nonetheless, users looking to convert JPG to vector are unlikely to need such sophisticated features. As such, it stands as one of the best options for vectorization purposes.

Preparing to convert JPG to vector

Having covered the details on JPG and vector files, we’ll now move onto how to convert JPG to vector. Our first piece of advice, unfortunately, might come a little too late for some: avoid JPG where possible.

As we noted above, saving your image as a JPG worsens its quality, and makes it trickier to produce a usable vector file at the end. That’s why, if you’re looking to convert from raster to vector, you should consider saving your image in a different raster format. Here at Scan2CAD, we recommend converting from TIFF to vector instead.

Unfortunately, changing your file format isn’t always possible: a colleague may have sent you a JPG version of a scanned image, for example. And simply saving your JPG as a TIFF later won’t change things—once you’ve saved an image as JPG, the damage is done. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t undo some of this damage later on.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a few helpful tips on how Scan2CAD can help you get the most out of your JPG:

• Reduce the number of colors in your image. Vectorization works best when your image has as few colors as possible—preferably, only two: black and white. Unfortunately, JPG’s lossy compression has a habit of turning black and white images into grayscale images. Scan2CAD’s Thresholding tool allows you to undo this damage, separating the shades of gray into black and white. For images containing different colors, try out the Segment tool instead.
• Thicken your lines. This is a particularly useful tip when you scan in an image from a paper copy. In this situation, you may often find that gaps may appear in the lines in your image. Using Scan2CAD’s Thicken tool to reduce these gaps makes it easier to convert JPG to vector.
• Smooth the image. When you scan an image, you may find that the edges of any shapes in your image are ‘hairy’. Smoothing helps to eliminate these ‘hairs’, making your image crisper.
• Deskew the image. Try as we might, it’s not always possible to scan in an image at a perfect angle. This means that, when you open the JPG on your computer, you may find that the image is not completely straight. Luckily, Scan2CAD has a deskewing tool, which allows you to shift the image back into place. Be careful with this tool, though, as it can have a negative impact on image quality.

The right (and wrong) way to convert JPG to vector

Once you’ve used the above steps to clean up your JPG, you’re ready to convert your image. But how exactly can you accomplish this? In fact, you have some options.

The first option is to trace over your image manually. This process starts in an image editor which supports both raster and vector images, such as Illustrator or Inkscape. If the quality of your JPG is particularly low, this might be a good option, as you’ll be able to pick out details that a computer program simply wouldn’t be able to discern. However, this is a very time-consuming option—a single JPG could take hours to convert.

Your alternative, then is to use automatic tracing. Provided you have a good quality image to start off with, automatic tracing software can help you to convert JPG to vector in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, not all automatic tracing software is created equal. If you choose to use an online JPG to vector converter, for example, you could find yourself facing problems such as:

• Poor quality conversion outputs
• Risking the property of your intellectual property
• Lack of adequate features for technical conversion
• Downloading viruses and Trojan horses

With the potential for seriously dire consequences, choosing an online converter simply because it’s free just isn’t worth the risk. Instead, opt for a trustworthy program that specializes in technical raster-to-vector conversion: Scan2CAD.

How to convert JPG to vector in Scan2CAD

It often surprises newcomers, but Scan2CAD makes it refreshingly simple to convert JPG to vector. In fact, as long as you have a good quality JPG, you can actually complete the conversion process itself in just a few clicks! See Scan2CAD in action below:

Why choose Scan2CAD?

As you can see, Scan2CAD offers lightning-fast JPG-to-vector conversion. But it isn’t just any software—it’s the ultimate vectorization software. That’s because Scan2CAD contains all the tools you need for every stage of the conversion process. With Scan2CAD, you can clean up and optimize your raster image prior to conversion, vectorize your image, and perform any necessary finishing touches to ensure that you’re ready to open your new vector image in your CAD software of choice.

We could sit here for hours talking about our raster editing features, smart OCR or object recognition—but we’d rather you saw what Scan2CAD can do for yourself. That’s why we offer our users a 14-day, no obligation free trial. There are no watermarks and no restrictions, meaning you can really put Scan2CAD to the test!

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!

In this article, we’ll run through the reasons why you should consider converting from GeoTIFF to CAD file formats, in addition to a guide to the conversion process itself. Such as how to convert TIFF to DWG. So, if you’re a CAD or GIS user and want to put your GeoTIFF files to use, then read on!

About GeoTIFF

Converting a GeoTiff to CAD with Scan2CAD

It’s impossible to discuss GeoTIFF without talking about the format on which it is based: TIFF. The ‘T’ in TIFF stands for Tagged, and refers to the ability to attach metadata to your image in the form of tags. Additionally, TIFF is an extensible file format which gives programmers the freedom to add relevant tags for their work. As a result, TIFF files may include a wide variety of different tags.

The benefits that come with such flexibility, however, come with a price: compatibility issues. After all, users could not reasonably expect all programs to support every possible tag and extension. To combat this, a set of Baseline TIFF Tags exist as a common denominator that all TIFF readers should support.

Some programs do still wish to accept extra tags, though—and to make compatibility and collaboration easier, developers have created a number of extensions to the basic TIFF format. Amongst these is GeoTIFF, which is an extension of TIFF that allows users to include georeferencing data inside those tags.

A wide range of cartographic, GIS, and other organizations worked together to define the tags that form part of today’s GeoTIFF file format. Examples of data within a GeoTIFF file include:

• Geographic coordinates
• Map projection properties
• Coordinate systems
• Ellipsoids
• Geodetic datums

Be aware, however, that not every program will necessarily support or use all of GeoTIFF’s tags. For more information, check out the full list of GeoTIFF tags.

Why convert from GeoTIFF to CAD?

The image on the left is a vector map of the city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. On the right is a zoomed-in section of the map, which has maintained its quality.

Despite the difference in tags, GeoTIFF is very similar to its parent format. Both allow the storing of high-quality raster images, either with or without compression. As such, many of the reasons to convert GeoTIFF to CAD formats are the same as those for converting from TIFF to DXF:

• As a raster image format, you can’t zoom into or scale a GeoTIFF file without suffering pixelation and loss of quality. Converting to a vector format, meanwhile, allows for infinite scalability.
• A further disadvantage of raster images is their lack of structure. Vector formats, on the other hand, allow users to edit each line or object individually.
• While GeoTIFF files allow users to attach data to an image in the form of tags, it is not possible to attach data to individual elements within that image. When you convert your GeoTIFF to DXF or DWG, you can associate each element of the image with a complex set of properties.

The specific nature of GeoTIFF, however, adds several more reasons. Firstly, GeoTIFF’s georeferencing data means that it has applications in GIS programs. A GeoTIFF image may, for example, serve as the backdrop to a map system.

However, converting to a CAD format, such as DXF, gives the user greater possibilities. That’s because CAD formats allow you to use your image as more than a simple backdrop, but as a way of displaying and contextualizing more information. The range of vector entities lend themselves to different cartographical features: polygons for area measurement; lines for features such as roads; points for individual locations.

CAD file formats

Choosing to convert your GeoTIFF to a CAD file format gives you the option to use your images in both CAD and GIS programs. This allows you to use your image for both mapping and surveying purposes and for various BIM applications. Additionally, many GIS programs will accept CAD formats, while the reverse is not always true.

Two of the most common CAD file formats are DWG and DXF. Both share many attributes common to all vector formats, including scalability and ease of editing. However, there are still some points which distinguish the two from one another. Read on to learn the differences between the two formats, and why you may choose to use them.

DWG

The history of DWG stretches back to the 1970s, predating the program with which most users associate it: AutoCAD. Its status as AutoCAD’s native format, however, is what turned it into a behemoth; DWG is now reckoned to be one of the most popular CAD formats (if not the most popular) in the world.

Though primarily known as the native file format for AutoCAD, it’s possible to view DWG files using many different programs. Amongst these are some of the most popular GIS programs on the market, including ArcGIS. DWG is also a common file format across a range of Autodesk software, such as Revit.

DXF

Standing in comparison to the proprietary format DWG is DXF. An open standard, the intent behind DXF was to enable collaboration between users of different CAD programs. Indeed, virtually all CAD software on the market today includes built-in support for DXF, and the format remains extremely popular.

Though DXF lacks support for some object types which are specific to AutoCAD, it remains a useful format due to its wide compatibility. Meanwhile, CAD programs are not alone in supporting DXF: GIS programs will generally allow DXF imports, too. This means that it’s not only great for teams working with different specific programs, but that it also allows for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

How to convert from GeoTIFF to CAD

If you’re familiar with converting other raster image formats to CAD, you’ll know that the process is complex. That’s because raster and vector images have entirely separate structures, with the result that the conversion process actually involves creating a vector representation of what appears in a raster image.

There are two ways to achieve this: manual and automatic tracing. Manual tracing is exactly what it sounds like: using a mouse or graphics pen to physically draw vector lines atop an existing raster image. Scan2CAD, on the other hand, offers automatic tracing, which allows a user to complete the process in a matter of seconds.

If you’ve ever read up on our other conversion guides—such as our ultimate guide to TIFF to DWG conversion—you’ll be up to speed with the ins and outs behind the vectorization process. However, there are a few specificities you’ll need to look out for when converting GeoTIFF files.

What makes GeoTIFF different?

When converting most raster image formats, the user is primarily aiming to convey the contents of the image itself. With GeoTIFF, however, it’s important to preserve some of the georeferencing metadata as well as the image itself.

Unlike many online converters, which offer only simplistic solutions (and come with a number of problems), Scan2CAD gives users professional, accurate vectorization results. As part of this, Scan2CAD also uses the following GeoTIFF tags:

• ModelTiepointTag
• ModelPixelScaleTag
• GTRasterTypeGeoKey : RasterPixelIsArea

When opening a GeoTIFF file in Scan2CAD, you can access the georeferencing information by navigating to File > Vector > Export Scale Settings. A dialog box will then appear, such as the one shown below.

The Geo option appears in the Export Scale Settings dialog box when opening a TIFF file with georeferencing data

In this box, the Geo option will appear, and there are spaces for a number of relevant details. Firstly, Geo Pixel Scale gives information on the distance represented by each pixel on both the X and Y axes.

Then, under the Tie Point option, you’ll see options for Raster and Vector Coordinates. The Raster Coordinate refers to the location within the raster image of a known point; in the example above, this is 0,0. The Vector Coordinate, meanwhile, is the real world location of a known point.

Converting GeoTIFF to CAD

Actually converting your GeoTIFF file to CAD using Scan2CAD could hardly be simpler. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide of how to convert your file:

1. Open your GeoTIFF file in Scan2CAD by clicking File > Raster > Load.
2. Put your raster to the test by comparing it to our Raster Quality Checklist. If you spot any issues, use Scan2CAD’s range of raster cleanup tools to be sure of a great quality vector image.
3. Use the Export Scale Settings menu to ensure you have the correct Tie Point between the raster and vector coordinates.
4. Apply one of Scan2CAD’s vectorization settings. This ensures that Scan2CAD processes your image using appropriate settings, and gives you a great chance of better end results.
5. Click to convert your image! In just seconds, you’ll have a usable vector image. Simply export the file as either a DWG or DXF to finish.

Using CAD file formats in GIS

A screenshot of GRASS GIS, an example of a Geographic Information System

After converting your GeoTIFF using Scan2CAD, you’re free to use the resultant DWG or DXF file in the program of your choice. For many users, this means their GIS of choice.

Luckily, most major GIS programs support both DWG and DXF. Be aware, however, that it’s common for such programs not to support the most recent versions of DWG. ArcGIS, for example, supports DWG up to the 2010 version.

In the table below, you can see which common GIS programs support DWG and DXF.

It’s also worth noting that some programs (such as gvSIG) allow for DWG imports, but not exports. As such, it’s probably a safer bet to use DXF for your conversion if you plan to collaborate with numerous stakeholders. Nonetheless, as is evident from the table above, wide support exists for both CAD formats. So, if you’re looking to convert your image to vector for use in both CAD and GIS programs, the answer is clear: convert your GeoTIFF file to CAD using Scan2CAD, the ultimate vectorization software.

Scan2CAD’s latest guide will show you exactly how you can convert PDF to CAD in a few simple steps. Plus, we’ll show you how you can get Scan2CAD for free!

What are PDFs?

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is easily one of the most popular file formats you’ll find. Why exactly? Since its first release in 1993, PDF has become the go-to format for exchanging documents. Unlike many other formats—like Microsoft Word’s .doc—the text or images displayed on a PDF tend to be displayed in an identical manner across all types of devices. In industries like media, this is ideal—you can rest assured knowing everyone you share your PDFs with will see the exact same thing you do. 

Another major benefit to the PDF format is that you don’t need specific software to view them—you can do it from the comfort of your chosen browser with absolutely no issue. Alternatively, you can use software like Adobe Reader, which tends to already be installed on most PCs. One of the most interesting aspects to the PDF format however, has to be its ability to support both raster and vector elements. As such, it can be difficult to categorize the file format as strictly “raster” or “vector”. 

While PDFs are great for displaying documents or general information, they’re incredibly difficult to edit. In fact, if you wanted to edit the information in a PDF, you’d generally have to convert to a different file format entirely. If you’re looking to use information in a PDF in CAD software like AutoCAD or SolidWorks, for example, you’d have to convert your PDF to a CAD-friendly file format. We’ll show you exactly how you can do this below—and the issues you might come across along the way!

Converting to CAD

When we talk about converting PDF to CAD, we don’t mean “CAD” as a file type. Instead, we’re using it to refer to file types that run in CAD applications like AutoCAD. So if you’re looking to convert to use your PDF in CAD software, you’re going to first have to convert your PDF to a CAD-friendly format. In this case, you’ll be looking to convert your PDF to DXF or DWG. 

DWG

DWG is the native file format for none other than AutoCAD, one of the most popular CAD programs around. A proprietary file format owned by Autodesk, DWG has had a long and interesting history since its first release in 1982. Being a proprietary file format, any developer that wishes to use the format in their software has to first get a license to do so. Fortunately, nowadays, there are plenty of ways to view DWG without AutoCAD.

As you’d imagine, being the native file format for one of the leading CAD software packages on the market, DWG is used extensively around the globe. The format comes with a wide variety of advantages. To start, it comes with a small file size, as it is a binary file format. In turn, the compact nature of DWG files makes them perfect for sharing and collaborating. Of course, its compatibility with AutoCAD means that almost all CAD professionals and hobbyists will have encountered it at some point—making it a great format to use.

Furthermore, DWGs are able to support both 2D and 3D geometry. For example, it would be simple enough to create a 2D drawing of a design which can then be modified to 3D using Autodesk software. In addition, DWG files come with the ability to support AutoCAD elements like dynamic blocks and line weights.

DXF

As popular as the DWG file format is, it does come with some drawbacks. Paramount amongst these is that, despite the broader support that exists for DWG now, the format primarily exists to serve as the native file format for AutoCAD. But imagine if you wanted to share your CAD files with a collaborator who doesn’t use AutoCAD. You can’t guarantee that their program will support DWG files—something which could be potentially problematic. This is where the DXF file format comes in. An open standard format, DXFs are the closest thing the CAD industry has to a universal file format. 

So if you’re a designer who likes to use different software to AutoCAD, the DXF file format is an ideal solution—you’ll struggle to find a CAD software package that doesn’t support it. If you’re sharing CAD files with someone else and you’re not sure whether they have AutoCAD, you’re best off sending a DXF. 

Unlike DWGs, DXFs are not binary files—they’re made up of letters and numbers, so you’re facing a larger file size. Additionally, they don’t support some of AutoCAD’s specific CAD elements like dynamic blocks. As a result, you might find yourself losing data when opening your DXFs in programs like AutoCAD. 

How do I convert?

There are two ways to convert PDF to CAD: through manual or automatic tracing. As the name suggests, manual tracing will depend entirely on your input. That is, you have to open your PDF in a program and draw over it with an additional layer. You’ll trace over all the lines, shapes and text that you wish to convert. This method has the benefit of human understanding—you know exactly what you’re converting, unlike conversion software. While it can be time-consuming, it’s a great option if you’ve got plenty of time to spare. You can manually trace using the following software: 

• Inkscape
• Illustrator
• SketchUp

Bear in mind, however, that you’ll come across a few issues when attempting to manually trace PDFs. To start, some software packages don’t support PDFs—so you won’t be able to import them. Additionally, with the wide variety of information that PDFs carry, you might struggle to trace everything you see. 

Automatic tracing, by comparison, makes use of conversion software which—yes, as you guessed—automatically traces your image and converts it to a vector file format like DXF or DWG. Software like Scan2CAD, for example, will detect the lines and edges in your PDF and redraw them as vector lines, shapes and other entities—if you’re converting a raster PDF at least. In some cases, it can take as little as a few clicks and a few seconds to convert.

Can I use an online converter?

If you typed “convert PDF to CAD” into your chosen browser, you’d undoubtedly come across multiple online converters claiming to convert quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, as with most things, this isn’t always the case. 

While online converters are generally free, they come with a wide variety of disadvantages. Strictly speaking, online converters can’t offer the same high-quality output as converters that are dedicated raster-to-vector solutions. Additionally, they always come with limitations—a limited file size upload or a limited number of conversions. Worse still, using an online converter can mean leaving your system open to security risks. 

Instead, you should make use of software that you can trust to keep you safe and give you the best possible output—that’s where Scan2CAD comes in!

Using Scan2CAD to convert PDF to CAD

As a market-leading raster-to-vector conversion software, you can expect only the best from Scan2CAD. With it, you can convert to and from a wide variety of file formats—not the least of which includes PDF to CAD formats like DXF and DWG. 

Unlike online converters and many other conversion tools, Scan2CAD is able to support and convert both raster and vector PDFs—and even PDFs that contain both raster and vector elements. 

Convert a raster PDF to CAD

If you’re using Scan2CAD, it couldn’t be any easier to convert your raster PDF to a DXF or DWG. All you need to do is ensure you’re using a high-quality PDF to start with, and you’ll be able to start the vectorization process. Simply load your raster PDF into Scan2CAD. Once you’ve done so, you can look through the vectorization settings available to ensure your conversion is as precise as possible. 

The steps to conversion are then as follows: 

•  : converts lines, curves and shapes to vectors
•  : to convert any raster text to vector text
•  : converts both raster lines and text to vectors

Then, all you have to do is choose the file format to save your raster PDF to—either DXF or DWG. It’s just as simple as it sounds—as you can see below…

Converting a technical drawing to vector with Scan2CAD

Convert a vector PDF to CAD

It can be difficult to convert vector PDFs to CAD file formats. Fortunately, Scan2CAD is fully equipped with the necessary tools to make it possible! 

• File management: in a single PDF, you might have hundreds of small raster images which might be treated separately by other converters—leaving you to have to reassemble your entire PDF by the end. Scan2CAD, by comparison, enables you to save each page as a single file. 
• Draws CAD arcs and circles: a disadvantage of PDFs is that they typically don’t save CAD arcs or circles—they’re made up of short lines or curves instead. Scan2CAD combats this by replacing these entities with true arcs and circles that are easily editable. 
• Retains PDF line types: as we’ve said, PDFs contain a wide variety of information, including different line types. Instead of converting these different types to the same continuous one like other converters, Scan2CAD saves them accurately as they are. 
• Retains PDF line widths: PDFs tend to contain specific line width information associated with each PDF vector entity—Scan2CAD retains this whilst giving you the option to turn them off if you’re saving to DXF. 

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg! Click on the link below to see what else Scan2CAD can do…

Convert PDFs with raster and vector elements to CAD

If you’ve got a PDF that contains both raster and vector elements, you don’t have to worry at all—Scan2CAD does it as easy as pie! 

All you’ve got to do is load your PDF file into Scan2CAD as you would with a raster or vector PDF. A dialog box will then appear—it will give you the option to load raster elements, vector elements or both in your PDF. You have to click both to convert all of the elements in your PDF to DXF or DWG. 

To isolate the vector elements in your PDF, simply click View Vector File. You can also distinguish between the different types of vector entities present (such as lines and arcs) by using the View Vector Colors tool. With these tools, you can then figure out which PDF Import Settings to use—re-import your PDF and all of your vector elements should appear correctly. To isolate the raster elements in your PDF, simply use the steps listed above for converting raster PDFs to CAD. All you’ve got to do at the end is save your completed image as a DXF or DWG. 

Scan2CAD: Free Download

Scan2CAD isn’t just great for converting PDFs to CAD, it’s also great for converting any raster file type to a vector file format. Better still, it doesn’t merely apply a generic vectorization process to all images—using specific vectorization settings, Scan2CAD can offer you a specialized solution that’s perfect for your specific files.

Of course, it’s not just all about the vectorization tools—it’s also about the clean up! Scan2CAD comes with a range of pre- and post-processing cleaning tools that makes getting a perfect vector output possible. And with its support of a wide range of file types and market-leading features like Smart OCR and batch processing, it couldn’t be easier to convert to and from your chosen file formats. 

Don’t just take our word for it. Try out our free, 14-day trial with absolutely no limitations or obligations. That’s right—you don’t have to worry about file size limits or a limited number of conversions! Click on the link below to get started!

In this article, we’ll outline how to convert images to vector formats quickly and simply. We’ll also go into detail about which vector formats to choose, as well as providing some handy tips on how to make the conversion process run smoothly.

Table of contents

• Raster images
  • Common raster file types
    • JPG
    • PNG
    • TIFF
• Vector images
  • Common vector file types
    • DWG
    • DXF
• Conversion options
• Convert image to vector
  • How it works
  • Potential issues
  • Improve your results
  • Converting your image
• Why use Scan2CAD?

Raster images

The vast majority of digital images we encounter in daily life are raster images, from the photos we take on our phones through to GIFs we share on social media. There are plenty of reasons behind the predominance of raster images:

• Web browsers support many of the most common types of raster image formats
• Raster images are ideal for purposes such as photography
• Scanning a paper drawing will create a raster image
• Many of the most popular image editors, such as Photoshop, work with raster images

However, raster images come with their own drawbacks. Firstly, raster images are made up of pixels, and are thus intended to be displayed at a set resolution. This means that resizing or zooming will inevitably come with some loss of image quality.

Secondly, raster images have no structure; they are simply a map of different colors. This means that CAD programs cannot interpret what the image represents nor distinguish between different elements within the image. This also makes it impossible to convert the image to a CNC-compatible format, such as G-code.

If your image is saved in a raster file format, and you need to use it for CAD or CNC purposes, then your only solution is to convert your image to a vector format.

Common raster file types

There are hundreds of raster image types on the market, each offering its own benefits and drawbacks. Here, we’ve focused on just a few formats that you’re most likely to use.

JPG

One of the most well known raster file types around is JPG. This format is the perfect choice for photographs because of its small file size. This is an advantage as it allows users to store hundreds of photos on a phone or digital camera without having to worry about running out of space.

To achieve this reduction in file size, though, JPG must cut some corners with image quality, and uses lossy compression techniques. This typically isn’t a major issue with photos, where some blurring around the edges won’t have too negative an effect on image quality. When dealing with line drawings such as floorplans, however, JPG’s shortcomings become apparent, as compression artifacts will appear.

Compression artifacts make it difficult to convert a JPG image to vector. As such, we recommend that you avoid saving your image as a JPG.

PNG

Another extremely common file type is PNG. This format has gained prominence as an all-rounder, particularly in the field of web graphics. PNG also offers users the benefits of 16 million colors and transparency alongside lossless compression.

Lossless compression means that, when you save a PNG file, it won’t lose quality. This sets it apart from file formats like JPG, and makes it a better choice if you’re looking to vectorize your image later on. The one downside is that file sizes are larger than for JPG.

TIFF

TIFF, or Tagged Image File Format, is a raster image format that is popular in the world of digital art. Much like the PNG format, TIFF offers users lossless compression and transparency. However, TIFF also enables users to save their images without compression.

Uncompressed images guarantee users maximum image quality. As you may expect, though, this means that TIFF files can balloon in size to be far larger than an equivalent JPG, or even PNG. Nonetheless, if you’re seeking to convert your image from raster to vector, it’s important to prioritize image quality over small file sizes. That’s why Scan2CAD recommends TIFF as the best file format to convert your image to vector.

Vector images

Vector file formats offer users an entirely different way to store image data. That’s because they eschew pixels and instead opt for objects. This means that, instead of displaying color information, they display the individual elements of an image. Elements within a vector image can include lines, curves, shapes, and text, amongst other object types.

Each object in a vector image is defined by mathematical coordinates. This means that it’s possible to display a vector file at practically any scale without loss of clarity or quality. Additionally, for the same reasons, you can display a vector image at any resolution.

Another benefit to vector images is that all elements of the image are distinct from one another. This makes it easier for CAD and CNC control software to use and interpret the image, and also allows users to attach data to individual objects. For example, if you were using architectural CAD software, you could specify the building material for a particular wall.

As well as the positives above, vector images often come with smaller file sizes, too. This is because, where raster files contain information about each individual pixel (including the background), vector files only contain information about the relevant parts of the image.

Common vector file types

Much as with raster images, a wide selection of vector file types exists. However, in the world of CAD, two file types predominate: DXF and DWG. We’ll explore the reasons why you might choose to convert your image to either of these two vector file types.

DWG

DWG is the native file format for the market-leading CAD software from Autodesk, AutoCAD. As a result, you can find DWG files on the hard drives of architects, engineers and designers the world over.

The DWG format is primarily intended for use with AutoCAD. As such, it reflects the changes made to the program itself, and Autodesk periodically releases new versions of the DWG format to coincide with new AutoCAD releases.

The format supports a wide range of vector entities, including many that are specific to AutoCAD. However, there are now many other ways to view DWG files without AutoCAD, and the file type remains popular with users of many different CAD programs.

DXF

Interestingly, the DXF format comes from the same stable as DWG; both have their origins in Autodesk. Where DWG was to be the native format of AutoCAD, DXF was to act as CAD’s lingua franca—a format that would enable users of all CAD programs to collaborate on the same projects.

While there are a few, AutoCAD-specific entities that DXF doesn’t support, the format is identical in most ways to DWG. Add this to the fact that practically every CAD software on the market supports DXF, and it’s clear to see why DXF has become a popular file format. If you’re looking to share your image with a wide range of clients after conversion, and you aren’t sure whether all of them use AutoCAD, then it may be safer to save your file as a DXF.

Though vector files aren’t perfect in all situations—such as for displaying photo-realistic images—they’re ideal for CAD. Read on to find out exactly how to convert your image to vector.

Conversion options

If you’re used to programs such as Photoshop, then you might think that converting from one file type to another is as simple as clicking “Save As…” and selecting from a drop-down menu. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to convert from raster to vector.

As raster and vector images operate using entirely separate principles, converting an image to vector (also known as vectorization) is more complex. The only way to accomplish this conversion is through tracing over a raster image. There are two ways to complete the tracing process:

• Manual tracing. This involves opening your raster image in a program such as Inkscape, Illustrator or SketchUp, adding a new layer on top of the existing image, and then drawing vector lines, shapes and text that reflects the content of the raster image.

  If you have plenty of time on your hands to trace your image accurately (and a steady hand!), this method can produce great results. However, it’s certainly time-consuming—it could take hours or even days to trace a single image!

• Automatic tracing. Vectorization software, such as Scan2CAD, can automatically detect the lines, shapes and objects present within an image. From this, they can then produce a vector representation of the raster image. It’s also possible to detect text (and even handwriting!) thanks to OCR technology.

  The key positive to automatic tracing, however, is speed. It takes mere seconds to convert an image to vector using automatic tracing. You can also use batch processing to convert many images at once—something that would require an entire team if tracing manually!

  There are some downsides, though—this method requires some pre- and post-processing, so humans aren’t entirely off the hook here. Meanwhile, even the ultimate vectorization software doesn’t have the same understanding of an image’s contents as a human would. This means that it may make some errors during conversion. Nonetheless, there are ways to help reduce these issues—read on to find out how!

Convert image to vector

How it works

Converting images to vector files automatically is a difficult process. That’s because it requires a computer program to understand an image—something that it finds much harder than a human would.

Because of this, vectorization works best with images that are:

• simple
• clear
• monochrome

For example, if an image consisted of the outline of a black square on a white background, it would be incredibly easy to vectorize. It would be close to impossible, meanwhile, to achieve good results with a full-color photograph.

Potential issues

Common issues with raster images

With many potential types of vector entities, it can be difficult for vectorization software to know how to process your vector file. For example, it might not always be clear whether an object is a straight line or a curve.

As well, your entire image, or individual objects within it, may suffer from defects. This can occur due to errors in the scanning process, skewing, or problems introduced by saving your image using a lossy file format. These may include the appearance of speckles or ‘holes’, blurriness, or the use of grayscale rather than monochrome colors.

Whilst high-quality, accurate, professional software such as Scan2CAD will find issues like these much easier to deal with than an online conversion tool, there are still ways that users can improve their original raster image to make it easier to convert.

Improve your results

Most users who need to convert images to vector files will find themselves somewhere in between the extreme situations described earlier. In some cases, these issues can be avoided by re-scanning your image, or obtaining a version that isn’t saved as a lossy file format such as JPG.

However, in some cases, you have no choice but to go ahead with converting a less-than-ideal image. This means that you’ll need to perform a few pre-processing steps to get your image up to scratch. Some of the most common are found below:

1. Use thresholding. Thresholding enables you to turn a grayscale image into one in which there are only two colors: black and white. With Scan2CAD, you’ll see a dialog box appear while using the thresholding tool, which enables you to set a cut-off point at which shades of gray will be processed as either black pixels or white pixels.
2. Thicken lines. It’s common for broken lines to appear if you’ve scanned in an image, particularly if the image was originally drawn in pencil. You can solve this issue by using Scan2CAD’s Thicken Lines tool. Be careful when using this tool, though—you don’t want to join together lines that shouldn’t be connected!
3. Remove holes and speckles. Holes may appear if your image is too faint. To correct this, use Scan2CAD’s Remove Holes feature. Meanwhile, the opposite problem is the appearance of speckles—additional extraneous pixels that can appear close to the edges of lines and shapes, and can make it difficult for the program to tell the difference between an object and its background. To remove this, you can either erase the pixels freehand, or do it automatically using the Remove Speckles tool.

We have plenty of additional recommendations on how you can get your raster image ready for conversion. So, before you vectorize your image, be sure to check out our top 10 raster cleanup effects.

Converting your image

Now that all the preparation is done, you’ll be pleased to learn that the actual conversion process could hardly be simpler! In fact, all you’ll have to do is open your cleaned-up raster image in Scan2CAD, then click on one of the available conversion options. And voilà! You’ll convert your raster image to vector in a matter of seconds. You can see what that looks like below…

Converting a technical drawing to vector with Scan2CAD

Why use Scan2CAD?

There are a whole host of tools available which allow you to convert images to vector formats—so why choose Scan2CAD?

The answer is simple: Scan2CAD is the professional, accurate conversion solution.

With Scan2CAD, you needn’t worry about whether your software will be able to distinguish an arc from a circle, or whether it will deal with dashed lines correctly. Scan2CAD’s superior vector recognition software makes it the ideal choice for architects and engineers looking to convert technical drawings with pinpoint accuracy.

Meanwhile, Scan2CAD also offers a vast range of tools that enable you to optimize your image prior to conversion, and perfect it at the end. With support for a vast range of file types, Scan2CAD makes it easy for you to convert to and from all of the most popular raster and vector formats on the market. Plus, with support for batch processing, you could convert your images faster than you think.

There are so many reasons to choose Scan2CAD—but don’t just take our word for it. Try Scan2CAD out for yourself with our 14-day, no obligation free trial. Click the link below to download today.

Nonetheless, PDF files aren’t perfect. Their strength in wide compatibility often proves a weakness in other areas. In short, they’re great when you only need to view a document; less good when you need to edit it. This can prove a particular problem if you work with software such as AutoCAD.

Luckily, there are ways to convert even the most complex PDF to AutoCAD-compatible file formats. In this guide, we’ll run through the reasons why you might need to perform such a conversion, provide a rundown on what not to do, and show you the best ways to convert any PDF to AutoCAD.

PDF files

Since its initial release in 1993, PDF has become a ubiquitous file format across the globe. Its popularity lies in its ability to display documents in an identical manner on virtually any device. This gives it an edge over formats such as Microsoft Word’s .doc and .docx formats, which can have inconsistent appearances on different displays. Meanwhile, its ability to store text gives it a clear advantage over simple raster file types.

The ability of PDF files to display various forms of data makes them harder to categorize than many other formats. PDFs are able, for example, to display raster images, such as photos or scanned sketches. However, they can also contain vector graphics—though they typically only support simpler entities, such as circles and lines. As a result, PDF is neither strictly a vector nor a raster file type, but a sui generis format.

There are obvious benefits to the complexity of PDF files—but also some drawbacks. A key issue is that PDF files exist to display information. If you wish to edit the contents of a PDF file, you’ll need to convert the file to another format in order to edit it in another program. A common editing software in the CAD industry, for example, would be AutoCAD. However, this conversion process can throw up numerous issues. This means that specific steps must be taken when converting from PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats.

AutoCAD

As mentioned above, AutoCAD is one of the most commonly used CAD programs on the market. It is the flagship software from Autodesk, and offers users powerful 2D and 3D CAD functionality. For this reason, it is popular across a variety of industries, though it is particularly prominent in the AEC sector. Thanks to its linked application, AutoCAD 360, its users can now work on mobile devices or edit from the cloud.

AutoCAD allows its users to create detailed and accurate technical drawings: a must-have for engineers, architects and product designers. It also allows the attachment of relevant data to these drawings, transforming them from simple images into vital tools for the successful completion of a project.

File formats

The complex information that AutoCAD deals with requires a file format capable of storing it. Raster file types, which simply store color information, are, therefore, unsuitable. Instead, vector file formats are necessary. These formats store each object (such as a line or circle) as a separate, editable entity, to which a user can attach additional data. AutoCAD supports many different file extensions, though two stand out in particular: DWG and DXF.

DWG

The history of the DWG format goes hand in hand with that of AutoCAD itself. DWG has acted as the native file format for AutoCAD ever since its first release in 1982, and stands as one of the most popular file formats in CAD. Due to its popularity, there are also now a number of ways to view DWG files without AutoCAD.

Given its status as AutoCAD’s native file format, it should come as no surprise to learn that DWG is a vector file format. In fact, Autodesk updates the DWG format periodically to reflect changes to AutoCAD itself. This means that DWG is the ideal format for loyal AutoCAD users—particularly those who make use of AutoCAD-specific entities in their drawings. Additionally, DWG also supports both 2D and 3D graphics, making it a flexible choice for designers.

DXF

Though DWG is AutoCAD’s native format, Autodesk is well aware that it isn’t always a designer’s ideal choice. That’s why it created the DXF file format. Unlike DWG, which is intended primarily for use in AutoCAD, DXF is an open standard. This means that virtually any CAD software on the market can open a DXF file. As such, it’s ideal for users who often collaborate with designers who use alternatives to AutoCAD.

DXF is, in many ways, similar to DWG. Both are vector file formats, capable of displaying objects and data present in AutoCAD drawings. However, there are some key differences. DWG is intended to reflect the full range of AutoCAD entities and features. DXF, meanwhile, is meant to act as a lingua franca for many different types of CAD software. As such, it does not support many of the AutoCAD-specific entities that DWG does. It also lacks support for 3D graphics—though, unlike DWG, it is a suitable format for CNC machines.

Converting from PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats

The PDF format, with its purpose as a medium for displaying information, differs completely from formats such as DWG and DXF, which are for creating and editing designs. However, oftentimes, designers will find themselves needing to edit designs stored as PDF files in AutoCAD.

The solution, therefore, is to convert their PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. Given the combination of raster data, vector entities and text that can make up a PDF, conversion can be tricky. That’s why we’ve put together this guide showing you the best way to convert your PDF to AutoCAD—with information covering raster, vector, and mixed files.

How not to convert from PDF to AutoCAD

Before we jump into the ways to convert from PDF to AutoCAD, let’s start off with a quick note on how not to do it.

For starters, it’s worth noting that, as useful as Google can be, it can often throw up some less-than-perfect results when it comes to PDF to AutoCAD conversion. Many of the first results you’re likely to find in a standard Google search will be online converters. These tools are generally free—but, as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for.

The quality of any conversion produced using an online tool is likely to be low—too low, in fact, to be useful in AutoCAD. Worse still, online conversion tools can leave you open to intellectual property and security risks. If you’re still tempted, make sure to check out our guide covering the pitfalls of online converters.

Meanwhile, some users may wish to try out manual tracing before committing to an automatic conversion tool. A key issue with this is that, whilst many manual tracing tools readily accept various raster file types, they often don’t support PDFs. If, somehow, you do find a tool that allows for manual tracing of PDFs, you’ll come up against another issue: manual tracing is hard. The process is time-consuming and demanding.

It’s certainly true that, if you have the time on your hands, you can achieve good results. However, PDFs can often contain a wealth of complex information. This means that achieving a great quality vector image through manual tracing usually isn’t worth the trouble. Visit our comparison of manual and automatic tracing for more information.

Importing PDFs directly into AutoCAD

For many years, it was impossible to directly import PDF data into AutoCAD. This all changed with AutoCAD 2017: the first release to include PDF file imports as a feature. In 2017, Autodesk built further upon this capability when they released AutoCAD 2018. Every year since, the functionality has been made available in the subsequent releases of the software, including AutoCAD 2023, the most recent version.

Now, it’s possible to import some PDF data into AutoCAD using the PDFIMPORT command. Supported data types include some vector geometry and text, including SHX text as of AutoCAD 2023. If you use this command, AutoCAD will import the data directly from the PDF, enabling you to edit this data and later save it as a DWG or DXF file.

However, it’s worth noting that this command has its limitations. To begin with, the PDFIMPORT command does exactly what it says on the tin—it imports data from a PDF. Whilst this might sound ideal, it can often cause problems. That’s because PDFs only support simple vector entities; AutoCAD, meanwhile, supports much more complex entities, and these might be necessary for your project. If you’re simply importing rather than converting, you could be missing out.

Still, AutoCAD does allow you to transform your vector PDF data into editable geometry. This is not, unfortunately, the case for the raster data in your PDF. The PDFIMPORT command will simply attach any raster data to your AutoCAD drawing as an xref, instead of converting it. If you have drawing data saved in the form of a sketch, this is, therefore, unsuitable for your needs.

Using Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software, enabling users to convert to and from a number of different raster and vector formats. This includes the ability to vectorize PDF files in just a few clicks.

Scan2CAD’s automatic PDF-to-vector conversion makes it an ideal choice for any AutoCAD users looking to edit their PDFs. That’s because, unlike some other tools, it’s capable of converting both raster and vector PDFs. It can even handle PDF files which contain both raster and vector elements. Read on to learn exactly how to convert each type of PDF to AutoCAD.

Converting a raster PDF to AutoCAD

From a software point of view, raster-to-vector conversion is incredibly complex. That’s because raster images and vector graphics are totally different. A raster image is made up of colored pixels, whilst a vector image is made up of mathematically defined objects.

The only way to get from raster to vector is through automatic tracing. This involves Scan2CAD working out the appropriate vector entity types for different parts of a raster image. It’s trickier than it sounds!

Luckily, for a Scan2CAD user, the conversion process is simple. To begin with, try to ensure you use a good quality PDF—if necessary (or possible), rescan images to improve their quality. Once you’re happy that your raster PDF is good enough for conversion, load it into Scan2CAD.

Before starting the conversion process, select the best vectorization settings for your image. After that, there are three ways to vectorize your image:

•  : which converts lines, curves and shapes to vectors.
•  : to convert raster text to vector text.
•  : which converts the entire image (both lines and text) to vectors.

Finally, all you have to do is save your image as an AutoCAD-compatible format: DXF or DWG. And that’s it!

For more information, check out our ultimate guides to converting PDF to DXF and PDF to DWG.

Converting a vector PDF to AutoCAD

If your PDF file consists entirely of vector graphics, you may assume that the conversion process is simpler than that of a raster PDF. In some ways, this is true: Scan2CAD won’t need to perform the complex automatic tracing operations involved in vectorizing a raster image, for example.

However, converting from PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats such as DWG and DXF throws up its own set of issues. This is because PDFs support only a limited range of vector entities. Additionally, some information is lost when saving a drawing in PDF format, resulting in elements being saved incorrectly. When converting your PDF to DWG or DXF, you’ll therefore have to convert these to the correct entities.

Luckily, Scan2CAD makes the process easy. Simply start by loading your vector PDF in Scan2CAD. Use the View Vector Colors tool to turn off the “true” colors of your vector PDF, and instead color vectors by type. You’ll then be able to explore your image, and see whether your entities have been imported correctly. If not, you can change Scan2CAD’s PDF Import Settings to suit the needs of your image. Settings include:

• Make Arcs, Beziers, Circles, Dash Lines, and Arrow Lines
• Load PDF Text
• Load Solid White Rectangles

Once you’ve chosen appropriate settings, you can re-import your vector PDF. The vector elements in your PDF should now appear correctly. If you’re still experiencing any issues, check out our guide to common DWG conversion problems to iron them out. Once everything is sorted, you can save your image as a DWG or DXF.

Converting a PDF with both raster and vector elements

Last, we’ll come to the most complex conversion of them all: converting a PDF containing both raster and vector graphics. Scan2CAD, however, makes this conversion a cinch.

Simply start by loading your PDF into Scan2CAD. You’ll see a dialog window pop up immediately if your file contains both raster and vector elements, with check boxes prompting you to load the raster elements in the PDF, the vector elements, or both. Ensure to check both boxes to convert all elements from PDF to AutoCAD.

From this point, the conversion process basically involves a combination of the two above elements. Using the View Vector Image and View Vector Colors tools, you can isolate the vector elements of the PDF, allowing you to judge the PDF Import Settings you need to use. You can then re-import your PDF, and all vector elements in your file should appear correctly.

Then, use the View Raster Image tool to show only the raster elements of your PDF. Follow the steps in the raster PDF to AutoCAD section above to vectorize these raster elements. Now, all elements in your PDF file should have been successfully converted to vector. All that’s left to do is save your image as a DXF or DWG file—and you’re done!

We hope this guide has covered everything you need to know on converting from PDF to AutoCAD. If you’re still curious, though, feel free to leave any more questions in the comments!

This guide covers everything you need to know about scanning a design into the computer, and converting the resulting raster file into a CAD-friendly vector format.

When would paper to CAD conversion be used?

There are several instances where paper to CAD conversion becomes necessary.

One common scenario involves old technical drawings or architectural plans. Your studio may have won a contract to develop part of a site further. The trouble is, all of the previous plans were drawn on physical paper, rather than on a program like AutoCAD. In such an instance, you could begin by manually drawing the designs in your preferred software, and going from there. However, this would require a huge commitment of time and energy, which would be better spent editing the initial design to the client’s new specifications. A more efficient method would be to use the technological advances that are present in Scan2CAD, which allow you to automatically convert a scanned paper drawing to a CAD format.

The same principle applies to hand-drawn sketches, or any other design that has been produced on paper.

Why do you need conversion software?

Only vector graphics are suitable for designing in CAD. Source: University of Connecticut

When you scan your drawing—either onto your computer, or directly into Scan2CAD—you will be able to save it as a raster file. Raster file formats are commonly used display on the web, but are not suitable for use within the context of CAD design. Their lack of structure means that you cannot edit individual entities without affecting the image as a whole. Furthermore, if you increase the image size, this can cause the drawing to lose quality and appear fuzzy or pixelated.

In order to use your scanned paper drawings for CAD design purposes, you will need to convert blueprints to CAD compatible vector format, such as DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) or DWG (Drawing). Unlike raster images, vector files are capable of holding masses of data about each individual element. This data is readable by CAD software, and is invaluable when collaborating on an important project.

Vectors also benefit from resolution independence: however far you zoom into the file, you will never see a loss of quality. Furthermore, whereas raster graphics are made up of pixels, vector graphics are made up of objects, such as lines, arcs, Bezier curves or polygons. You can edit each of these entities individually without affecting the rest of the image, granting the designer much more freedom.

There are 2 methods to convert blueprints to digital: manual tracing and automatic tracing. The term ‘tracing’ refers to the process of drawing over raster images with vectors. While humans can understand design more effectively than technology, we’re more prone to inaccuracy. Tracing by hand with a graphics stylus or mouse is also very time consuming. Automatic tracing, on the other hand, is performed by raster-to-vector software like Scan2CAD. You may have to touch-up raster images prior to conversion, but the process is very quick: it takes mere seconds.

With Scan2CAD, you can opt to convert a scanned drawing to a wide range of different vector formats—most commonly DXF or DWG. We’ll look at the differences between the two, and how to vectorize your drawing a little later.  

Scanning your drawing

Can you scan any drawing?

Conversion software is only able to work with what it’s given. When assessing whether your drawing is suitable for scanning, you need to be aware of both size and clarity.

Some drawings are simply too small to be scanned, however much you try to offset this with resolution. Others are too faint, or too dirty, to be cleaned up well enough to produce a credible scan. You also need to be aware of obscured lines. If too many lines are overlapped by text, no software would be able to make sense of the information. Therefore if your aim is to convert blueprints to digital, ensure you have a suitable quality drawing and scan.

What type of scanner can you use?

You can scan directly to Scan2CAD: all you need is a compatible scanner. These include any Twain- or WIA-compliant scanner, or, if you have the pro version, a Colortrac SmartLF scanner, or an HP Designjet T2300 eMFP.

Simply start by loading your design directly from your scanner into Scan2CAD. If a dialogue box appears, choose appropriate settings, and then instruct the software to Scan.

It makes little difference which of these scanners is used, although the latter model does offer you a preview within the software; use this to check whether your scan is fit for conversion. If not—if your drawing is skewed, for instance—rescan until the image is optimal.

If you don’t have access to any of the scanners mentioned, you can still convert your drawing to CAD: it will just add a couple of extra steps. Simply scan your drawing onto your computer as normal, load it in Scan2CAD, and vectorize.

When scanning your drawing, it’s important to save it as a lossless format. TIFF is an ideal format; other lossless formats include BMP and PNG. You should avoid lossy formats, such as JPEG, which sacrifice image quality for smaller file sizes.

Scanner Settings

Color

Most scanners give you the option to scan in color, grayscale, or monochrome. In most cases, the best option to convert hand-drawn plans to digital is to scan your drawing in monochrome. This separates your image into just two colors—black and white—which means that Scan2CAD can easily separate out the design in the foreground from the white background.

If scanning an image as a monochrome image, it’s worth checking your scanner’s threshold settings. These determine which parts of your image are scanned as black and white respectively. If they’re set too high, text may “bleed”, and speckles may appear in the background. Set them too low, and your image may lack detail. It’s possible, however, to simply scan your image in grayscale, then separate the colors out into black and white using Scan2CAD’s thresholding tool.

Resolution

High resolution doesn’t automatically produce a better scan; the important thing is to find the resolution that is most appropriate. But you should also be aware that while you can decrease image resolution after it has been scanned, you cannot increase it. As a general rule, you should be looking at a resolution between 200 and 400 DPI; smaller images, such as logos, may require higher resolution. If your scan appears pixelated, this is a key sign that you need to increase the resolution. Likewise with characters within areas of text, and the spacing of entities—you want clear white space to be visible between them.

This latter issue may need a combination of resolution and threshold adjustments, and you should experiment with both until the image is optimal.

Pre-conversion clean-up

Using the Deskew tool on very skewed images usually results in a significant loss of quality

Before you convert hand-drawn plans to digital, ensure that you have not missed any basic errors. Check that the whole drawing has been scanned and that it is as straight as possible. While Scan2CAD does provide a deskew tool, using it may result in a loss of quality. See our comprehensive guide for optimal raster-to-vector conversion results for more areas you should watch out for.

If you do need to clean up any of the image, there are a number of tools available to you. Other than deskew, you can also fill in missing gaps in lines. Use the Remove Holes function for small holes, or Flood Fill for larger gaps. Opting to Smooth lines will get rid of stray ‘hairs’ from your lines, and if there is a small amount of dirt in the background, you can ‘Remove Speckles’ to eliminate marks.

It’s best at this point to work through the full quality checklist, zooming in to ensure you haven’t missed anything that will become an issue during vectorization.

Converting to vector

DXF or DWG?

To convert from a simple image to a file that contains important design data and that can be easily edited in CAD software, you’ll need to convert your drawing from raster to vector. With Scan2CAD, you can choose between numerous vector formats, notably including DXF or DWG. Both formats allow you to edit individual entities and reuse them, should you so wish. This can save time in the future when creating CAD files with similar elements to those in this file. What’s more, neither DXF or DWG files are resolution dependent: however far you zoom in or out; whatever size you view the image, the drawing’s quality will be retained.

But while DXF files are supported almost universally by CAD programs, making them ideal for collaboration, the DWG format is native to AutoCAD. If you don’t own this software, don’t panic—you may still be able to view and edit a DWG without AutoCAD.

You may prefer this format if you are keen to edit the drawing using native AutoCAD entities, or if you are only going to be sharing the file with those who use the same software. If you are unsure which to go for, take a closer look at the qualities of each of these vector file types. And remember, it’s not the end of the world if you get it ‘wrong’: you can always convert your DWG to a DXF, or vice versa, at a later date.

How to vectorize your drawing

Whether you’re looking to convert your scan from a TIFF or a PDF, and to a DXF or DWG, the process is the same:

1. Open the scanned image into Scan2CAD
2. Clean the image (if required) using Scan2CAD’s image cleaning tools
3. Convert the image using Scan2CAD’s Vectorization and OCR 
4. Export the converted vector image to DXF or DWG for your CAD software.

It really is as quick and simple as that! And, if you’ve got a mountain of hard copies that you need to scan, there’s no need to convert each one individually. Use the Batch Processing tool to automate the process, while retaining control on pre-conversion optimization.

A floor plan drawing converted to DXF in Scan2CAD

What about Paper to CAD Conversion Services?

If converted your paper designs to CAD yourself seems like too much work, you could look into paper to CAD conversion services. These service providers will require you to send them your paper copies and they will subsequently scan and convert your drawings to your required format.

Paper to CAD conversion as a service is not without its issues. In fact, we created an article for those who wish to make an informed decision on whether or not to outsource conversions: CAD Conversion: Do It Yourself Or Outsource? Most notably, outsourcing conversion is not a zero-work option. You will need to consult with the conversion service providing detailed specifications of the conversions you require and you should carefully check the accuracy of all delivered files. Finally, outsourcing is not an option for the majority of companies who have a policy of protecting their client’s drawings.

Useful resources

If you need more support on converting your scan to vector, then you may find the following pages helpful:

• Converting from TIFF to DXF — Your ultimate guide
• Ultimate Guide: TIFF to DWG Conversion
• Ultimate Guide: PDF to DXF Conversion
• Ultimate Guide: PDF to DWG Conversion
• FAQs: DXF Conversion

If you want to have a go at converting a paper drawing to CAD without the commitment of paying, you can enjoy a no-strings-attached, 14-day trial of Scan2CAD without spending a penny. You’ll soon realize why it is the ultimate market-leading vectorization software.

But what, precisely, is the format that you’re getting out at the end of the process? We’ll explore why vector files are compatible with CAD software, what format options are available, and the significant advantages to using them in both design and manufacturing. First, though, we’re turning back the clock for a brief look at their history.

1. Vector files pre-date AutoCAD

You could create a vector file using a stylus with the Sketchpad software

With its long history, you may assume that AutoCAD was the first program to implement the use of vector files. However, it was a couple of decades previous that Sketchpad, a drawing program thought up by Ivan Sutherland, enabled users to join points with lines—essentially the same technique that is used for drafting vectors today.

Since then, there has been some debate over terminology. Images within vector files are commonly referred to as vector graphics. However, it has been suggested that this term could cause confusion; some authors prefer to call them object-oriented graphics instead. But again, this has drawn criticism. It could be claimed that the term is misleading, as there exists a type of programming called ‘object-oriented programming’—and the two are not necessarily compatible.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter too much which you use; it is, however, important to be aware of both.

2. Different types of vector file are available

Common to CAD design are the file types DXF and DWG.

Drawing eXchange Format (DXF) files are native to AutoCAD, but were designed with the intention of being shared. As such, they are supported by practically every CAD program on the market—which makes them particularly useful for multi-disciplinary collaboration. The files are also simple enough to be used in CNC fabrication. However, this also means that they are not always suitable for some of the more complex entities that designers may wish to use.

Drawing (DWG) files, on the other hand, are not open-source. For use in AutoCAD they are ideal: capable of supporting 3D graphics—unlike DXF files—they also tend to be smaller in size. But when it comes to sharing a DWG, you may encounter difficulties. Some CAD programs are unable to read the file, and it is not supported by browsers.

These are the two formats we focus on here at Scan2CAD. However, they are not the only vector formats out there.

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) files, for instance, are some of the most well-known types of vector file formats. Most prominent amongst their features is their small file size, ensuring them highly appropriate for use on the web. 

We cover more vector file types in a previous blog post; read it to find out more and get guidance on choosing the most suitable one for you.

3. PDF files can be a hybrid of raster and vector

We missed out PDF files from the previous section deliberately—and this is because, whilst they can be classed as a vector file, they may actually be a sort of hybrid, containing some raster entities too. These are images which are not compatible with CAD programs, and which are formed using pixels. Unlike any vector elements of the file, raster entities will not be scalable, and will need to undergo a conversion such as converting PDF to DXF before you can edit them properly. Luckily, the Scan2CAD software is able to convert raster entities to vectors in just a few clicks.

For design purposes, though, you will probably want to change the whole file into a format that is more compatible with CAD programs anyway. This is an extremely quick task—where you can upload your PDF, define the settings as per your requirements, and convert it to a DXF file. And by doing so, there is the option to keep or convert any raster entities, along with the vector ones.

4. Vector files are scalable

Raster files are resolution dependent, but however far you zoom into a vector image, it will always retain its quality

The beauty of vector files is that they are made up of lines, plotted from coordinate point to coordinate point. It is an entirely mathematical approach to drawing—but for those who dislike numeracy as a subject, this shouldn’t put you off. Rather, the format ensures that images can stay crisp and clear at any size at all: they are scalable.

This differs to the pixel-based approach employed by raster files. If you attempt to expand a raster image, it will gradually reduce in quality. This is because there are a fixed number of pixels contained within the file; the optimal size is where all outlines appear in focus. While they offer effects such as color gradation, they are unsuitable for many purposes where accuracy or scale are key.

Vector files, on the other hand, are ideal for use in design. The commonly spouted example tells of a graphic designer, who needs his client’s logo to work on tiny business cards, giant billboards—and anything in between. A raster image would prove unsuitable for such diverse requirements, but vectors rise (literally, and quite spectacularly) to the challenge.

5. Not all raster images can be turned into vector files

When attempting to convert raster files, such as TIFFs, JPEGs or PNGs, into a vector format, you need to be realistic. Not all rasters are suitable for conversion—and for those that are, some pre-vectorization clean-up may be necessary.

The conversion software is very clever, but it isn’t human. Should your image contain text, remember that the OCR technology cannot understand full words as you and I can; if you find it difficult to read, there is no way that the software will be able to.

You also need to ensure that your input image is clear enough to allow vector entities to be traced from it. Raster file types that use lossy compression, such as the JPEG format, are particularly susceptible to problems relating to low quality files. Small file sizes are wonderful for keeping used storage to a minimum, but if there are blurred lines as a result, you are unlikely to get a good vector image at the end.

Fortunately, if you’re set on getting a vector file out of your imperfect raster, there are some things you can do to combat potential issues. You may be able to improve the resolution of the image, and reduce the colors it contains. There are also options to negate the image, deskew it, or remove any holes that may disrupt lines. You can see all of our top raster effects in more detail here.

And of course, if you are able to vectorize your file, there are more benefits in store for you.

6. Vector files are easy to edit in CAD

One of the key reasons why designers and manufacturers predominantly use vector files, rather than raster, is because they contain all the information that is necessary to be used in CAD programs.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve started out with a vector file, or vectorized a raster: you can edit it either way. You can, of course, manipulate the images in your preferred CAD software program, be that AutoCAD, SolidWorks or DraftSight. However, you need not even leave the confines of Scan2CAD for many of the edits you may wish to make.

The full editing suite includes tools that allow you to erase different entities, draw alternative or additional elements, or move them around on your screen. You can even change a line to a curve, and vice versa. Text is easily editable, too—by selecting the words you wish to change, you can type over them, hit ‘Enter’, sit back and admire your handiwork.

If you have previously converted from raster to vector, your new file will be overlayed over the original. The best way to edit it is simply by removing the raster image from sight, using the keyboard shortcut command ‘V’. This will allow you to see just the vectorized image, and thus enable you to work on it unhindered.  

7. They’re ideal for manufacturing, as well as design work

Manufacturing techniques that make use of CNC routers, milling machines and laser cutters, rely on the information contained within vector files. Such instructions are simply not held within raster files, and it is therefore not possible to fabricate a product from one. However, just as you can vectorize a raster file for design purposes, you can also convert an image for CNC.

The crucial thing to remember is that CNC machines need highly accurate designs to work from. With this in mind, when designing vectors for CNC, simple is usually best. Precision is key, and while it may take a bit of time to optimize your image, you can be sure that every second will be worth it. Manufacturing is expensive business, so preventable mistakes are not only irritating, but costly too. Check out the most frequent pitfalls of designing for CNC—and find out how you can avoid them.

As previously mentioned, DXF files, in particular, are ideal for use with CNC machines. Since it’s such a popular format, you’ll find many sites offering free, cut-ready, downloadable DXF files. They allow even the least experienced manufacturer to have a go—providing you’re willing and able to pay for the materials and machine involved in the process.  

For more information on the process of converting your raster files into vector, check out our post on vectorization.

1. It’s necessary for collaboration

If you’re used to dealing with CAD programs like AutoCAD or SolidWorks, you might not immediately see the need for converting PDF files into a compatible format. However, clients are likely to have limited expertise in this area, and may well send files as PDFs. Often their reasoning is sound: PDF is a widely supported file type, so they can be sure anyone receiving the file will have the capacity to access it. They might have no concept of the fact that you can’t just open it and get on with edits and additions. Alternatively, they may be well aware of potential issues, but unable to do anything about them, not having access to CAD software themselves.

You might also start out with a PDF if the drawing has originated from a hard copy. Perhaps it is an old architectural plan of a building, or maybe there’s a hand-drawn sketch you wish to work on. Whatever the reason, you need it on your screen. And when scanning it into the computer, you will be able to save the file as a PDF, but not as a format that is more CAD-friendly.

The difficulties that arise when attempting to edit PDF files makes it often imperative to convert it into a format such as DXF. DXF files are useful because not only are they compatible across CAD software, they can take you from design to manufacturing very easily. As vector files, they contain information that is able to be read by CNC machines, ensuring accurate production of your initial design.

2. Not every part of a PDF file will necessarily need converting from raster to vector

PDFs can contain elements of both raster and vector graphics; the latter referring to parts of the file that are compatible with CAD work. These entities are made up of lines, as opposed to the pixels that form a raster image. Such elements will not undergo further vectorization, but can be imported into your new file all the same.

It is possible to determine which entities of your PDF are raster, and which vector, but to save time and confusion, the software is able to identify them for you. You may decide to load just one of these types, but equally you can load all entities within the file.

You will also be given the option of converting any of the raster graphics into vector. Restrict the vectorization to raster text, lines or shapes—or, to enable them to be used more effectively for CAD or CNC, choose to convert them all. And forget time consuming manual tracing; instead of mouse or graphic pad, Scan2CAD will trace these entities entirely automatically.

Once vectorized, the editing suite allows you to alter any part of the image easily for your desired outcome.

3. It’s very quick and very easy

When converting a PDF into a DXF format, there’s a lot that needs to happen—but, thankfully, not by you.

Simply load your file, and decide which parts of it you wish to convert: you may wish to use only certain pages of your original PDF file, for instance. You’ll also be able to choose different vectorization, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and export settings. To make things even simpler, the software will pick up on individual aspects of your file(s) and display options that are specifically relevant to them.

Then you’re ready to save into DXF format. The whole conversion take just a few clicks of your mouse, and is completed within about half a minute! Suddenly those PDFs you’re sent from clients don’t seem so much of a bother, do they?

For more detailed instructions of the process, see our step-by-step guide to converting your PDF file to a DXF.

4. There are ways you can improve the outcome of your PDF to DXF conversion

During the PDF to DXF process, there are several things that could go wrong. However, with a few pointers, you can reduce susceptibility to all of the most common DXF conversion problems.

Right from the get-go, you will face decisions that will affect the quality of the output. First off, you need to make sure that your input image—the PDF—is scanned into the software in as optimal a manner as possible. Scanning in black and white, where color is not a requirement to your image, proves a big help to the software. It can convert monochrome shapes much more accurately than those that are colored, or even grayscale, which can still include nearly 300 different shades in between black and white.

Ensuring your scan is correctly aligned is another easy way to improve your chances of a successful scan. Although you can use the deskewing tool a little later, such technology can reduce quality—and why bother, when you can manually eliminate the need up-front? No need to worry about it being positioned the wrong way round, though; you can rotate your PDF easily on Scan2CAD.

While there is a whole checklist of things you can do to improve the scanning process, you’ll likely need to work on the image on-screen too. This includes checking that that the lines are thick enough to be recognized (although not thick enough to run the risk of producing multiple lines) and adjusting the color settings of your image.

After the conversion itself, there is a little more to do: the process does not end with a click of the button. Post-vectorization editing is a crucial step that can make all the difference to the quality of your DXF file output.

5. Scan2CAD will recognize text and numbers, although you can give it a helping hand

Optical Character Recognition is a useful piece of kit that can trace over letters and numbers and convert them into editable text. The technology comes in particularly handy when vectorizing old plans, which often contain handwritten labels and notes.

Applying certain settings can be beneficial to the process. You can, for example, choose to split characters that may have bled into each other in their native, raster state. There’s also complete flexibility in how OCR is used: the settings you opt for needn’t apply across your whole document if you don’t deem them suitable.

You can also lend the OCR technology a bit of a helping hand. With handwritten or unclear fonts, it is possible that lettering could be vectorized into a series of lines or arcs, rather than text. Not ideal. So, why not type over the words, and erase the writing beneath it? And remember, if it’s not legible to you, the computer doesn’t stand a chance!

6. You can convert as many PDFs as you like in one go!

What happens when you’ve got multiple PDF files that you need to use within CAD? It rather depends on which converter you opt for. Poor converters, as well as limiting the quality you’ll achieve, will only let you upload one graphic at a time. This is impractical for many users, who require a more extensive use of the service.

Scan2CAD, on the other hand, lets you use the automatic batch conversion option to save time and increase productivity.

Handy for multiple PDF to DXF conversions, there’s no need to upload your PDFs one at a time. It’s a no-corners-cut shortcut: get the same benefits that you enjoy with individual files, including the option to specify your required upload and vectorization settings.

7. You can do it all for free

There are many file converters available online—and you can even find some of these offering the service for free. However, you need to beware of various issues common to many of them. Poor quality is likely to abound: you may find that the output file is watermarked, or a very large in size. Any letters or numbers contained in the PDF may be vectorized as separate entities, leaving words jumbled and totally unreadable. There is also an increased risk that your digital security will be compromised; the risk of malware is not one to be taken lightly, and this is why we warn against the use of cracks.

And if safety and quality weren’t enough, there are various other pitfalls to conversion freeware. They do not tend to offer comprehensive editing suites, which are necessary to optimize your PDF to DXF conversions, nor advanced tools such as OCR.

However, with Scan2CAD, you get all of this (and more) and can even take advantage of a free 14 day trial. During this period, you will have access to the full, professional version of the software. That way, you can test out all of the features we’ve discussed, without committing with your wallet.

And if, and the end of that time, you do decide that paying for the ultimate vectorization software is indeed worth it, you can enjoy the benefits of this market-leading program for as long as you need them.

If you’re new to the Scan2CAD blog, and would like more advice to aid you in all your CAD needs, check out our tips section, featuring more handy hints and tricks on everything from student resources to building the ultimate CAD PC (and with much more in between).

1. Raster images: they’re everywhere!

Photos are stored in raster file formats

The vast majority of the images you see online will be contained in a raster file format. What this means is that they are made up lots of individual pixels—the smallest part of the image, or picture element. Pixels contain information about color; each may be a unique shade, enabling the image to display not just block colour, but smooth transitions and blends between different shades.

The number of pixels contained within each image is fixed, and determines the pixel density. Optimal Pixels Per Inch (PPI) depends on the type of image, but will lead to the greatest resolution—so long as your device can display that level of detail. So, when the image is at its true size, it will retain sharp edges and clear detail.

Reducing the size of the image will not generally cause any visible problems, but enlarging it is a whole different matter. The expanded grid of squares can cause lines to become jagged, creating pixelation and the effect of blurriness. Simply increasing the number of pixels will not solve this issue, either, as your device will scatter pixels indiscriminately throughout the image.

The greater the amount of pixels, though, the greater the raster file size. Even compressed files like JPEGs can take up a lot of space, reflecting the huge amount of data stored within it.

2. Vector files are more functional

A vector graphic of a bridge

Where raster files, such as photographs or detailed pictures, can be found in general use everywhere and anywhere, vector files are much more common within CAD-design specific industries. Their make-up and function is completely different. 

Vector images do not possess pixels. Instead, they are made up of various types of lines, mapped from one coordinate to another. Their ‘location’ is determined by mathematical formulae; in practice, this means that—unlike raster files—they are resolution independent. They can be scaled, so objects within the image will hold their shape and clarity, whatever size they are viewed at.

They include different information to that held within raster files, and are contained in formats such as DXF, DWG or PDF.

3. Conversion is all about usability

JPEGs, GIFs, PNGs and TIFFs are all common raster file types. And they do their jobs well. JPEGs, for instance, are a great choice for a photograph: the format is able to store a huge amount of colours, which enables it to portray a high level of detail.

So why would you ever choose to change them? Well, as we’ve already discussed, a raster file might look impressive when viewed at the size in which it is stored, but zooming in or increasing the size will degrade the image. The pixels that perform so well at their original size suddenly become the file’s downfall. Converting from raster to vector enables scalability—where the image will remain sharp however far you zoom in—and comparable files tend to be much smaller in size.

But that’s not all. Vector files are also much more useful to many of the functions for which CAD is used. They contain a wide range of information crucial to this type of design.

Raster files are not suitable when designing for CNC

When the end goal of your design is fabrication in CNC, there is no other choice than to convert your image to vector. Tools like laser cutters, milling machines and CNC routers are not able to follow raster files, which do not hold any of the information they require. Instructions are easily contained within vector files, though: the points, mapped from A to B to C (and so on), tell the machine where exactly it needs to cut.

So, vector files are much more versatile, easier to work on in common CAD software like AutoCAD and SolidWorks, are suitable for CNC design, and never lose quality. That’s certainly enough to persuade us of the benefits of converting files out of a raster format.

4. There are 2 types of vectorization

When you’ve established why you need to vectorize your image, you need to decide how best to go about it.

Manual vectorization refers to the process of tracing a raster image into a vector file by hand, using a mouse, tablet or graphics pen. As a human’s understanding is superior to that of a computer, images need not be of perfect quality, so long as you are able to determine where the lines are supposed to be drawn. It is, however, time consuming. Complex images coupled with an inexperienced tracer is not a very efficient use of time.

Automatic vectorization, on the other hand, is tracing performed by a computer program. Conversion software, like Scan2CAD, can detect elements that make up the raster file, such as lines and edges. It is able to redraw these as vector entities, although you may have to optimize the image first.

See more of the pros and cons of each type, to figure out whether you should use manual or automatic image tracing.

5. Prepare to encounter difficulties

We cannot accurately determine information like scale from this photo

Depending upon the image you wish to vectorize, you are likely to face challenges during the process.

Some raster files are simply not suitable for vectorization. Unlike for most design, in this process, there is such a thing as resolution that is too high. Software will be unable to determine distinct objects within detailed photographs, for example. Photos of 3D objects, like buildings, are also likely to contain missing information: scale, for one.

But images with limited colour (preferably monochrome) and maximum quality, such as technical drawings, are perfect material for raster to vector conversion. Logos are another strong contender, so long as the logo is isolated (no noise in the background).

Files contained in formats like JPEGs and GIFs that use lossy compression—meaning a reduction in quality when the file size is reduced—should also be avoided. TIFF files, on the other hand, allow for lossless compression—and are far more suited to vectorization.

6. Useful tools you’re going to need

As well as checking that your image is suitable for tracing, you can make use of other pre-vectorization processing techniques, to really get the best out of the conversion.

Scan2CAD offers a number of tools to improve your end results. If your image has too many colors (and this includes shades of grey in areas that might appear black or white), the software will detect them as different entities, and vectorize them as such. Before your conversion, there is the option to reduce colors automatically. It is possible to avoid eliminating necessary differentiation by taking advantage of the option to choose the number of remaining colors.

Additionally, particularly when scanning hand drawn images, you may find that lines are faint or broken. Thickening your lines and removing holes will enable the software to scan these more effectively.

For aspects to your image that  are recognisable to the human eye, but proving a struggle for the software, you can even try a bit of manual tracing. The Pen tool is a handy feature to outline specific objects, although if the image is too busy, success will remain limited.

Scan2CAD also includes tools like Optical Character Recognition (OCR); some subscriptions are also able to support recognition of (legible) handwriting. This is particularly useful for plans, maps and technical drawings, where labels are critical to understanding.

These are just a few of the tools on offer; we’ve got a whole post dedicated to more of the top raster effects with which to optimise your vector conversion.

7. There’s a lot going on in the background

A simple click of the button? The software works a lot harder than you do

The actual raster to vector process might take you just a click of a button, but there is a wealth of activity going on behind the scenes.

Conversion programs first need to find the lines. We’ve already seen how difficult it is for software to accurately read raster images—that’s why we’re vectorizing in the first place! So there needs to be a way in which the program can establish where it needs to trace.

Fortunately, there is more than one. Line thinning involves algorithms that strip back lines until they are just a single pixel deep. Alternatively, contours may be matched, and lines determined by the way they connect around different areas.

The success of each system depends on the image you’re starting with. Noise is a particular issue for the line thinning technique, while contour-based methods are unable to accurately map lines where they meet each other. A combination of methods is often the best way to ensure optimal results.

Finding the lines is the tricky part, but in order to finish conversion, the software needs to use vector elements to redraw the image. These include lines, arcs and Bezier curves. When complete, the image should look like a complete drawing—although some more post-processing may be necessary. You can learn all about that, and more detail about the whole process of vectorization here.

So there they are: the top things we think you need to know about vectorization. But Scan2CAD’s conversion isn’t just a one-way street. If you’re wanting to go from vector to raster, look no further than our guide on rasterization.

‘File types?’ I hear you say. ‘Yawn.’ Well, there’s always a chance you’ll find yourself surprised. With something so commonly used as DXF, there’s room to stand back and dig a little deeper into their background, intricacies and quirks; if nothing else, it will refresh our appreciation for the file’s value.

1. They’re as old as AutoCAD itself

Developed in 1982, the DXF file type was invented by Autodesk—in the same year that the company released the very first version of its most well-known design software: AutoCAD. With the program, users would able to create DWG (Drawing) files, which collated the instructions to render drawings into a compact, binary file—but Autodesk recognized that not everyone would run AutoCAD. For some, the software would be too expensive; for others, unsuited to their work. And so, with the technical specifications of AutoCAD’s native DWG format a closely guarded trade secret, Autodesk saw the need to offer an alternative.

They set out to develop a different sort of file type; one that could be accessed, modified and shared by applications across the CAD world, and not just those built by Autodesk. What they came up with was DXF, the Drawing Exchange Format. It precisely replicated the information held in DWG files, but in plain text, rather than binary code.

This proved to be a smart move: in becoming the industry standard for file sharing, DXF files became critical to many different creative industries, from architecture to fashion to manufacturing, almost overnight.

2. DXFs are totally open-source

AutoDesk publishes a specification document of the DXF file format

Did you know that anyone in the world can access the full specification for DXF files for free, so long as they’re able to get online? The specs are published by creators Autodesk, who update them whenever a new version comes out.

This means that anyone with the necessary software development skills can create programs that can read and write DXF files. It’s one example of how Autodesk have recognized that open collaboration with the CAD industry as a whole can aid progress in design more quickly and efficiently than by working alone.

By contrast, DWG files are not open-source; other than paying for the privilege, the only way to read and write such formats are through reverse engineering—a somewhat tricky operation, although many have tried.

And, of course, it would be naive to suggest that developing an open-source file type was an entirely altruistic project. DXF files successfully helped to promote AutoCAD as the new industry favourite; this file type primarily acts a vehicle for customers to get on board with the program, rather than disembark from it.

3. They revolutionized design collaboration

The clue is in the name. X, for exchange, hints at one of the key benefits to saving as DXF: they are supported by almost every CAD program in the world.

Without DXF, it would be difficult for different companies along the design process—many of whom use distinct pieces of software—to work together effectively. Different programs are more suited to different industries—with budget and personal preferences holding a large sway within companies as well.

Making alterations to a drawing produced by others in a different software package would mean that the design would have to be copied from scratch. Such a method is not only prone to miscommunication and human error, but is also incredibly time-consuming.

With the introduction of DXF, issues relating to compatibility were able to be overcome. The common file format allowed individuals across different creative sectors to collaborate on exactly the same design, whatever their choice of CAD program. Architects could suddenly work with engineers, instead of just parallel to them: their efforts combined and integrated into one neat file package. Similarly, a product designer may draw complex shapes in Illustrator, a program more suited to the task than AutoCAD. But their manufacturers are unlikely to run Illustrator, and so it makes sense to export the drawing as a DXF file when sending it on.

Now, it is more or less taken for granted that updated versions of a design can be sent back and forth as different sections are worked on—and such collaboration breeds great design. Unconstrained by each other’s technology, different industries are able to contribute their best work to a project, and together build something that exceeds the sum of its parts.

4. They’re not perfect

If you’re any sort of a regular Scan2CAD reader, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we believe DXF files to be one big bundle of wonder. And to an extent, you’d be right. We love their versatility and the manner in which they enable cross-discipline collaboration.

But we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t recognize that the file type is not without its flaws.

First things first. While they typically offer a smaller file size to their raster counterparts, DXF files will never head the table when it comes to transfer (upload and download) speed. DWG files contain binary code, which condenses the data held within a file to 1s and 0s. If you take a look at DXF file information, on the other hand (by copying it into a text editor, such as Notepad), you’d be able to see full words. As seen above, this can be considered a great thing—programmers can make sense of the code, which has bred a multitude of software that is compatible with the format. However, the long-form data increases the overall size of the file, so it also requires more storage space. This will be particularly noticeable with extremely complex drawings: those that contain many layers. 

Another issue is that every time you convert a file, you run the risk of some data loss. So, if you’re designing in DWG, and then exporting your work in DXF to send to a colleague or client, there’s a chance that elements from your initial drawing can go AWOL en route. You can take steps to minimize this liability by learning how to avoid common conversion problems.

So, if there are issues with DXF file types, why are we still such big fans? Well, there are a number of reasons.

5. Scale is no object

Raster files become blurred when they are expanded, whereas vector files keep their quality

Unlike other file types, such as JPEGs or GIFs, DXF files are fully scalable. They are able to offer total precision, with a floating-point of up to an impressive 16 decimal places. What this means in reality is that however far you zoom into the image, it will retain its quality. The file contains all the vital information of a drawing; they can be edited in much more detail than an image file in JPEG or PDF format.

When shared with a client, the design will therefore always look perfect. For example, a logo need only be sent in this one file type to enable its use on anything from pocket-sized business cards right up to extravagant billboards. Other designs are sent to be manufactured, and here again you can be sure that—whatever the size of the end product—there will be no jagged edges; nothing inaccurate to detract from the finished creation.  

6. DXF offers unique longevity

Image source: Charles Culp

Whatever the future holds for DWG files, the standard use of DXF for data exchange helps to cement this file type as a format that is evergreen.

As companies migrate to different software packages over time, it makes sense to back up all files in their most widely supported version. That is, currently and undoubtedly, the Drawing Exchange Format.

Compatibility is so integral to usefulness that, within design at least, it has almost become synonymous. What is the point in creating something that cannot be shared, developed, improved and displayed?

Even as DWG files become easier to share between CAD programs, DXF files should be heralded for their longevity.

7. You can often find DXF files for free

Because they’re so compatible with different software packages, and the format is so easy to replicate, there is lots of competition to produce DXF files that are appropriate for CAD users. This has a massive impact on their availability. There are plenty of websites offering downloadable DXF images, which can often be sent directly to CNC for cutting, or used as a basis for more CAD/CAM work. Using pre-drawn files saves time, provides inspiration, and can help you focus on improving specific CAD skills once you’ve acquired the basics.  

The best news of all is that many businesses provide a selection of these for no cost at all. At Scan2CAD, we are no exception, releasing whole packs of cut-ready designs every week. But there are so many other resources out there, that we wrote a whole blog post, detailing the best and most comprehensive places to find free designs.

Interesting?

Well, what’s certainly clear is that although DXF files might be standard, even common, they’re certainly not dull. We owe much of the design seen throughout the world today to their development, not to mention the productive collaboration they helped to initiate. From humble beginnings to the heights of revolution, the Drawing Exchange Format deserves a little more respect.

Can I convert this scanned technical drawing to vector?

This engineering schematic is a terrible candidate for raster-to-vector conversion

Nope, not this one! It is common for folks to scan a floorplan or technical drawing and convert it to vector, so that the drawing can be used in another CAD application (such as AutoCAD). However, you cannot achieve that with this image above. First, it’s a very poor quality JPG file – zoom in and you’ll get a blurry, distorted mess of pixels. Lots of data would also have been lost when the JPG file is saved, as JPG uses file compression to minimize the file size. Secondly, the image holds up to 16.7 million colors. Ideally, it would be just black and white. If there are too many colors (such as many shades of gray), vectorization software would pick out different zones of colors as different vector elements. Finally, the text is completely unreadable, even to the human eye. The Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software would find it almost impossible to read and retype this into vector text.

Meanwhile, this floorplan would be converted to vector without a hitch!

Instead, you need to use a technical drawing that looks like this one. This floor plan that is perfect for vector conversion.

• It is clear of any noise (such as speckles).
• The image is in pure black and white.
• The text characters that make up the labels of the floorplan are also well-isolated from each other (i.e. the characters do not touch or overlap).
• Another best practice is to save the image as a TIFF file format. Click to download the sample floorplan.tif generated by Scan2CAD.

Can I convert this photo for 3D CAD use?

Image source: nps.gov

Don’t bother trying to scan a photo of a house to create 3D vector plans of the building. It is simply not possible; no one can write software to achieve that—ever! Consider all the information that is missing – one cannot tell the scale of the house from the photo without making some assumptions, and the image doesn’t reveal the part of the house that faces away from the photographer. A more realistic option is to work with a skilled designer to create a 3D vector plan, using the photo as inspiration. There are also 3D scanners that can be used to construct 3D models, but this doesn’t sit in the realm of raster-to-vector conversion.

Can I trace the outlines of shapes from photos?

The left-most image is completely unsuitable. The middle image is somewhat more suitable, but the right-most image is ideal

Check out the image above, on the left. Automatic vectorization software cannot trace clean outlines of these individual flowers—the image is simply too busy. If you’re looking to achieve this, your best bet may be to manually trace the image—for example, by using the Pen tool in Scan2CAD.

A better option could be to find an image of a single flower, with no overlap, such as the image in the middle above. Using such an image, you could then increase the threshold until you remove any unnecessary detail, leaving you with a usable outline.

The ideal candidate would be the image on the right. As it is a silhouette, made up of only two colors, with no distortion, it’s perfect for vectorization.

If you’re looking to create a more photo-realistic vector image, rather than an outline, then this is possible with Scan2CAD. We opened the original image, seen below on the left, in Scan2CAD, and reduced the number of colors in order to create an image with solid regions of color. We then created a simpler vector image from the original.

Using Scan2CAD, you can alter a number of settings during the vectorization process, such as vector definition, profile and types. You can see the effect of changing each setting in the Live Preview window which appears in your dialog box. Learn more about vectorizing pictures and photos in our User Manual.

Can I convert these logos into vector format?

It is best to use the clean logo file on the right, instead of a photo of the logo against a full background (left). Do note, however, that the logo on the right needs some cleaning. The image looks great viewed at this scale, but when you zoom in a little closer, you’ll notice some blurred lines and distortion. We recommend using Scan2CAD’s Color Segment tool to reduce the colors.

Can I reverse-engineer these tools from a scan?

Image source: Into The Woods blog and Alloy Artifacts

You will not yield an accurate vector outline of the tool from the image on the left. There are two main problems. First, the photo was not taken directly above the tool, therefore the different aspects of the tool are not shown in the correct scale. Secondly, the image does not have a clear contrast between the tool and the background. You should try scanning or photographing the tool on a clean, white background. As an extra tip, try your best to minimize the shadows in the photo.

The photo on the right gets extra credit because they included a ruler as reference of measurement. Another tip could be to scan the tool with a piece of graph paper in the background. We’ve also written a step-by-step guide on How to Reverse Engineer a Part from a 2D Scan.

We hope that this post has shed some light on what conversion software can do, and what it can’t. Here are some resources that you might find handy:

• Find out what is and isn’t possible when converting photos to CAD
• Check out our Raster quality checklist to help you choose the right image to begin with
• Learn about our top 10 raster effects to clean and optimize your raster image before conversion

Scan2CAD is the market-leading vectorization software, and comes complete with a full raster and vector editing suite. Plus, a blog covering all the latest news—from Top 3D CAD models to CNC Projects to CAD Freeware. You can try out all of Scan2CAD’s features for yourself, with our 14-day free trial.

This guide covers everything you could possible want to know about the GIF to DXF conversion process—from what conversion is, to how you can get the best results. Plus, we’ll show you how you can get Scan2CAD free for 14 days—letting you convert as many files as you want.

Table of Contents

• What is a GIF file?
• What is a DXF file?
• Why convert from GIF to DXF?
• How does the conversion process work?
• Why you should avoid online conversion tools
• Problems with GIF to DXF conversion
• How to get the best results
• Using Scan2CAD to convert GIF to DXF
• Features offered by Scan2CAD

What is a GIF file?

GIF, or Graphics Interchange Format, is a bitmap image format that was developed in 1987. It was created to provide a color image format, and has since become widespread. The format is popular for use with simple web graphics due to its wide support and portability.

GIFs have an 8-bit color depth—that’s 256 colors. This is a rather limited color palette compared to other formats such as JPG which has a 24-bit color depth (16 million colors). This limitation makes the GIF file format rather unsuitable for image types like photographs, but it does suffice for simpler images like graphics or logos. Whilst GIFs do make use of lossless compression, their resolution is still too low for most complex images. In fact, the quality of a GIF can be so low that the noise can cause problems when it comes to vectorization.

Fun fact: did you know that the pronunciation of GIF has caused a lot of confusion? The creator, Steve Wilhite, intended it to be pronounced with a soft ‘j‘ sound like ‘jail’. However, many other people have adopted the pronunciation with a harsh ‘g‘ sound, like ‘gift’. 

What is a DXF file?

DXF, or Drawing eXchange Format, is a vector file format which was created by Autodesk with the intention of becoming an exchange medium between different CAD programs. Unlike the DWG file format, DXF is not a proprietary file format. It’s an open standard, so it’s supported by practically every CAD program on the market. You can view DXF files using a wide variety of programs, including AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator and, of course, Scan2CAD. This wide compatibility and support has made the DXF format the de facto format for collaboration and sharing in the CAD industry.

DXF images are smaller than their raster counterparts, as they don’t need to store color information for every single pixel. However, they are larger than the DWGs, as the DWG file format is binary whereas DXFs are made up of ASCII text. 

Want to know more about the DXF file format? Check out our DXF FAQs and the DXF file specification. 

Why convert from GIF to DXF?

• For scaling an image. Rasters are made up of pixels, so they become blurry and undefined when you rescale or zoom in. Vectors, however, are infinitely scalable. This means you can rescale or zoom in to a vector image without any loss in quality. For more information, check out our article on the differences between rasters and vectors.

• For sharing. DXFs can be shared across a multitude of programs which means that you’re not limited in any way. Since practically every CAD program on the market comes with support for DXF, you can collaborate with any designer, with no hassle.

• To edit a drawing. Trying to edit a raster image is like painting. You can’t edit specific elements of the image; any changes you make will affect the image as a whole. Vector file types, however, are easy to edit because they’re made up of individual vector paths. You can even take individual elements from a DXF file to reuse in another!

How does the conversion process work?

The process of converting a raster to a vector is otherwise known as vectorization. This process involves tracing over the raster image with vector lines. This can be completed manually or automatically.

Manual Tracing

Image source: graphicdesign.stackexchange.com

Traditionally, manual tracing was the only way you could create a vector representation of a raster image. This would involve creating a vector layer on top of the raster, and then tracing over it with vector lines—this could be done with a mouse or a graphics pen. 

There are advantages to this method. It has the benefit of human understanding—only a human would be able to fully understand what the image represents. If you have an old, faded electrical diagram, you’d know exactly where the lines were. In comparison, a computer would falter, as it can only work off of lines it can detect. Essentially, this means that it’s possible to manually trace an image of any quality. However, this method is not without its disadvantages—it can be a very time-consuming process, particularly for more complex images. Consequently, many designers opt for the more time-efficient method of automatic tracing.

Automatic Tracing

This process involves using a raster-to-vector conversion program to instantly convert your raster image. Your chosen software will detect the lines and edges present in your GIF. It will then redraw them as vector lines, curves, polygons and other vector entities. You simply have to load your image into the program, and you can produce a vector in a few mere clicks. Some advanced programs, such as Scan2CAD, even have the capability of recognizing raster text within an image using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tools—it can then redraw the raster text as vector text.

Of course, automatic conversion can have setbacks. The program you use won’t have the same level of understanding of the raster as you do. The image you want to convert will have to be very clear and of high quality. Even then, you usually need to complete a lot of pre- and post-processing work. Still, it is a very cost-effective method—saving hours of work and cutting conversion time to mere seconds. Don’t believe us? Check out the process below!

For more information, check out our article covering the differences between manual and automatic tracing. You can also get a more in-depth look at the conversion process by learning how to automatically trace an image. 

Why you should avoid online conversion tools

It can be very tempting to pick the first online conversion tool that you come across. After all, there are dozens of online conversion tools available—and they all promise to convert your file quickly, with no downloads necessary. 

There are many limitations to these types of tools, however. Firstly, you can only convert a small number of files. And don’t even think about attempting to convert anything with a large file size. Not to mention that you won’t be able to get a high-quality result. Plus, if your image contains any text, it probably won’t be converted into editable vector text—and even if it is, it probably won’t even be arranged into logical strings. 

The text on the left was converted using Scan2CAD. The text on the right was converted using a different CAD program, and hasn’t been correctly reassembled into strings.

Worse still, online converters can be unsafe and have a number of security risks. There’s the danger of someone stealing your work, and you have to think about the probability of a virus or trojan infecting your system. Check out the 5 pitfalls of online file converters for more information.

In the long run, it really isn’t worth taking the risk. Software like Scan2CAD, however, keeps your files and your system safe and secure. It runs locally, and it can offer effective and precise conversions. 

Problems with GIF to DXF conversion

Firstly it should be noted that animations aren’t useful when creating CAD designs. Therefore if you’re converting an animated GIF to DXF the conversion software will pick the first frame of the animation and ignore all subsequent frames.

It’s not possible to merely convert your image to a vector straight away—you have to prepare the image before you convert it. You have to have a high-quality image for vectorization to work successfully. However, GIFs, as with many other raster file types, suffer from a variety of ‘common problems‘ that can affect your chances of gaining optimal vectorization results. 

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

Failure to address these types of issues before vectorization means that your resulting vector image won’t be of a high standard. Don’t worry—Scan2CAD has some top tips to help you optimize your raster and the get the best possible vector output.

How to get the best results

• Use a different file format than GIF. GIFs suffer from a range of issues. They’re typically low in quality, so the noise will cause problems for vectorization. For optimal conversion results, Scan2CAD recommends saving your image as a TIFF. TIFFs use lossless compression and are of high resolution—they’re the perfect file format for vectorization. Of course, it’s not always possible to use a different file format. In this case, you can take other measures to optimize your GIF before vectorization.

• Thresholding. This tool enables you to divide your image cleanly into black and white pixels—eliminating the issues caused by grayscale images or compression artifacts. There are two types: 
  • Simple thresholding: this applies to the whole image.
  • Adaptive thresholding: this applies to different parts of your GIF file.

• Cleaning tools: Scan2CAD comes with a range of cleaning tools that can help you eradicate most of the issues affecting GIFs. 
  • Thicken lines: this will fix broken or dithered lines.
  • Remove holes or speckles.
  • Smooth: this will remove ‘hairy’ edges surrounding your image.

These tools are just a small example of the many cleaning features that Scan2CAD offers. Take a look at our raster quality checklist to see how you can fix any issues. You can also check out our top 10 raster effects to optimize your raster before the conversion process. 

Using Scan2CAD to convert GIF to DXF

Scan2CAD can convert your GIF to a DXF in mere seconds—it boasts of the fastest conversion process out there. And it couldn’t be simpler!

• Load your GIF in Scan2CAD. This is like loading a file in any other program. Click File > Raster > Load and select your GIF.

• Choose the settings. Scan2CAD comes with vectorization settings, each of which are individually tailored to produce optimal results for a specific type of image. Select the type menu, and choose the appropriate setting.
  Tip: check out Scan2CAD’s handy guide for all vectorization settings. 

• Convert your image. To vectorize your image you can click:
  • : which converts lines, curves and shapes to vectors.
  • : to convert raster text to vector text. 
  • : which converts the entire image (lines and text) to vectors.

• Save your vector as a DXF. Click File > Vector > Save As. 

Features offered by Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is a two-in-one solution. It’s a raster to vector converter, and a PDF to vector converter. Its primary focus is the conversion of technical drawings—ranging from engineering drawings, to architectural drawings and even site plans—to usable and editable vector images. 

It comes with a wide variety of market-leading innovative features and capabilities. It has an extensive raster and vector editing suite, to help you optimize your image before and after vectorization. That’s not all. Scan2CAD has batch processing capabilities, so you can automatically convert hundreds of files—in one click! Plus, its Smart OCR feature allows you to train the software to recognize unusual fonts—and even handwritten fonts.

With Scan2CAD, you can rest assured knowing that you’re using a safe and secure program. It comes with flexible licensing, 24/7 support and it supports no fewer than 33 file types—so you can convert more than just GIFs! You won’t be able to find such capabilities anywhere else.

Don’t believe us? Read up on why Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software.

Interested in converting from GIF to DXF? Try out Scan2CAD’s free 14-day trial and make use of its full range of professional features with no limitations—no watermarks and no obligations. You can also convert using a wide range of different file types—check out how to convert BMP to DXF.

Have no fear! Scan2CAD has put together a handy list of 13 websites that offer a variety of free DXF designs—so you don’t have to pay a single penny! If you love freebies and CAD, you might want to also check out Scan2CAD’s other list of top CAD freeware. Enjoy…

1. Free DXF Designs – From Maker Union

At Scan2CAD we offer our very own free DXF designs under our sister website Maker Union. We release a pack of royalty-free dxf downloads every week. Each pack focusses on a theme. Past popular themes include Medieval Shields, Vintage Frames and Birds. Maker Union commissions a professional designer to create every pack so you will be sure to discover fantastic designs every week.  Importantly, each design is also 100% cut-ready for CNC purposes.  

2. Vector Ink

Second on the list is the handy Vector Ink! This site has hundreds of free DXF designs available—just waiting to be downloaded. The designs are all grouped into broad categories, e.g. ‘Animal’, ‘Pattern’ and ‘Symbol’. This categorization makes it pretty easy to find what you’re looking for. Plus, you can subscribe to the site to be sent emails when any new DXF designs are uploaded. When you download a design, you’re given a zip folder with a PNG, SVG and DXF version of the design. 

3. My DXF

My DXF has a decent selection of free DXF designs available. The DXF ‘projects’ aren’t categorized the same way as the above sites—they’re grouped by specific keywords like ‘cowboy’ or ‘dolphin’. So you can either look through the entire list of keywords, or you can manually search through the entire selection. There’s around 600 DXF designs on offer, so there’s more than enough to take advantage of. When you download a design, you’re given a zip folder containing the DXF file. 

4. Love SVG

Love SVG offers both SVG and DXF designs, absolutely free. The designs consist of personal quotes with custom designs, which are frequently updated on a daily basis. These quotes are perfect for people who enjoy DIY projects and so forth. There’s over 600 designs to choose from, however there’s no categorization feature so you would have to look through the selection manually. When you download a design, you get a zip folder containing a PNG, SVG, DXF and EPS version of the design. 

5. Ponoko

Ponoko describe themselves as ‘The worlds’s easiest making system’ . Ponoko provide pre-made designs which you can have made by their network of creators. Many of the designs on the website are not free but they do have a small collection of free designs. We’ve found that you will need to spend some time filtering out designs which would not be suitable for CNC cutting on this website. 

6. Vision Engravers

Vision Engravers has just under 100 free DXF clipart designs on offer. These designs are grouped by theme, e.g. ‘Christmas‘ or ‘Easter’. The site is updated regularly, so you’ll find the selection expanding with time. The site doesn’t have a categorization feature, so you will have to scroll through the clipart selection to look for anything that might interest you. The site’s true value comes with its variety of file types however. When you download a design, you’re given a zip folder containing an AI, CDL, EPS, JPG, PDF, PLT and DXF of the design. Needless to say, they give you plenty of options!

7. Sign Torch

Sign Torch only has a small selection of around 35 free DXF designs available. While this might not seem like much, you might find the odd gem or two if you look hard enough. The site also offers cheap DXF design collections that won’t set you back too much—buying in bulk saves you money, and they run frequent discounts. The site doesn’t have a categorization feature, but with it being such a small selection, it won’t take you long to look through. When you download, you’re given the option of a CMX, DXF, EPS, SVG and AI.  

8. CNC G-code

CNC G-code has a small selection of free DXF designs available for CNC cutting. While it might not have that much to offer, you might find one or two interesting designs. It does have a small group of categories available, like ‘Numbers’ and ‘Sea Creatures’ which could make browsing a little easier. When you download a design, you’re given a zip folder containing a PNG, DXF and NC. 

9. Free DXF

Despite its name, Free DXF only has a limited selection of free DXF designs on offer. Currently, there are 10 free DXF designs that are ready to download. While this is slightly disappointing, bear in mind that the site will add or change designs every month or so. The site also offers DXF design collections—it can be cost-effective to buy in bulk sometimes. Despite the small variety, you might find something worth your time. To download, you have to create an account and then you will be given the DXF file. 

10. DXF for CNC

Like Free DXF, DXF for CNC only has a limited selection of free DXF designs available. There are currently 10 designs on offer, but as with the site above, this selection may be prone to changes with time. In addition, designs like ‘custom names’ are very versatile and useful, so the small variety isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The site also has a variety of ‘cheap’ DXF designs on offer—they throw plenty of sales, so you might find a bargain or two. To download designs, you have to create an account. 

11. Plasma Spider

Plasma Spider is a forum for CNC plasma cutting. They have an entire board dedicated to sharing DXF clipart files—you can upload and download as many DXF files as you want (after registering to the site). Arguably, this is more useful than any of the sites listed above—here the selection of DXF designs will always change and update. Not only can you download designs or request designs, you can also share your own DXF designs. 

12. Ready to Cut

Like Plasma Spider, Ready to Cut is a forum also dedicated to CNC art file sharing. While it isn’t as extensive as the above forum, it’s still a very useful resource to have. It has a large selection of free DXF designs available, all of which are categorized into sections like ‘Symbols’ and ‘Scenery’. As with Plasma Spider, you will have to create an account before you can download any files—but it will be useful in the long run. Forums are a great resource for learning and sharing.

13. DXF 1

DXF 1 also has a variety of free DXF designs available—all of which are CNC ready. These designs are all categorized into sections and subsections, e.g. ‘Animals’ and ‘Objects’. These categories are rather broad, so it might take a bit of browsing through them all manually to find anything you’re interested in. Some sections have more files than others, like ‘Icons’, but there’s still quite a range of designs to take advantage of. When you download a design you’re given a single DXF file. 

Bonus Tip: Don’t forget Pinterest

Pinterest is less of a site that offers free DXF designs, and more of a resource to help you find free DXF designs. You can use it to look through the variety of DXF designs available, all created by fellow hobbyists. You just need to type in your keywords like ‘free DXF‘ and off you go! Obviously, some of the designs will actually cost you—it’s a matter of refining your search. You might even find a hobbyist or site that offers cheap DXF designs that you’d be willing to pay for. It’s also a great platform for sharing your own designs or creations. 

For more DXF-related information and tips, check out our blog! Each week we look at different topics in the CAD industry and its related fields. We have guides like The DXF File Specification and Converting from TIFF to DXF and even CNC Project Ideas.