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).

Before we begin…

Are you looking for free designs which are ‘cut-ready’ for your CNC projects? Check out our library of free DXF designs for CNC. We release new packs every week and they’re all free to use in hobbyist or commercial projects.

Table of Contents:

• What is CNC
• The Design Process: From CAD to CNC
• 8 Tips for Designing for CNC
• Using Scan2CAD to Convert Images for CNC
• Case Study: Reverse-engineering CNC parts

What is CNC?

CNC stands for Computer Numeric Control. The computer converts the CAD design into numbers – graphic coordinates – which control the movement of the cutter. In the diagram on the left, the cutter is at point A (18, 8, 23). The computer-controlled cutter will travel to different sets of coordinates, in sequence, until the desired shape has been manufactured.

Some of the most common types of CNC machines…

From design to CNC fabrication…

It all begins as a drawing, perhaps in CAD software. The design is usually saved as a DXF or DWG – you may need to convert your image to one of these formats first. Then, you’d import your drawing into CAM/CNC software to generate the G-code which will control the CNC machine.

Tip: You can create G-Code formats from you designs directly in Scan2CAD.

There are a few ways you can create your CAD design. In the next two slides, we’ll walk you through the most common workflows.

Example 1:  Manually trace an image creating the vector cut paths 
We’ll start with a photograph of a tractor. Trace around the silhouette and the main features that you want to cut out. Save your design as a DXF file and import it into a CAM program to generate the G-code.

Example 2:  Automatically Converting an image into DXF drawing format
Scan your sketch and save it as a PDF or image format (e.g. JPEG, TIFF). Convert the file to DXF format using conversion software like Scan2CAD. Import the vector DXF file into a CAM/CNC program to generate G-code. In fact, you can also convert and image directly to G-code formats in Scan2CAD.

8 Tips for Designing for CNC

1. Don’t forget to define the scale of your vector image
For precision CNC work, it’s good practice to set the system units to millimeters; and precision or tolerance to 0.5 µm. Scan2CAD has three different ways to scale vectors when exporting them to DXF file format. Check out this article in our User Manual to learn more.

Vector Scale Options in Scan2CAD

2. Place your geometry on a single layer
After designing your CAD drawing, you should make sure it’s been cleaned up before importing it to CAM. For best results, you should:

• Reduce the vector lines to the lowest number of nodes without being detrimental to the design quality
• Only export the relevant parts of your drawing into the final DXF file
• If you need to edit in your CNC software, lock layers that you don’t want to accidentally select or move around

3. Convert splines and arcs
Many CNC machines prefer to work with polylines (i.e. many lines as a single vector entity), rather than a series of broken entities like arcs, beziers and lines. In Scan2CAD, you can convert a spline into a polyline using the vector editing tools. To do so, select Vector Edit Menu, then Modify, then Bezier to Line. Finally, click on the Bezier curve you’d like to convert.

4. Remove spaces and draw one coherent cut path
If you want clean, connected cut lines, then you must ensure that your relevant vector lines are connected. This is especially important when you turn lines and arcs into polylines. Make sure that the lines and arcs join together perfectly by using Snap tools (do not approximate!) AutoCAD users would find the PEDIT command handy for this purpose. In Scan2CAD, you can define a Grab Snap Distance between grab points.

5. Select touching objects and convert them into a single entity
In Scan2CAD, select the Vector Edit Menu, then Modify, then Make Polylines. If there are arcs in your drawings, you must check Include Arcs before converting them into polylines. This function is found by clicking Vector Edit Menu, then Modify > Polylines Options > Include Arcs.

6. Remove overlapping geometry
If there are overlapping vectors in your design, you’re basically instructing the CNC machine to go back and forth in the same area. This is may be OK for some laser etching designs but in most cases it is not practical. Delete duplicate copies of objects. Combine lines that partially overlap (for example, arcs drawn over portions of circles) Combine objects when aligned end-to-end.

7. Set your default Z-Axis Value
In Scan2CAD, you can set the default Z value for all vectors in the CNC export options. (File > Vector > CNC Export Options) You can also set the Z value for individual vector elements should you wish to.

8. Familiarize yourself with the cut width of tools on your CNC cutting system
The depth and width of cut are crucial variables when milling pockets, profiling, facing and performing other machining operations. Understanding your cut width will help you control your feeds and speeds, the Material Removal Rate and how long it will take to complete the operation; as well as the surface finish. The spacing between your toolpaths should be comparable to the diameter of the tool. Also take note that machined corners depend on the size of the end mill, and this affects how to parts fit together. To learn more about CAD and milling strategies, check out this guide to Mastering CAD and CAM for CNC Machining by Michael Zalewski.

Using Scan2CAD to Convert Images for CNC

Why use Scan2CAD to prepare your CNC drawing file? You could either trace an image manually or convert that image automatically! The first option could take hours, or even days – time that could be better spent working on other things! Alternatively, you could load the image file into a raster-to-vector conversion program like Scan2CAD. A few clicks later and voilà! Out comes a DXF file that’s ready to edit in CAD software. Once the image is converted into DXF, you can easily edit it using any CAD program. The Scan2CAD vector editing toolbox offers all the basic functions:

• You can cut, copy and paste certain elements of an existing drawing.
• You can edit specific elements of the drawing, including stretching vectors, converting lines to arcs, and more.

Converting your image to DXF is easy with Scan2CAD!

1. Load the image or PDF file that you’d like to convert.
2. Select the conversion settings. Scan2CAD comes with pre-programmed settings. For example, there is an “Architectural” option that is designed to trace straight lines and right angles, whereas the “Contour Map” setting traces curves well.
3. Click “Convert”. Wait a few seconds and voilà! You have a DXF file that is compatible with any CAD software on the market. After conversion, you can choose whether to display only vector information or to overlay the original raster image as well.
4. Save the DXF file. Now, you can view, edit and clean up the DXF file with any CAD program, before importing it into CAM software. Tip: You can also save in a G-code formats (.nc, .cnc. .tap)

Case Study: Reverse-engineering CNC parts

Shapemakers is an Australian CNC company that manufactures an A0-size scanning system called Deskan Color Express 6. Its clients turn to Shapemakers to scan old gaskets, drawings and seals (up to 1180x870mm in size!) The Deskan 6 software can scan the A0 drawing in strips and stitch these together using the proprietary software.

However, its clients require the drawings in DXF vector format for editing in CAD or cutting on a CNC machine. That’s where Scan2CAD comes in. Our software allows Shapemakers to vectorize their large scans and cut out the parts quickly and easily.

Grab this post as a slideshow

If you’re interested in creating parts yourself, check out our guide to the best CNC kits for beginners.

This guide is brought to you by Scan2CAD, the market leading file conversion and editing software. Scan2CAD includes conversion tools, image editing and cleaning tools, smart OCR, full PDF support, as well as vector recognition and editing. Download your free trial for 14 days, with full access to all of Scan2CAD’s features.

These PDF files contain valuable information required for your CAD work. However, in order to extract the information and make edits to the drawing, you’ll need to convert PDF to DXF or DWG. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Scan2CAD, the market leading file conversion software that you can download for free. With its 20-year track record and clients such as Shell, BBC and Intel, it’s the file conversion brand that you can trust.

1. Highly Accurate PDF-to-DXF conversion

Scan2CAD can extract both raster and vector information contained within your PDF file, including vector entities like polylines, polygons and text; as well as embedded raster images and metadata. It also includes an OCR text recognition engine to extract text from images. Scan2CAD also lets you…

• Save vector entities on one single DXF layer or on multiple layers (each layer defined by either color or type)
• Automatically retain any user-defined line types (such as dashes and dots) when converting vector PDF files. It also preserves line width information, which is especially handy when converting electrical diagrams
• Save vector files in the correct size and scale
• Save vectors as True Color (i.e. the exact original color)

The most powerful feature in Scan2CAD has to be our raster to vector conversion engine. The software comes pre-loaded with automatic settings for a wide range of drawings, including architectural, electrical, and mechanical drawings, amongst many others. This enables the software to create the most accurate vector entities possible, giving you optimal results.

Scan2CAD’s raster-to-vector conversion engine comes in handy when dealing with circles and arcs

The PDF file format only supports a limited number of vector entities – and these don’t include arcs or circles. As a result, any circular shapes are converted into short lines or Bezier curves. This output is incredibly difficult to edit. If your drawing includes arcs and circles, be sure to choose software like Scan2CAD that can replace the short lines or Bezier curves with true arcs and circles that are easy to edit.

These circles were imported from a PDF using another conversion program. Instead of appearing as two vector circles, they have been reproduced as a series of small vector lines, making them very hard to edit in CAD.	These circles were imported from a PDF using Scan2CAD. Scan2CAD detected them and reproduced them as easy-to-edit vector circles. Just select the Make Vector Circles option when importing your file into Scan2CAD.

2. CAD & CNC-ready files

After vector conversion, you can export your file as DXF or DWG (and a number of other vector file types). These are the two most widely-used CAD file types in the industry. Not only that, but Scan2CAD is able to read and write files from many different versions of DXF and DWG files. It supports DXF files pre-R14 and DXF R14/LT97 and later, and it supports DWG files for all versions between R12 and R2007-2010. As for input, Scan2CAD accepts both single page and multi-page PDF input. What’s more, when importing your PDF, you can choose to import raster images only, vector images only, or both – and whether it’s a scanned document or a drawing file that’s saved as PDF, Scan2CAD can convert your file to DXF. You can even rotate the PDF page when loading it! After you’ve vectorized your files, they’re ready for use in CNC machining.

Still deciding which CNC machine to start with? Check out our guide to the best CNC kits for beginners!
download scan2cad for free here

3. Full set of vector and raster editing tools

Scan2CAD is an end-to-end file conversion solution. Using just one program, you can scan, edit, and convert your image. You can clean up raster images and prep them for optimal raster-to-vector conversion. After conversion, there’s an entire suite of vector editing tools, meaning you can cut, copy, move, and paste elements within your image, draw new vectors, add text, and more. This can be useful for optimizing poor raster images before conversion, e.g. converting GIF to DXF. 

Scan2CAD comes with a complete suite of raster and vector editing tools

4. Convenient

Using Scan2CAD’s intelligent conversion software can you save hours of precious time. Once you experience the convenience of using raster-to-vector conversion software, you’ll never go back to tracing over raster images manually on your CAD software.

Scan2CAD also supports batch processing so you can automate conversions of thousands of files in a few clicks! All you have to do is select the files or folders you want to convert and choose the right settings. Learn more about batch conversion and automation here.

Scan2CAD is leaps and bounds ahead of competitors when it comes to dealing with raster images. Other conversion software will simply extract the raster images from your PDF, potentially leaving you with a huge number of different raster images for each page of your PDF. It’s not very efficient, and it makes it really hard to edit. Scan2CAD, meanwhile, saves all the raster images on one page as a single image, letting you get on with editing it as normal.

5. Safe and secure

There are plenty of online conversion tools promising great results, absolutely free! It sounds too good to be true – and unfortunately, that’s because it almost always is. Uploading your files to an online tool might not only leave you with a poor quality image – it can compromise the security of your file, leave your company’s intellectual property vulnerable, and comes with the risk of malware being downloaded to your PC. Check out our article on the problems of online file converters to find out more – and find out why it’s better to stick with Scan2CAD.

Try every feature for free

Try the full version of Scan2CAD with our free 14-day trial. This trial version allows you to try every single feature in the professional version of Scan2CAD, all for free. Unlike some other free PDF to DXF and PDF to DWG converters, there are no watermarks printed onto your output files. Click on the image below to download your unlimited trial now.

In order to edit the elements of the PDF file, you’d need to convert the PDF file to a CAD format. What better file type to convert to than DXF, the most compatible CAD file type? In the slideshow below, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about converting files from PDF to DXF in one handy place…

However, the quality of your output DXF file depends heavily on the input file. If you convert a poor image, you may end up spending hours afterwards tidying it up. Here are three common problems to avoid and how to troubleshoot them.

1. Poor image quality

This is a common problem with raster images. They are often of poor quality or low resolution, which can cause issues when converting a PDF or a GIF to DXF. The first thing you can do to check is to zoom into the image.

Here are few common tell-tales of poor image quality:

• Heavy pixelation
• Low resolution. The rule of thumb is that lines need to be about 5 pixels thick in order to obtain a good quality vector output.
• Hairy lines, or lines that have fuzzy/ragged edges
• Dithered lines, or lines that are made up of black speckles. This is often a case if you scanned a pencil-drawn image
• Lines with holes. This may happen when you scan an image at too high a resolution.
• Broken lines, where parts of the line is very faint.
• Shadows. This is common when scanning physical objects
• Merged lines or overlapping elements of your drawing. For example, you could have written some text over a line or overlaid a wiring plan on top of a floor plan. No vectorization software can distinguish one from another.
• Text characters that are touching each other or other drawing elements
• Illegible text. It may sometimes be quicker to retype the text manually than to fix individual text vectors!

You can solve this by:

• Straightening or deskewing the image. Click Raster Effects > Rotate > Autodeskew.
• Cleaning up the image before converting. Click Raster Effects > Clean > Remove Speckles. You can also manually remove dirty spots using the area erase or freehand erase tool. Be careful not to remove inch signs (“) or full stops!
• Crop the image. This one is a no-brainer. If there are unnecessary borders around the edge of your image (common with scans), delete this by cropping the image.
• Smooth the image to remove hairy lines. Click Raster Effects > Smooth
• Thicken lines or pixels.Click Raster Effects > Thicken > Lines / Pixels
• Increase threshold of the image.
• Fill in holes using Raster Effects > Clean > Remove Holes.
• Connect broken lines to produce a continuous vector. Click Type > Settings > Gap Jump Distance

2. Not tidying the image up after conversion

Conversion software like Scan2CAD can save you a lot of time, but it really only does about 80% of the work. You’ll still have to check the image after conversion to make sure that the elements are correctly recognized. For example, a dashed line can be easily mistaken as many short lines. A sharp corner may also be converted into a smooth arc.

Scan2CAD comes with a complete suite of raster and vector editing tools

Here’s one of our favourite tips to facilitate the tidy-up process: use grids (the keyboard shortcut is Shift+I). You’ll have to be zoomed in really close to view the grid, as each grid square is one pixel. This allows you to check whether your lines are clean, straight and so on.

Here are few clever uses of the grid when tidying up images: to align shapes and ensure clean lines

3. Not understanding the output required before conversion

If you’re converting files into DXF for CNC software, learn about the limitations of the CNC cutting system (such as cut width)

Selecting the right vectorization settings also goes a long way in getting a good quality conversion. If the image contains a lot of straight, orthogonal lines, choose Mechanical. If the image contains straight but non-orthogonal lines, choose Site Plan. Drawings with curvy lines suit Contour Map well, as this setting converts shapes into Bezier curves and splines. Select Outline if you want to trace the outline of a solid shape.

While Scan2CAD has default settings to make the most of your image, you can help it recognize some forms better. If your drawing contains elements like dashed lines, arrows, polylines, hatches or circles, make sure these are selected in your settings. Go to Type > Settings > Object Identification to configure these.

Raster PDF vs. Vector PDF

Vector images compared to raster images

Let’s first go over the two main types of PDF files you’ll commonly be dealing with – raster PDFs and vector PDFs.

Raster files are images formed by colored pixels clustered together. Vector files, on the other hand, are made from “paths” – geometric elements with information dictating various characteristics such as curvature, line weight, color, and length.

We can imagine two versions of a Venn diagram image – a raster version and a vector version. The raster version will be made of pixels clustered together to create a portrayal of two interesting circles with the colors of the clustered pixels dictating the color or the diagram parts. The vector version will be made of data dictating the diameters of the circles, the colors of the circles, and the color of their intersecting area. 

For most purposes related to CAD work, it is easier and more accurate to work with vector files. Raster files, depending on their resolution or quality, will sometimes be blurry and inaccurate. Vector files have set values and will readily be editable when converted into a format that your preferred CAD software can work with. So if you’re trying to convert PDF to DXF, always opt to get vector versions of the source file when you can.

Working with a raster PDF

Step 1: Open up the raster PDF.

Click “File” on the top-left corner of the Scan2CAD interface and then select “Open”. Navigate to the PDF file you need to convert on the dialog box that opens up. Click on “Open” after you’ve selected the file.

In the dialog box that follows, you can double-check if the PDF has vector or raster elements. Do note that you’ll have to work on one page of the PDF at a time.

Step 2: Clean up the image.

Click on the “Clean image” tool at the toolbar on the top of the interface. It’s the one shaped like three stars.

In the dialog box that opens up, there are various tools you can use to tidy up the image before conversion. The most important one is the Threshold tool which turns the vector PDF into a black and white image suitable for conversion.

Click on “OK” once you’re done with the edits.

There are various tools you can play around with at the left side of the screen if you want to erase, add, or edit raster elements before you convert them.

Step 3: Convert the image.

Once you’re happy with the cleanup and edits you’ve done, it’s time to move on to the actual conversion step.

Click on the Convert tool next to the Clean image tool and a dialog box will pop up.

There are a bunch of tools you can play around with here, but for most technical drawings, all you have to focus on are the Vectorization method, Options, Vectorization presets, and OCR tab.

Set the Vectorization method to Technical if you’re working with a technical document, set the options to Vectorize and OCR if you want the conversion process to try and convert the raster text in the document to editable TrueType, and tweak the OCR settings according to the text characters in the PDF.

Click on “Run” to perform the conversion and see a preview on the left part of the dialog box. If you’re happy with that preview, click on “OK” to finalize it.

Step 4: Save the image.

From here, you can choose to do some minor vector edits with the tools on the left side of the image, but for any major edits, you’ll want to use your preferred dedicated CAD software.

Just save the converted vector by once again clicking on “File”, then Save as > Vector. In the dialog box that pops up, navigate to where you want to save the file, type in its name, and choose the file format you want to save it as. For most modern CAD software, you’ll want to convert PDF to DXF since DXF is a common file format most programs can handle. Click on “Save” once all of that is done.

Working with a vector PDF

Step 1: Open up the raster PDF.

This part is exactly the same as with a raster PDF. Click on “File” on the top-left corner of the Scan2CAD interface and then select “Open”. Navigate to the PDF file you need to convert on the dialog box that opens up. Click on “Open” after you’ve selected the file.

In the dialog box that follows, you can double-check if the PDF has vector or raster elements. Do note that you’ll have to work on one page of the PDF at a time.

Vector PDF’s have an extra dialog that pops up to let you optimize the vector elements in the PDF before opening it up on Scan2CAD. It’s usually best to leave it at its default settings, but feel free to play around with the Vector Optimization settings at your discretion. You can also access the tool again later on under the Convert sub-menu on the top part of the screen.

Step 2: Save the image.

Since the image is already vector, there’s no need to clean the image nor to convert it. Like with raster PDFs, you can choose to do some minor vector edits with the tools on the left side of the image. But again, for any major edits, you’ll want to use your preferred dedicated CAD software.

Just save the vector by clicking on “File”, then Save as > Vector. In the dialog box that pops up, navigate to where you want to save the file, type in its name, and choose the file format you want to save it as. If the goal was to open it up on your preferred CAD software by converting the PDF to DXF, choose the DXF format. DWG formats also work almost just as well. Click on “Save” once all of that is done.

So that’s the whole process. If it’s a fairly simple image, this won’t take users more than a minute to execute. There are a lot more things you can do with Scan2CAD and you can take a look at all our available video tutorials.

The Ultimate Guide: PDF to DXF Conversion is a comprehensive source for all conversion questions on the Internet. The guide is a practical handbook for users looking to convert PDF files themselves, with step-by-step instructions on how to go about it. For power-users, we’ll go behind the scenes and explain how PDF conversion works, and throw in some top tips too!

Table of Contents

• When and why would someone want to convert PDF files to DXF?
• Case study: Wood routing company converts PDF designs to beautiful wood signs
• How to convert a PDF file to DXF
• Why choose dedicated conversion software over online tools?
• FAQ on PDF to DXF conversion
• What is a PDF file?
• What is a DXF file?
• How does PDF-to-DXF conversion work?
• Using Scan2CAD to convert PDF to DXF

When and why would someone want to convert PDF files to DXF?

Here’s the short answer: we convert PDF files to DXF when we want to edit the contents of the PDF file in CAD software. There are two main benefits of using conversion software to convert files from PDF to DXF:

To save time
Clients and colleagues often share files in PDF format, especially those without a technical background or CAD expertise. Without a conversion program, you’d have to manually redraw the vector file. This could take hours, or even days – time that can be better spent on more vital work functions! Vector conversion software can do the same work within seconds.

Once the PDF is converted into DXF, you can load the drawing into a CAD application. The world is now your oyster and there are all sorts of CAD tools in your arsenal. You can cut, copy and paste certain elements of an existing drawing. You can edit specific elements of the drawing, such as reshape Bezier curves, stretch vectors or convert lines to arcs and so on. It is easy to iterate and reiterate drawings once they’re in DXF format.

To collaborate with other folks
There are amazing benefits to reap by converting files to DXF. This is because the DXF file format is the industry standard for CAD file sharing. In other words, DXF files can be read and edited by any CAD and CNC application in the market; regardless of industry or expertise. You can share your drawing with literally anyone.

All sorts of people and organizations find it useful to convert files from PDF to DXF. We’ve had corporations, independent consultants, government agencies and CAD professionals use our Scan2CAD software.
The opportunities for collaboration are endless too. An architectural designer can receive a PDF floorplan from his client. Once it’s converted to DXF, he can share it with the electrical engineer for wiring plans, structural contractor for structural renovations, landscape designer and so on.

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Case study: Wood routing company converts PDF designs to beautiful wood signs

Before and after: The PDF drawing of a sign brought to life by The Signs Workshop

As you can imagine, PDF files are the lingua franca in the industry. The Signs Workshop is a small business in UK which specializes in making high-quality and environmentally-friendly routed wooden signs. They make grand entrance signs for country parks, sign boards and information boards for shop owners; mileposts and way markers for forest reserves; as well as bespoke wooden products.

The Signs Workshop’s clients mostly share drawings in PDF format. Other times, they’d share rough pictures or logos on business cards, then ask “Can you make a sign of this?” On the other hand, The Signs Workshop employs Licom router software to produce its wooden signs. They required a quick and easy system to convert sketches and PDF files into vector files. Enter file conversion software packages like Scan2CAD.
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How to convert a PDF file to DXF

The actual conversion process itself really quite simple. The steps to converting a PDF file to DXF format varies from software to software, but here’s how it usually goes:

1. Load the PDF file.
2. Select the conversion settings. Most conversion software come with pre-programmed settings. For example, in Scan2CAD, there is an “Architectural” that is designed to trace straight lines and right angles, whereas the “Contour Map” setting traces curves well.
3. Click “Convert”. Wait for a few seconds and voila! You have a DXF file that is compatible with any CAD software in the market.After conversion, you can choose whether to display only vector information or to overlay the original raster image as well.
4. Save the output DXF file.

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Why choose dedicated conversion software over online tools?

There are many different PDF-to-DXF converters available on the market, but whilst all of them perform the same basic task, they are not all created equal.

A quick Google search will reveal plenty of online PDF to DXF converters, which offer free conversion with no downloads. Whilst they may seem tempting, they actually come with a number of disadvantages. Online converters are not able to provide the same quality of conversion, and can leave you with a shoddy vector image that you can’t view or edit in CAD software. Using an online PDF to DXF converter can also expose your files to security and privacy risks.

Alternatively, you could use a full CAD software package, or a PDF editor—but although these applications are safer than online converters, they may be somewhat limited in terms of the features they have on offer. For example, some software cannot convert the raster portions of a PDF file, while others may not retain the true dimensions of the drawing in the PDF.

Dedicated conversion programs, such as Scan2CAD, meanwhile, can handle all of this with aplomb. Scan2CAD comes fully equipped with state-of-the-art conversion features, such as OCR, pre- and post-processing tools, and batch processing. Better yet, there are no limits to file sizes or how many files you are able to convert, and all of your data remains totally secure on your system.

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FAQ on PDF to DXF conversion

Can I convert any PDF file to DXF format?
Yes, you can! We’ve been in the file conversion software business for a long time; more than 15 years to be exact! We’ve seen clients convert all sorts of files – floor plans, network diagrams, organization charts, logos and more.

There is such a large variety of PDF files, with different uses of PDF files. This is because a PDF file can be created on a variety of sources, including word processors, document scanners, print drivers, CAD software and many other programs.

Can I convert PDF files that consist of multiple pages?
Yes, of course. You can even select specific pages in the PDF document that you’d like to convert; or specify the layout in your output DXF file.

Can I convert multiple PDF files at a time?
Yes, most paid software packages offer this feature. All you have to do is select which folder to convert and choose the conversion settings for all the files. For example, Scan2CAD allows you to choose whether you’d like to include raster image in the DXF file or vectorize the raster image.

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Now that we’ve understood the practical/hands-on aspects of file conversion; let’s go behind the scenes. We’ll start with a basic description of the two file types and how the conversion software handles them both.

What is a PDF file?

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is a file format used to present and exchange documents regardless of operating system or hardware used. It doesn’t matter what application you used to create the file, or what device you’re viewing the file on – iMac, Windows laptop, Linux PC, tablet or mobile phone – the PDF document will look exactly the same.

Since the PDF file format is so compatible, it has become the standard file format for document exchange. They are one of a small number of file types that can hold both raster and vector elements and so are very common across the different design industries.

Besides, the PDF files are made for sharing. They are small in size, which is ideal for emailing and sharing over the Internet. A PDF file preserves every element of the document – a document saved in PDF format would look exactly the same on any software, hardware or operating system.
Anyone can view PDF files easily and for free. All computers and mobile devices come with a PDF reader pre-installed on them; many applications also support PDF files.

The PDF document is also suitable for reviewing. Comments can be marked on them without affecting the original file. You can control how your drawing is shared too – PDF files can be password-protected to prevent copying and editing; and electronically signed.
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What is a DXF file?

DXF, or Data eXchange Format, is a graphic image format that is used with CAD (Computer Aided Design programs). As its name suggests, DXF files are used for exchanging drawings between different CAD programs. It has become the de facto industry standard for exchanging CAD files, mainly due to its open-source nature.

Check out our entire series on the DXF file format, which will explain everything you need to know about the format. We’ve covered the commonly asked questions, technical specifications and more.

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How does PDF-to-DXF conversion work?

Before we answer this question, we first have to understand what type of data can be found in a PDF file. Each PDF file captures a complete description of a document, including text, fonts, images and vector graphics. However, the PDF file format can only encode very simple graphic objects (entities). It can only store 2D text, lines, beziers and polygons. It does not store CAD arc or circle entities. It also does not store any information that is specific to the software, hardware or operating system.

PDF files can capture both raster and vector information. For example, if you scanned your hand-drawn sketch and saved it as a PDF, you’d get a raster PDF. Vector PDF files are normally created by saving PDF from a CAD program. PDF documents preserve all source file information. As a result, it’s easy to convert the PDF file back to its original format.

So, let’s get back to the question on how conversion software transforms a PDF file into DXF. The conversion software actually treats both raster and vector elements differently.

• PDF files containing vector information is easier to handle. All the software has to do is extract the vector entities, layers, objects and text. Then, they’ll display and output vector file as DXF. The resulting DXF file, like the original CAD file, will contain the exact same objects and layers that define the drawing.
• Raster images in a PDF file are converted using raster-to-vector conversion technology. The concept used here is called image tracing or vectorization. The software basically traces the raster image and reproduces the drawing using CAD drawing elements. You can trace just outlines, or retain solids and hatches information too.

Of course, there are “hybrid” PDF files that contain both raster and vector images. You’ll want to check the software’s feature list to understand what types of elements are supported.

How image tracing works: The software intelligently identifies shapes and lines and creates CAD objects

All scanned documents are saved as raster images. The scanned document is a picture of the document. Any text information is lost. Hence, the file conversion software has to regenerate the text in the document using smart OCR technology (Optical Character Recognition). It’s the same concept as tracing shapes and lines, except that the OCR algorithm detects letters and numbers.

Different software treat text differently. Great ones saves whole phrases of text in a single layer – this makes the text easily editable. However, subpar conversion software may split the string of text into discrete characters and jumble the positioning of the text.

On the right is CAD text that’s converted using Scan2CAD. On the left is text converted using another software, that isn’t reassembled into the logical sentences very accurately.

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Using Scan2CAD to convert PDF to DXF

Scan2CAD offers a whole set of tools that will optimize your conversion output.

1. Drawing of CAD arcs and circles
PDF files do not save CAD arcs or circles. As a result, any circular shapes are converted into many short lines or Bezier curves. This output is incredibly difficult to edit. If your drawing is composed of a lot of arcs and circles, be sure to choose software like Scan2CAD that can replace the short lines or Bezier curves with true arcs and circles that are easy to edit.

On the left is a typical circle converted into a series of short lines; on the right is a circle converted into a circle object using Scan2CAD

2. Maintain user-defined line types and widths
A PDF file may contain various line types, such as dashes and dots of varying lengths and order. There are also PDF files that are made up of lines of multiple widths, especially electrical and electronic diagrams. If you want to distinguish between the different line types in your output DXF file, look for software that automatically retains user-defined line types.

3. Save vectors in layers according to their colour or type
Vector entities can be saved on one single DXF layer or on multiple layers (each layer defined by either color or type)

4. Efficient file management
A single PDF page can be made up of multiple raster images. Some software saves each raster image in a separate file, whereas Scan2CAD saves all images in a single DXF file.

5. Batch processing
You can convert multiple PDF files in a single click.

With Scan2CAD, you can easily convert from PDF to DWG or DXF in just one click—but Scan2CAD is more than just a file conversion software. There is also a raster and vector editing suite. Users can also edit your vector files within the same program. There is an entire suite of vector drawing tools, including point, line, ortho line, polyline, circle, arc, Bezier curve, rectangle, irregular polygon and text.