Creating Decals

[msjames1]

What is a good way to make decals? I am routinely asked to provide drawings for vendors that include various decals. Sometimes the drawings are only for placement (i.e. part of an assembly), and sometimes the decal manufacturer needs a drawing.

I need to use basic fonts found in MS Word and symbols such as "registered tradmark" or "copyright". I need to be able to specify the size of these decals depending on the part we're putting it on.

In the past, I've simply extruded text, but that slows down my system and doesn't offer a lot of flexability. Any suggestions would be extremely helpful.

Thanks,

 

[NL8]

Couldn't you just use the sketch that you are extruding from and not extrude it, then show the sketch in the 2-D when you print it?

 

[diamondcat]

From what I understand you have a 2d drawing of a part/machine and you need to show the decals, like warning or the customer logo, on that 2d drawing, correct?

I have to put similar things on my drawings and there might be a better way, but this is how I do it:

I open a fresh 2d drawing, draw up the decal, then I make it into a block. I store these blocks in my library and whenever I need one, I can just insert it to whatever scale I need.
If you already have these decals drawing in Autocad, you can just open them up into a new 2d SWX drawing and make a block out of that.

If you are talking about trying to put a decal on the 3d part, then you can do that with Photoworks and a picture file.

Hope that works for you!

 

[msjames1]

The problem is that SolidWork's text sketch entity does not offer the flexability that I need. It was okay for some basic use, but using symbols is a pain. It is also not easily modified.

 

[grunt58]

If one was to render the model then a decal is the way to go correct?

Any one no of good tuts for using decals?

Thanks


Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2007 SP 3.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 3000

 

[msjames1]

diamondcat - Your method worked well for the drawing. Thanks!

I'd like to use a decal so I can show the sticker in the model/assembly. Can you make a decal from a block?

 

[diamondcat]

The only way I know how to put a decal in the model is with Photoworks. If you have that add-in, and it is turned on, you can used the Decal option. The decal file has to be an image file such as bmp, jpg etc. So you can probably do a 'Save As' on the 2d decal file that you made, and save it as a jpg. Then crop it in Photoshop or something, then use that. I don't know how good it will look though.

 

[SBaugh]

There are other alternatives to Jpg. Yes they produce a better looking image, but not everyone has PW to their disposal.

If you are looking for something that quick and dirty. you can use the Wrap feature. I made an example here. Manual Decal

I did find and turn in a few bugs I found. There are some limitations to the Text. I found that the inside of the text will not scribe into the body of a contoured part. It shows that it does, but the face is not its own face. So this is a problem. You can see why the inside of the text is completely colored in.

I hope this helps,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"
faq731-376

 

[Theophilus]

Otherwise, create the decal in Photoshop (or other image editor) and it will look more like the real, finished item with color, etc.--like creating a printed label. However, getting this to show up exactly as you desire in a drawing may be a bit difficult.

I give the graphics file to our vendors (JPEG, TIFF, EPS, PDF, whatever they like), model the label (like 0.004" thick) as a solid part, and apply the decal to the label. If you're printing labels, you'll ultimately need this graphics file anyway--might as well build/draw it as you go.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[msjames1]

Thanks for the input. I think Theophilus makes a good point about needing the artwork anyway. I'm going to look into that route.

 

[Theophilus]

Here's an example of something we had to do to coordinate labels (3D) and artwork (2D), as well as a surface-based texture (the putty knife):

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com/files/smart-container.jpg

The texture was done by a slight face offset (extruded and then cut down to only ~.004" thick), but can also be done with split lines (no offset, but more of a slow process, since only one contour at a time can split a surface).

The 2D decal was created in Photoshop by importing PDF artwork from the client. I first modeled the label for the right size to fit the space, forwarded the dimensions to the client for artwork, and then applied the decal to the label for a rendering. I give the printers the die-cut dimensions for the label along with the artwork and the rendering (to avoid any misunderstanding). Works fairly well.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.