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SW making a CorelDraw Compatable Format?

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bnmorgan

Mechanical
Nov 18, 2005
39
The situation:
Our Service Group produces Fabrication manuals for our fabricators using CorelDraw to do the illustrations. The illustrations are isometric representations of the models we have in SolidWorks.
The Problem:
The best format I've found for our service department to use in CorelDraw is a Computer Graphics Metafile (.cgm), which lets them pick lines that they may need to delete for clarity, without the Paint type eraser box.
The Dilemma:
SolidWorks doesn’t export or save to .cgm file type. BUT Crayola CAD for the Apple 2E (aka Unigraphics, heh heh heh, couldn’t help that) does. So, I’ve been relegated to saving to IGES files in SolidWorks, opening them in UG, and then exporting to CGM.
The Question (Finally):
Does anyone know of a translator or anything of the like that will make it possible to do this directly from SolidWorks? Or maybe even another file type that will allow CGM-like functionality in CorelDraw? Other good suggestions?

 
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UG = "Crayola"?

That would make SW = "stick drawing in dirt".
 
The only one I have seen work sometimes, is EPS.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
Can Solidworks export an EPS? I didn't see it.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2005 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2006 SP3.0 on WinXP SP2
 
No export to EPS. In another lifetime, I used to generate EPS (for export to Adobe Illustrator) by installng a printer driver for a EPS printer, then printing to file.

I know PDF can be imported straight into Adobe Illustrator. I'm fairly certain this is true for Corel, too. Done correctly (no shaded images), PDF will preserve vector format of wireframe.

CGM format is a living fossil.
 
The problem I've had with PDF's is that they look like they're drawn by a sharpie marker instead of a .3mm fineline inking pen. Maybe it's something I'm doing wrong? Suggestions?
 
I would think Corel would let you change the path width to thin down your paths.

Otherwise, you can change your line widths in SolidWorks before exporting and that should help (make them very thin).

Jeff Mowry
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
 
bnmorgan ... instead of doing a Save as, try printing to a PDF printer. (Adobe PDF, Bluebeam PDF Printer,
PDF995, etc)
You will have more options/preferences to choose from ... including Quality

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
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