How to cut image out of Sheet metal

[omsahmad]

Hello,

Our team wants to cut our team number and other images out of our sheet metal robot. We created them in illustrator, but don't know how to place them in a sketch such that they can be cut out. I have been playing with the "image" button, but can't seem to figure it out. Thanks for the help.

[JohnSchneider]

Hello,

Our team wants to cut our team number and other images out of our sheet metal robot. We created them in illustrator, but don't know how to place them in a sketch such that they can be cut out. I have been playing with the "image" button, but can't seem to figure it out. Thanks for the help.

The way I usually do it is to insert image files in as objects and then trace them. That's in tools-> sketch tools ->sketch picture in solidworks ( I dont know about inventor). There might also be a way to insert vector images., but I dont have a clue there.

[ksafin]

Not really sure how you're doing it in but in Solidworks you can use the text tool to make a font version of your team number and extrude cut it.

[Garrett.d.w]

In inventor 2013 there is an option to insert an image in sketch mode. Here is a screen cap.
http://i.imgur.com/37DJXWX.png

Edit: Facepalm, you are already doing this.

For the team number you can do it using the text function in Inventor.
For an image, you can have a program export a series of X, Y values that inventor can then import from a spreadsheet. I have done this one other time, but I don't remember how. It's just a thought to try out.

Good luck

[omsahmad]

For an image, you can have a program export a series of X, Y values that inventor can then import from a spreadsheet. I have done this one other time, but I don't remember how.

Interesting, remember the program you used by any chance?

[omsahmad]

The way I usually do it is to insert image files in as objects and then trace them. That's in tools-> sketch tools ->sketch picture in solidworks ( I dont know about inventor). There might also be a way to insert vector images., but I dont have a clue there.

So you are actually re-drawing the image again in solidworks? This seems a little tedious, but not too bad.

[JohnSchneider]

So you are actually re-drawing the image again in solidworks? This seems a little tedious, but not too bad.

If you dont have a vector image and you're just pulling a jpeg to cut out, you never really drew it the first time

[Garrett.d.w]

Interesting, remember the program you used by any chance?

Ok, Found out how to do it with inkscape.

here is a thread on a relevant forum:
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8826

On this thread it recommends an extension for inkscape that will export your .svg file to a series of x,y data points.

To get this to work with a .jpeg, embed the .jpeg into an open inkscape document and then trace it. Save this traced image as an .svg. Reopen in inkscape and run the script, a popup will appear with the x,y coordinates which you then copy into an excel file. Save that and then import it using the function in inventor. If everything goes right, then you will get your image in the sketch.

I tried it with a very simple image and it seemed to work.

edit:The process took me about ten minutes including installing the extension. I could have drawn a simple image in a sketch in that time. It's cool, but evaluate the amount of effort that you will putting into this process. Also, as a side note, I hope that your computer has a lot of RAM, tracing a complex .jpeg eats gigs of RAM for breakfast.

Good luck :)

[Dr. Shocker]

If the trick with inkscape works, inkscape already has a built in automatic tracer if the image is a jpg or some other raster format. However, considering they made the drawing in illustrator, I would think they already have it in a vector format. There may be a similar tool in illustrator, but since inkscape's free they may be able to simply open up the file they already have in inkscape.