Help putting an Adobe Illustrator image in Creo

[daliberator]

Hey everybody,
I'm trying to 3D print a part for my robot and I would like to add my team's logo to it. It is in the format of an Adobe Illustrator image. I know it's possible, but I can't quite figure out how to do it. I'm trying to make an extrusion using the logo, if that helps. Here is the file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwA...ew?usp=sharing

Thanks you in advance,
daliberator

[Tom Ore]

Originally Posted by daliberator

Hey everybody,
I'm trying to 3D print a part for my robot and I would like to add my team's logo to it. It is in the format of an Adobe Illustrator image. I know it's possible, but I can't quite figure out how to do it. I'm trying to make an extrusion using the logo, if that helps. Here is the file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwA...ew?usp=sharing

Thanks you in advance,
daliberator

One way would be to put the image on your part as a decal and then trace over it in a sketch to make the extrusion.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by Tom Ore

One way would be to put the image on your part as a decal and then trace over it in a sketch to make the extrusion.

How would you do complex images?


Here's the method I've used in the past:
You can import vector format files using the File System button in the Get Data tab in sketch mode. It might be a bit difficult to get it to precisely the right size you want (Creo does scaling really weird), but it should be possible. It will probably import with an extra set of lines, so you might have to delete an entire "surface layer" of lines on the image to make it extrudable.

To be honest, in my opinion it's often more pain that it's worth. I haven't found a "nice" way of doing it in the five years I've been working with PTC software. I'd love to see an alternate way of doing this.

[Tristan Lall]

Can't you export to DXF in Illustrator (with whatever layers you need), then import the DXF into the sketch? (It's been a while—and several versions—since I did anything like that, but I seem to recall that's how it can be done.)

[Tom Ore]

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

How would you do complex images?

You are correct - I made the assumption that a vector version of the image wasn't available.

That being said, doing complex images from sketches isn't a big deal. Break up the image into lots of simpler sketches and it doesn't take very long. I did it this morning to illustrate what I mean. Here is a screen shot of Creo with the completed logo.

[skottmorris]

There has been a detailed discussion of this topic on the PTC Community recently. Please take a look at the discussion titled "Logo on Creo part and drawing interface" for all the info.

Adobe Illustrator does support DXF output, so that should be a good option for you also. Once in DXF format, you can bring it into Sketcher or a Creo Drawing. I like the drawing option because you can scale the object a bit easier and export as IGES. Once the logo is in IGES format, you should be able to create a datum curve from file and import the IGES file with no worries about constraining the sketch in Sketcher.