Bo Atkinson 82 Posted June 4 Has anyone found this a good path to get 2D vector models into AxiDraw (open source plotter tools)? I need SVG Format to load into inkscape.app (Mac). Or does anyone do plotting here on the cheap? I got a UUNATEK XY plotter (with little support). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vva 20 Posted June 5 hi Bo have a try with "CCAD" - a solid 2D app with .svg import/export and reading .dxf good luck vva Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bo Atkinson 82 Posted June 6 Thanks vva, You helped me see my post lacked the key part! I meant to ask about formZ Draft. Does anyone use formZ Draft to export SVG format to plotters? I don't seek another modeling app, just the best workflow from formZ to plotters which use SVG. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pkcn 29 Posted June 6 By the way, what about Powercadd/FormZ Draft development? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Des 383 Posted June 7 It's been a long time since I had to use a plotter (especially those robotic type plotters) but I tested an export from FormZDraft to SVG and opened the file in Affinity Designer. All the vector graphics come in fine so you can edit the lines there. But for some reason the hatching and fills come in as separate lines and all lines are the same thickness and types, Curves are split into separate segments and even the grid, axis and text are imported as lines. The best format saved from FormZDraft which opened in Affinity Designer was EPS. Colours and line thicknesses were preserved. PDF didn't seem to want to play nice, export to PDF directly from FzD produced lines the same thickness and colour. But PDF exported from the Print dialog on a Mac preserved thicknesses and colours but there were a few missing bits. I haven't downloaded inkscape to check the compatibility tho' Des Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bo Atkinson 82 Posted June 8 (edited) Thanks very much for input, which helps me find the way... I just now noticed: FormZ 9 / Menu/ File/ Export Image / SVG This converts a complex 3d model very well and does open 2d drawings of 3d views in inkscape for plotting- The new plotters are very economical and versitile, but I have to solve why the lift-pen function wrongly lowers the pen and vice versa. The tech support is responsive but with some language barriers, plus there are far too many driver options and plotter models all mixed up. (Because it uses open source software with various kinds of adaptions). Edited June 8 by Bo Atkinson Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZTEK 63 Posted June 8 Beautiful work Bo! Quite hypnotic, I love it! Do you use brute force with tools like offsetting, imprinting, stitching, etc., or a kind of macro or scripting? I'm curious! 😉 Those pen-plotters look very interesting, and they are totally affordable. Previously, I saw some examples from an architect printing architectural drawings on the PowerCAD forum. The results looked very similar to hand-drawing, like precise sketching. Neat! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bo Atkinson 82 Posted June 9 (edited) Ah ZTEK, thanks! These are just multiple tetrahedrons and nothing else Simply copy-move the first terahedron, snapping vertex to vertex. Some say fractals, I say 'multrals', heh, heh, because I started with one and added many, instead of subdividing to get many. Edited June 9 by Bo Atkinson 1 ZTEK reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bo Atkinson 82 Posted June 9 I easily solved the pen lifter problem, but now each ofmy computers developed problems ,needing more time... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
