How To Transform an Image into Lines For AutoCAD Using Illustrator

[easleyj41168339]

I have created a sillouette illustration comprised of some bears and trees that I want to send to my laser and cut out the sillouette on a sheet of aluminum.  I always end up with excess or non-existing lines in the artwork and the laser software will not accept the file.

The path I have taken is to create the sillouette, save as a tiff (hoping to remove any extra lines and points), re-open in Illustrator, Image Trace as a B & W Logo and export as an Autocad DWG file where engineering cleans it up a bit.  However, the laser software sees the image as incomplete, missing lines and details. 

I have tries various options with varying results...none accptable.

It seems to me that this is a relatively simple line drawing and should not be this much trouble to achieve.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

JE

[Doug A Roberts]

Is this what you want to end up with?
 Bear sign 

It is a relatively simple drawing, but it seems to have been created in a confusing way. There are unnecessary compound shapes, hidden layers etc. that need to be removed.

[easleyj41168339]

Thanx Doug...

First of all...let me start by saying I'm no graphic artist.  I manage a computer mfg. company and I use Illustrator to create PDF's for our silkscreening operation, so my knowledge of Illustrator is limited at best.

The PDF I end up with looks just like yours.  If there are hidden layers and artifacts in the file I am not aware of them nor would I know how to eliminate them in a timely fashion.  I figured that if I converted to an image, such as a TIFF or JPG, it would eliminated any hidden items and by using Image Trace would give a single line or path around the entire silouette.  Not so?

JE

[Doug A Roberts]

In Illustrator, with the hidden layers shown and everything selected, your file looks like this:

The text is a compound shape; this should be released and converted to a compound path. The log has a no stroke/fill path around it which should be deleted; the hidden layers can simply be removed. There is no need to export a TIFF and use image trace -- fix these problems and then combine shapes with Pathfinder and you have a single silhouette shape.

[easleyj41168339]

I certainly SEE what you mean.

I deleted the hidden layers.

Cntrl Y showed my issues.

Removed the boundry box around log, but now unclear as to releasing and converting text. 

Release to layers sequence or build?

[Doug A Roberts]

In the Pathfinder panel menu > Release Compound Shape

Then, create a compound path.

[easleyj41168339]

OK...so far so good.

Looks like everything is good.

Exported to Autocad DWG...no lines at all at laser.

Do I need to fill with black?  Tried to do that...nothing works.

These lines ARE paths...do I need to stroke them?

I hate to have my hand held, but I'm in an area of Illustrator that's new to me.

Thanx for all input!

JE

[Doug A Roberts]

I'm afraid this might be a question of the requirements of your laser device. It may require a stroked path, it may require a particular swatch colour, stroke weight, or something else.

[Omar.Fathy · Accepted solution]

As @Doug A Roberts  said, you see that it is a simple artwork, but if you select it or press Ctrl+Y you can see more unnecessary lines and shapes. Youcan select all and from Window>Pathfinder Press on Unite icon to merge it in one shape. 
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