Convert to DXF files?

[brianpeart]

I have a B/W line design based on Olde English handwritten script that has to  be cut out of aluminium. The aluminium cutters require the file to be a DXF file, which I understand to be a CAD file, although I know nothing about CAD or DXF formats. Apparently the cutter head follows the DXF path around the shapes rather than the boundary between black and white.

So the question is: Is it possible to convert a PSD file to a DXF file? If I select say the white areas of the image and convert to paths, is that a step on the way or is it completely different?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Brian

[Guest]

You really should use a vector program like Illustrator/CorelDraw for that.

How have you created the shape?

You could export to 'Paths in Illustrator' and then export to DXF from there.

[brianpeart]

The image is B/W flat artwork created by a very non-computer-literate artist, so I will have to scan the artwork first to get it into Photoshop. How I get it to DXF from there I don't know.

[Guest]

I suggested (although not directly) that this cannot be done from PS, you would have to use a vector program like Illustrator to do so.

[brianpeart · Accepted solution]

Yes, I think you are right. I'll ask the question on the Illustrator forum (unless you know how to do it?!)

Many thanks for your help.

(edit) Is there an Illustrator Forum - I didn't see it?

[brianpeart]

HI Bart - I seem to have done it! I took the scan into Illustrator, auto-traced it and exported (or saved as, I can't remember which now) to DXF and it made a file... I took that file to an architect freind of mine who opened it and the image was there as a line version, so it seemed to have worked. He saved the result out of his system (Revit, appartently) as a JPG file which I have opened in Photoshop and it works perfectly. I took the JPG he made as a new layer on topp of the original scan and it has picked up every last wibble of the line, so we will next have to see if this is acceptable as far as the water-cutters are concerned. Thanks for your help, you nugged me in the right direction to solve the problem. Much appreciated.

[Bob_the_Sign_Guy]

In the future it's better to give the shop cutting the aluminum parts an Illustrator file (and make sure to save the file down to a good legacy version, such as Illustrator 8). DXF files can be problematic depending how they are saved and what industry-specific application is opening them.

Most sign companies will use an application such as FlexiSign Pro or Gerber Omega to import Adobe Illustrator-generated vector art. Dedicated CNC routing table applications, such as EnRoute, are more reliable at importing artwork created in those niche applications than trying to bring in files exported in DXF, EPS or HPGL PLT format from mainstream desktop applications like CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator.

Photoshop is a pretty rudimentary tool for creating vector art. It's great for some things, like manually tracing clipping paths around objects in photographs. It pales in comparison to Illustrator for most other vector object creation/editing tasks. I can manually trace letters pretty well in Photoshop or use other tools to create a selection that can be converted into a fairly decent work path. In the end, the result has to be sent into Illustrator or another vector drawing program.

IMHO, things like logos need to be created first in a purely vector form using tools like Illustrator. It's easy to place vectors into Photoshop and then cheese them up with bevels, textures, etc. It's a pain to push a raster only logo in the opposite direction.