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Creating outline drawings for datasheets

RichR2005

New member
Our company makes pumps. I prepare the datasheets. They contain an outline drawing showing basic dimensions such as overall size, mounting holes, etc. At present, I have to create these drawings from scratch in Coreldraw or Illustrator, using drawings already made in Pro Engineer as a guide.

I have asked engineering to provide tif files, but they are very large files, but when I reduce the size I need for my datasheets, around 3" square, the lines become too thin and the numbers are unreadable. I also have to clean up a lot of unnecessary elements.

I find it hard to believe that all companies create datasheets this way. Is there a PE module to help create a small drawing from PE? Is there a technique we can use?
Thanks.
 
You may want to try exporting the Pro/E drawing to a DWG; from there you can change the lineweight in AutoCAD and export a PDF, which can then be imported into Illustrator...


Alternatively, you could make a 3" X 3" Pro/E drawing format with the proper text sizes and fonts etc. and use that as the source for your image (this is probably the way to go).
 
Mike,
Thanks for the reply.
We tried exporting to a DWG but do not have AutoCad. I can import a DWG file into CorelDraw but it doesnt do a good job of the translation and converts each stroke (of say a rectangle or a dimensional arrow) into a separate element. It is arguably better than starting from scratch, though.

I am not skilled at ProE. Can an existing drawing be reduced in size in ProE to 3x3" and still maintain line thickness and font sizes? I can do that in CorelDraw, by unchecking the stroke "scale with image" box. The stroke width remains the same when the element is reduced in size. Does ProE have such an option?
Otherwise, because our engineering dept is stretched kind of thin, they cannot spend the time to create a new dwg for me from scratch.

It seems that this is a no-brainer for someone to come up with a ProE module to do this sort of thing.
 
You can make any size drawing in Pro/E and maintain line weight. Of course, it may get very dense and hard to see if you have a complex model. Even if it is a big drawing, they can print to a small sheet size. Line weight can stay the same but text & everything else will be scaled down. If that is not acceptable then they could add another sheet to the drawing with a 3x3 page size or just make another seperate drawing. Making outline drawings in Pro/E is increadibly easy, all the hard work of modeling is already done. Just place a couple of views and show a few dimensions and you're done. No need for a new "module".

I find exporting CGM files best for importing in to Word, don't know about CorelDraw. Tell them to pick file/print/ Add Printer type/CGM.
 
I agree with dr_gallup; the easiest way by far to do this would be with a 3" square format.I've attached a quick sample for you:


2005-12-13_215239_sample.zip


For my money, vector files (DWG, DXF) are easier to work with in Illustrator - I'm not sure if CorelDraw is vector-based, so this may be a moot point...


Good Luck!
 

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