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2D CAD Services

Professional Paper and Film 2D Digitizing

In the 21st century, it is important to go digital on any part of the development and production process.

Traditionally all product information was presented by blueprints, bond copies, Mylar films, various paper drafts, and aperture cards or microfilm.

Every drawing can be converted into CAD Perfect™ 2D and 3D CAD intelligent files.

All of these mediums require specially organized spaces with corresponding conditions such as humidity and temperature and sometimes. Even when these conditions are met, they do not age well, get wet, and even lost.

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Our 2D Digitizing Services

Old Mylar design
Old Mylar design

Old Mylar design

Our company offers the following digitizing services:

  • Paper drawings conversion to 2D CAD files
  • Aperture and Microfilm digitizing

Digital drafts and models are much easier to store and access. Going digital can help decrease production costs and the amount of time your specialists spend working and correcting existing analog media.

All of our scanning is done on Contex large format scanners.

The Digitizing Process

Digitized model from several J size Mylars
Digitized model from several J size Mylars

Digitized model from several J size Mylars

Failure to address the handling of prior analog hard copy files is a common mistake made by organizations when transitioning to digital imaging. Reviewing prior hard copies and versions is critical for making good decisions in product development. Aerospace and manufacturing companies need to handle legacy films for many years. This is the cost of maintaining existing products and components, in addition to improving design going forward. But you can avoid paying it.

Accuracy:

Accuracy is a major concern in the digitizing process. Because we deal so much in the Aerospace industry, we are used to working with a tolerance of ±.005”. The problem is, especially in the Aerospace world, there is no such thing as an accurate Mylar. Unless you are inside the temperature-controlled room while it is being plotted by a certified accurate plotter, it will be off by the time you walk outside.  Now imagine that Mylar 50-years later.

Our Expertise:

During years of our expertise, we have developed a proprietary method of digitizing existing Mylars that can be certified by aerospace manufacturers. This process allows us to create digital CAD files accurate enough to use in production. We are proud to provide ±.005” accuracy for all our digitizing and reverse engineering projects. This is what makes our services truly Cad Perfect™. This proprietary process has successfully been in use for Boeing, Airbus, Rolls Royce, GE Avionics, and most others in the Aerospace industry.

We have taken several times 200-300 J-size Mylars – all in undimensioned space. We had to scan this, calibrate these images, assemble these 200+ images, and then produce in Catia the leading edge(s) for several 767 Boeing models.  All good to ±.005” in 3D space – and certified by Boeing.

Please note that by default we convert all the hand-written elements.
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FAQ’s

Digitizing Services FAQs

What is DHS – Critical Infrastructure Products

The Department of Homeland Security protocol  PPD-21 requirement has deemed that sixteen (16) industries and services are critical to our US Nations security.

These industries  require additional security protocols when creating CAD files. CAD / CAM Services follows all of these requirements. Think of industries and info structures such as power, water, along with fourteen (14) other industries.  For a full list please see Critical Infrastructure Products.

What is the average raster to vector (R2V) 2-D conversion price?

The typical AEC D & E size sheet is $135. There are possible discounts depending on the job size. The more you convert the less you pay.  The bulk of the files we produce are for AutoCAD.

Creating models and drawings over scanned analog documents seem so easy – why such a low price?

In order to make an accurate representation, you have to calibrate the original drawing, which may have deformed during its storage period. Non-dimensioned mediums need to be thoroughly calibrated before digitizing.

Parts of scanned data may be lost due to time and other factors. Because it is important to recreate the design intent,  we need to recreate lost data.

You ONLY receive  Cad Perfect™ files – as if you had drawn these by hand.

Do you support BIM modeling?

Using Revit, yes we do.  Think of BIM as an intelligent 3D model of your building.  We know exactly where all of the HVAC is, IT cabling, electrical, the cost of doors and windows, when mechanical systems need to be serviced, all the way to a room number with a phone number and IP in that room. In addition to our Ray Tracing technology to support some very life-like photo renderings.


What is a “Calibrated” Mylar image?

Mylar films can be stored in climate-controlled facilities. However, films get skewed and change sizes over time – ironically not linear. So what changes on one end, does not apply to what is in the middle, or the other end.  We have seen ‘J’ size Aerospace Mylars (about 48×180”), vary by a full inch.

CAD/CAM Services utilizes a proprietary process to make Mylar raster images dead on a 5” or 10” grid. Our process was developed in conjunction with, and approved by Boeing engineers.

How can I get a valid CAD model from my old Mylar?

Yes.  We have accurately converted old Mylars into 2D and 3D CAD files for 20 years.

We start with a very good raster scan, generally on Contex 54” or the new 60” scanners.  In addition, we can often work with existing scans that you might have.

After that, we have to adjust the raster image to fit independently in each 5” or10” grid.  Each of the four corners of each grid has to be independently moved and calibrated.This is a tricky, manual, and a proprietary process. But at this point, that Mylar image is back to the original spec. This is exactly what we did for the Air Force.  Over 70,000 J-size Mylars were scanned and calibrated. Now our corrected and calibrated images are the Air Force standard – not the Mylars.

When you import it to your CAD software we make sure that the image is appropriately scaled, calibrated, and truly horizontal and vertical.

What is the accuracy of your digitizing process?

We are proud to announce that we create digitized copies of old non-dimensioned drawings within the Aerospace ±.005” accuracy requirement.

This is exactly the process we have used on several iterations of the 767-8, 300, and 300F.  We would be required to scan 200-300 J-size Mylars, and with zero reference points, and no dimensions. Our next step was to create via FreeForm designs in Catia the 767 wings. All of which was then certified by Boeing.