CAD Conversion – The Benefits and The Techniques

Using software to design and manipulate architectural, structural and many other types of plans, drawings and artwork is something that most businesses and individuals will have considered and been influenced by, both directly and indirectly, in the daily toil of work. However, there is a high probability that if you work in an area which has dealt with a large number of plans, blueprints or hand drawn sketches for years, you are likely to have a backlog of paper hard copies of these types of documents, but have no way to manipulate them or store them in a compact way. Or, in the worst case scenario you may have lost an important CAD file but still have a hard copy of the document, but again have no way of recovering its digital counterpart. There is no need to panic, as thanks to modern scanning techniques and CAD Conversion software there are services available that can scan paper plans, sketches and hand drawn hard copies of all types imaginable, and then using intelligent software can create a CAD file which is then open to manipulation and easily stored in a digital filing system. This brief article should help to explain the techniques employed in Document Scanning and CAD conversion, as well as the benefits of using CAD conversion software and the impact it can have on your data accumulation and storage.

CAD Conversion – Scanning and Software Manipulation

Because of the cutting edge expensive scanning equipment involved in the CAD Conversion process, bulk amounts of documents can be scanned and processed quickly, with prices operating either in a fixed price per sheet scanned and converted, or by an hourly rate should you be looking for an ongoing CAD Conversion service. The CAD Conversion Software uses clever algorithms to trace the hard copy, without having to resort to vectorising, which means that the resultant CAD drawing file can be layered to your specification. The price per sheet is fixed, regardless of the complexity of the drawing, which means even the most complex of designs and plans can be replicated for a low price, though obviously the larger the size of the document you wish to be scanned, the larger the cost of scanning is. An additional benefit of the CAD Conversion software and the Document Scanning process is the ability to include any amendments, or your own title block, which you simply need to mark up on the hard copy of the drawing and which will then be included in the converted CAD file after scanning and processing. DXF or DWG CAD drawings can be created from the process, which means both 2 and 3 dimensional plans can be created from your original documents, and ensure compatibility with all of the best CAD manipulation software. You can also opt to have your hard copies securely destroyed after the scanning process if you so wish, or to have them returned in their original condition as further safe guards.

After the Scanning and CAD Conversion

Not only will you be presented with malleable CAD files scanned accurately from your original copies, but once you have digitised your collection you have many more options and benefits available that address some of the key issues related to traditional hard copy storage and filing systems. Using an Online Document Storage System to collect and organise your files in one online source that is accessible from anywhere in the world via a web browser, might be something that you would consider. You can link and store data files, text, drawings and virtually any document type and set the number of users and the kind of access they have to the system, which makes sharing and editing files on a global stage in a secure environment a reality. Once all your files are online, you won’t need to pay for storage of the hard copies, freeing up money and space, and finding and viewing files is far more convenient and quick than searching through dusty stacks of plans in a filing room. Also, should you need to replicate the CAD file or print it out multiple times it can all be done with the click of a mouse button, removing the need for expensive duplication or recovery of lost documents by a third party. Piece of mind and ease of access is simple once you have used document scanning and CAD Conversion to enliven and protect your documents and drawings.

Who Will Benefit from CAD Conversion?

There are hundreds of benefits for many different clients that can be achieved through CAD Conversion of hard copy drawings and documents. This is because it is not limited to any particular type, and the scanning technicians have experience over many different areas, from structural and interior design, to heating, lighting, water and electrical plans, it is a service that should be recommended to almost anyone looking to digitise and diversify their business.