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Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
I have been tyring to get files from SolidWorks into Adobe Illy for a while now and am having issues with it.  Everything I try is either not full scale, all messed up, or comes into Illy as nothing.  Does anyone use this feature or have any input for me?  SolidWorks has a function under edit to "copy to Adobe illustrator".  And as far as I can tell it does absolutely nothing.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  I am using SolidWorks 2009 sp5.1 and Illy CS4

Thanks!

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

Most of the stuff I've attempted between the two haven't worked for me, either--at least not as expected.

Is this for line-work (2D drawings)?  If so, did you know you can save a drawing view from your model/assembly in perspective?  And that the drawing will show the same view in perspective, as long as it's a "saved view" within your part/assembly (nice to have for patent drawing output instead of mere isometric).  Anyway, I think line drawings are the only thing that will convert to a useful format within Illustrator.

I don't use Illustrator, since "illustrating" is quite difficult when one cannot even specify a dimension for a radius without an expensive-for-no-reason add-on to the program.  tongue

 

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
A people governed by fear cannot value freedom.

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

I set up my Adobe PDF for my printer to print Adobe files - then go File->Print - and select the Adobe printer.  It works - more or less.  If I scrutinize the drawing I'll find a little hiccup or two, but never when I print it again.

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
I have tried saving the drawing as a .dwg and it comes in as a bunch of straight lines instead of curves.  Unfortunately that is not an option.  I will try the pdf method right now and see if it works.  Thanks for the input guys and if you have any other ideas I'd love to hear them.  I just dont understand the whole, "copy to adobe illustrator" feature that seems to do nothing at all.   

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
Theo,
I have not tried it that way but I definitely am going to.  And yes it is for line-work.  It is very frustrating that the two programs act like they would work great together when nothing actually works out.  Thanks again for the input guys

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
Chris,
I actually know and have discussed this situation with the author of that article you posted.  And I dont have any issues bringing an ai into solidworks... I can't export from SolidWorks into Illy.   

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
Yeah...  I have definitely tried save as .ai.  I have spent quite some time trying to get this to work.  That method works but again, any spline turns into a bunch of straight lines.  For what I am doing I need to have smooth corners on everything.  I'm starting to assume I am out of luck.

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

It worked for me in CS4. The part looks 100% identical to the SW part.
Did "File/ Save As/.ai".
Double-click on file, it opened in CS4.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
I have CS4 as well.  Are you on SolidWorks 2010?  I'm still using 2009.  The part opens fine in Illustrator except for the fact that and splines turn into a bunch of straight lines.  I'll try to attach a screen shot of the two parts in SolidWorks and Illustrator to show what I'm talking about.  

http://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=155ac20b-6a0b-464a-8a3a-9ec80e8becc1&file=SolidWorks_line.jpg

http://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=d8e0477a-45e6-4ef7-b1ac-061b41a0e470&file=Illustrator_Line.jpg

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

I don't get those curvatures.
Maybe it's your graphic settings?
I did nothing special on mine.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
That Could be.  I have absolutely everything maxed out on my settings though.  I dont know what else I could adjust to make it come out cleaner.  And as far as I have found there is no options when saving as an .ai.  Possibly something SP5.1 did differently than 4.1?

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

Make a drawing and save to PDF.  AI can import PDF.

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

(OP)
Tick,

The parts are going to be made from my .ai file.  Saving as a pdf gives a raster image.  I need vectors.
 

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

I've had some success going from AI to Pro/E and back via DXF.

I've gone SW to AI via PDF and gotten vector.  Specifically, a SW drawing with no shaded views to PDF then to AI.

RE: Adobe Illustrator and SolidWorks

I've seen it firsthand.  Of course, the vectors must be there to start with.

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