I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

Good luck on this one George. I have tried lots of programs that make
all kinds of claims most of them are very weak at best. Corel Draw has
a trace program that works ok. You load the bitmap file and it attempts
to draw lines around boundaries. Then you export it as dxf file and put
it into something you can edit it with. On simple black and white line
drawings it usually take's 2 to 4 hrs. to edit the vector file into
something you can use in a sign cutting program or cad cam program, I
edit mine with a program called winpc sign pro. It works ok. I have
never tried any of the really exspensive sign programs like sign lab.I
didn't want to pay 5000.00 dollars to find out it didn't work any
better than my 1000.00 dollar program. If you find a soloution let me
know.
Charlie

george wrote:

I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

Just an idea...

add to printers an HP plotter. Have the plotter default to print to disk.
The output file will be in HPGL format, that of the plotter.

Load your JPEG and print to the plotter queue.

The key is it is a plotter, not a printer.

Martin

--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

have a look at meshcam (meshcam.com). Will convert to 3d height field
(dark is deep, light is shallow), does raster but has other very useful
(imho) features.

The real key is manipulation of the image, for which you'll need
photoshop etc. Imagine a white dog with a black nose. Not gonna work
without turning the nose whiter than the rest of the face.

There are some other image tools that can enhance edges, make textures
etc., but count on lots of hours of learning.

I agree with the statement on corel - best to turn the jpg into a vector
drawing for many things. Allows you to put stuff on "layers"; vectors
are much faster to manipulate (if you get the photo right).

I'm no expert; haven't succeeded in making images do what I want, but
would point you to the sheetcam and meshcam yahoo groups for useful
lore... / mark


george wrote:

I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

On 19 Dec 2004 18:36:28 -0800, "george" calmly
ranted:

I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

CASMATE, about $3,000 the last time I looked (a decade ago).
Adobe Streamline, Corel Trace, and others don't fare as well.

I googled this for you:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/bitmaptovector/
WinTOPO looks interesting.


--------------------------------------------------------------------
I sent in my $5, so * http://www.diversify.com/stees.html
why haven't I been 'saved'? * Graphic Design - Humorous T-shirts

I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?


Does your machine only read HPGL files or can it handle 'G-Code'
instructions too?

If it were CNC based I could heartily recommend an application for
engraving/milling/routing and plasma cutting primarily sheet materials
(SheetCam).

You would still have to have a valid HPGL or DXF file to use it though.

DeskArt is an application that comes to mind for converting a BMP or JPG
to a vector drawing or for generating the G-Code but may be overkill for
you application.

--
Larry Green

"george" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

Some signmakers use software that does this. See if they'll do it for you.

Shawn

I use scan2cad from http://www.softcover.com/ , I scan drawings, save as bmp
and then convert to vector. I then run the vector in Supercam and use a
plasma cutter table to cut designs from steel


"george" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

george wrote:

I am looking for some software to convert images from a bitmap type
format to a vector (like HPGL) format. I want to do some engraving and
have a machine set up to use an HPGL file but the image I want to
engrave is JPEG format. Any ideas?

Do you have a CAD package that produces product ? - can you import the graphic
into the CAD package and then just plot it or CAM it.

Martin

--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to reply to my questions.


I have a very simple set-up that is homemade. I built an x-y table
using some stepping motors. The z axis is currently just up/down. I am
driving this using my computer's parallel port using a program I wrote
to interpret HPGL. The set-up I have works fine for the simple 2-D
engraving I am doing. I am just doing this as a hobby and cannot afford
some of the options mentioned. I am sure they would be wonderful. I
would be interested to expand my hobby to include xyz milling sometime.
At that point it problably would make sense to use some sort of CAD/CAM
software and drive the hardware using G-Code. Until I can afford it
though I plan to just stick with my current set up or some variation of
it.

Does anyone know of some share-ware or low priced packages that may be
helpful?

Thanks

Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to reply to my questions.


I have a very simple set-up that is homemade. I built an x-y table
using some stepping motors. The z axis is currently just up/down. I am
driving this using my computer's parallel port using a program I wrote
to interpret HPGL. The set-up I have works fine for the simple 2-D
engraving I am doing. I am just doing this as a hobby and cannot afford
some of the options mentioned. I am sure they would be wonderful. I
would be interested to expand my hobby to include xyz milling sometime.
At that point it problably would make sense to use some sort of CAD/CAM
software and drive the hardware using G-Code. Until I can afford it
though I plan to just stick with my current set up or some variation of
it.

Does anyone know of some share-ware or low priced packages that may be
helpful?

Thanks

Have a look at http://www.sheetcam.com/ this is a very affordable CAM
package that will import DXF, HPGL or Excellon files and allow you to
set up tool paths and cutters and export G-code to drive the hardware.

For a simple engraver it may even be possible to control it directly
from SheetCam (I know the author is doing just that with a simple
engraver but not sure how he interfaced it).

There is also a very active support/users group over at...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sheetcam/

HTH

--
Larry Green

On 25 Dec 2004 17:54:32 -0800, "george" wrote:


Does anyone know of some share-ware or low priced packages that may be
helpful?

RasterFratz. $75
http://www.imsrv.com

Fred Smith - IMService