PDFs as graphics and graphics out of SolidWorks

[tech.writer]

I do this frequently. Art has most of the steps. Before I create the PDF, I
use the SolidWorks Viewer to position the object exactly as I want it, not
how a CAD operator does. I turn on Perspective (for some reason, engineers
do not understand the concept of perspective). I then create the PDF and
open it in Illustrator. There, I can change line weights and edit out things
that I do not need to show. Then import into FM as an eps file.

Tim Lewis
Lewis Technical Communications, Inc.
Tech.writer at insightbb.com
www.lewiscomms.com

> 
Art Campbell said:
> 
> I just ended a year-long gig that included this, and the workflow we
> developed was:
> 1. Get the free Solidworks viewer application. (There's a free
> explorer tool that's also useful.)
> 2. From the Viewer, print the Solidworks file to an Acrobat printer
> instance to create a PDF using the appropriate job options (high
> quality print, press quality) .
> 3. When the PDF opens in Acrobat, optimize the file, but go easy on
> the compression and downsampling. This is the key task to reduce the
> file size & bloat. I don't think it would work as well on a PDF
> produced directly from
> 4. Import into FM.