off topic: e-drawings, eps files, frame and pdf

[Tim Lewis]

This is another reason I request the .easm files configured for eDrawings. I
import the PDF into Adobe Illustrator and it comes in as vector art. I then
can change the line weights delete unwanted lines if needed, use the masks,
and add the other elements such as callouts. I did an entire parts manual
this way. This same client had some very large SolidWorks files that I could
not handle so I taught the engineer how to save the file as .easm, open in
eDrawings and then make the PDF. When I needed specific components or views,
I sat with him to get what I needed.

Tim Lewis
Lewis Technical Communications, Inc.
ltc.writer at comcast.net


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alison Craig [mailto:Alison.Craig at ultrasonix.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:10 PM
> To: Tim Lewis; framers at lists.frameusers.com
> Subject: RE: off topic: e-drawings, eps files, frame and pdf
> 
> Tim:
> 
> What if you need to add "stuff" to the drawings, like I do? Can you do
that in the
> format you're describing?
> 
> The AI files I get from the Mechanical engineers do not contain Part
Numbers or
> tool descriptions (for Service personnel). I also change the colour of
some items
> so they stand out from the B&W line drawings as well as add arrows to
ensure the
> correct part is identified with its part name and number.
> 
> FYI: I got an e-mail from R&D yesterday. They were just at a SolidWorks
demo
> where they saw "3D Via Composer". I haven't done my homework yet, but
> apparently it would allow me to grab a view and do things to it then pull
it directly
> into FrameMaker. It also allows for HTML conversion and video creation:
> http://www.hawkridgesys.com/products/3dvia-composer/. The drawback is that
a
> single-seat server edition is $6,000.
> 
> Alison
> 
> Alison Craig, Technical Writer
> Ultrasonix Medical Corporation
> Tel: (604) 279-8550, ext 127
> E-mail: alison.craig at ultrasonix.com
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-
> bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Tim Lewis
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 11:07 AM
> To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
> Subject: RE: off topic: e-drawings, eps files, frame and pdf
> 
> I like using the SolidWorks eDrawings and often prefer it because too many
times
> the engineers are either too busy to give me the drawings or the views I
need. It
> has been far easier to ask for .easm files that have been saved for
eDrawings.
> Then I open the file, rotate it to show what I need and hide those
elements that I do
> not need. Then I print the result to a PDF, which I can import into
Illustrator if
> needed.
> 
> Tim Lewis
> Lewis Technical Communications, Inc.
> ltc.writer at comcast.net
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> Jo:
> 
> According to my mechanical designer (Alex has been great - teaching me
about
> what I can do via AI with his SolidWorks stuff) there is pretty much
*zero* work
> involved for the engineers to Save As an AI file (or a DWG file if your
SoildWorks
> is older than the 2009 version) when they Save As to an EASM file.
> 
> Is there a company protocol that forbids saving as an AI or DWG?
> 
> If not, I highly suggest you try to get the engineer to spend an extra few
seconds
> getting you what the user/customer needs - maybe bribe him with some
doughnuts
> or muffins ;-)).
> 
> In the past, I've had to use non-vector SolidWorks images and *no one* has
been
> happy with the results.
> 
> Alison
> 
> From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com
> [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Jo Watkiss
> Sent: Monday, October 18, 2010 2:28 AM
> To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
> Subject: RE: off topic: e-drawings, eps files, frame and pdf
> 
> Thanks everybody for lots of advice and suggestions.
> 
> We don't have access to Solidworks itself, only the 3D e-drawing (.easm)
that is
> supplied by the project engineer. We use the Solidworks eDrawings Viewer
to
> manipulate the model to get the illustration that we need.
> Unfortunately, if we want to export a vector, its 'all or nothing'
> - which is probably why the resulting image renders so slowly on screen.
> 
> 
> I agree that in a perfect world the engineer would create all the
illustrations we need
> as 2D PDFs directly from Solidworks; or we would have another Solidworks
> licence so that we could do it ourselves.  In our imperfect world, we have
to make
> do with the eDrawing.
> 
> I've concluded its best to use a bitmap wherever possible, and a vector
only when
> absolutely necessary.
> 
> Cheers,
> Jo
> 
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