Custom Sheet Metal Part Tracing

[Anonymous]

I am trying to find an easy or faster way of copying a custom sheet metal part. What I mean by this is, my customer brings me a custom odd shaped piece of card board and says "I want this card board to be a piece of 1/4" carbon steel". The way I would currently do this is get some close measurements of the part and print a 1:1 drawing and check to the template and adjust as needed. I am looking for an easier way, I have also done it with a scanner if the part is small enough to fit. My boss is telling me about an "old school" way with a digiboard, does any one no of something similar to this? I am not sure if this would be the best way or not. I am open to suggestions, as long as the price is not to much $$$$ Thanks for your input.

I have also attached a picture of a part that I am currently copying.

Dan

[Patchy]

Use your shop materials and make a PANTOGRAPH and use it to make a pattern to smaller scale on a piece of paper and then scan it.

Digitizer board is expensive and you have to make a full size pattern, cut to smaller pieces then digtize it.

[Anonymous]

Patchy,

That is not a bad idea, i would like to find something a little more "high tech" to show my boss. I will try the pantograph the next time I have to trace a part!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

why not using the photo as background image in AutoCAD and use this to create the construction?

- alfred -