PDF SCAN TO INVENTOR 2023 Pro

[Juan_GomezR6PPV]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new student, just starting out with Inventor Professional 2023 and learning on the job. I'm currently working on a project where I need to recreate an old, likely hand-drafted drawing from the 90s. Unfortunately, I only have a PDF version of the drawing, which also has some burn damage on the edges (but all dimensions and details are still legible).

I don't currently have any other CAD software installed on my computer.

My questions are:

1. Is it possible to directly use this PDF scan file within Inventor 2023 to create a new, clean drawing?
2. Would I need to use a separate CAD program to PDFin Plug-in or convert the PDF file before importing it into Inventor? If so, are there specific programs or conversion techniques you'd recommend?
3. If cleaning the PDF in another program is not needed, is there a best practice for making the imported PDF file a reference layer and drawing over the imported sketch?

[kacper.suchomski · Accepted solution]

Hi

*None of the above.
3D CAD programs have a workflow that is opposite to what you suggested.

If you sit down in front of Inventor (or alternative software of the same class), your role in this case is to read all the dimensions and create an analogous 3D model. Then, based on the 3D model, you will create a new clean technical drawing with all the dimensions and descriptions.

You don't need to import anything, it has no value. Just read the values ​​and model the next dimensions until you get the entire shaft.

[CCarreiras · Accepted solution]

Hi!

1-No. The workaround should be use Autodesk Raster to convert the PDF in vectors, but again, your pdf has a lot of "noise", so it will take a while until clean it all.
Of course you can import the pdf as an image as it is and place it in a drawing.

2-Yes. to turn an image into vectors you need other software's, like Autodesk Raster.

3-Yes you can import to a sketch an image or DWG geometry as a reference, but you will have again to deal with the scale of the image or the dwg geometry obtained from the sketch. Nobody says that the 10mm dimension in the PDF will be 10mm in the sketch, most probably you will need to play with scale to match the PDF result with the reality in Inventor.

...And... why you need to import the geometry as reference to the sketch?!! You will take less time on creating a sketch e doing a revolve then cleaning the PDF, turn into vector and import it in a sketch, and it's a not so good working with a bad layer reference or with an image as a decal, for me is a nightmare.

Tips:
1 If you are learning, why don't you model the shaft and create your own drawing?
2 If you want to have some project tools specific for shafts, check this: