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Pro-gurus,
Runnig Creo Parametric 2.0 m070.
From time to time we have sheet metal designs that require silk screened graphics.
The vendor requires the artwork in Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file format. I'm not an AI expert.
I do have access to Adobe Illustrator and can see that there are many possible file formats; jpeg, dxf, dwg, bmp, png - the list goes on and on. I also see that Illustrator is a file format option during an import into CREO (no success going this route to date).
I have looked at decals but they disappear in unshaded drawing views and line-art used for our service documentation.
We generally start with solid geometry and add cosmetic features to represent the graphics (sometimes hard than it sounds depending on the graphic). This is then added to a single view in a blank drawing which is <save a=" copy="> in DXF format. This file is used to seed the our Adobe Illustrator exprerts. They add the "offical" graphics, hide our initial dxf imported data and save off the .ai file.
This is where the loop ends.
I would like to add the "offical" graphics back into the 3d model. It should maintain fonts, line weights and fill areas from the artwork file. Often line weights and fill areas turn into outlines which don't actually fill.
Please, can someone outline the full circle best practice approach to this process.
The best is to output DXF or IGES from AI and then use that as the basis for datum curve from file**. You'll need a csys of the correct location and orientation to match the XY offsets in the DXF to position it.
This will get line work for the manuals. The rest you must doctor in yourself, creating sketched datum curves and hatching them to simulate fill and so forth.
Font matching is unlikely to happen, and particularly any kerning that is applied in AI.
**I usually use IGES so I know that works for Import, but DXF might also. If DXF is not an option, open the DXF in a drawing and then export the IGES from there.
We've had a variety of attempts at this. The majority is importing DXF files as curve from file. It's not ideal when you have many line segements and it begins to affect the performance of an otherwise simple part. A few users have gone a step further and created a very thin protrusion part if the geometry was simple enough.So far thebest casewas to actually create sketches and annotations on the part itself. That comes with it's own set of difficulties with line weights, making everything match up model to drawing, and have filled in areas.
I'd be interested in finding a better way to accomplish this as well.