Coverting JPG Photo to Fusion 360 to Plasma Cut! FF45

A friend sent a text message cellphone picture of a sign he wanted made - let's show how to use Inkscape or FIVERR to convert the image to a vector DXF, then use Fusion 360 to scale to size and CNC Plasma cut the sign out of steel!

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Reach us / CNC Info:

[IRONMANMETALBILLDANKANIS]

Thank you so much for this video it really helped a lot of problems I've been having trying to get letters and stuff to be cut out of silhouettes that I download online. I'm almost 50 and this is my first ever attempt at using a computer and it's quite frustrating. But, you made it a lot easier. Thank you. God bless.

[restrictedayerspace]

The part I wanted to see most is how you added tabs to this to hold the inside of the letters and the logo. Love your videos!

[manversusmetal]

Nice hack to extrude instead of projecting all those segments! That will save a LOT of time! Could also be used to create a cutting tool in a combine operation to model all of the individual pieces for inlays etc. Thanks John!

[aemt]

When I work at a sign shop, I had either get files or have to scan in logos all the time, make sure if they are sending you a file is the image has to be min. 300 DPI. The first thing I would do on a simple image like this would covert it to a black and white image, and then send it to Corel Trace and adjusting the smoothing setting to get the best trace. then into Draw to do any clean up when needed, and save in file. This have work with both Solidworks and Inventor. Usually only takes about 5 to 10 mins.

[kisssys]

I've always used Corel Trace and Sheetcam for that type of project. That was a helpful step to getting converted to using Fusion full time but it's hard to beat Sheetcam. Cheers!

[tca]

Hello, instead of modifying the scale of the object once extruded, you can modify the sketch once imported from the SVG. In order to do that, just tick on the Fix/unFix once the sketch lines are selected inside the sketch design and then you can resize it as you want.

[EcoMouseChannel]

Fortunately, I've been a designer for 28 years, and I can re-draw my own vectors in a few minutes. (Have to do it all the time, as people send me logos via text as well)

However, I have the PlasmaCam and I'll tell you what... their vector to path software is outstanding. So much faster to get a cut part off the table. But my workflow has been, and will probably always be; Illustrator .eps file to Vectric V-Carve Pro to get a real .dxf file that doesn't have poly splines, but actual arcs! Then to the Plasma Cam software via thumb drive. (because machine is in different building) BTW: Vectric is the only CAD/CAM output software that I know of that legitimately supports .eps files no problem. Plus it's very affordable way to get actual CAM things done. From setting up tooling paths, inside, outside, depth, drilling, tapping, climb cut etc... all the goodies that allow you to generate a clean G-Code to run just about any machine that has 3 axis.

None of the free or even commercial vector software programs can output a .dxf file with continuous arcs, but makes a poly spline mess instead. However, there is a 3rd party plug-in that Corel Draw supports that allows for a good clean .dxf file export. A lot of Chinese Laser Table users have to do that method.

[Duraltia]

And then it hit me like a Truck who you and this channel remind me of xD
Josh Bixler from Flite Test - A little skinnier but similar speech and gesture patterns.

[plasmaman]

I have been using ai to do this stuff lately and it has saved me a lot of time doing the work myself

[russtuff]

John, I just ran into this selection issue (within the sketch) today and realized I had to click "Select" in the top menu bar and click "Window Selection" again. It went from not letting me lasso a bunch of small line segments to selecting everything as I wanted. Try it out and let me know.
Thanks again.

[CalebMayfieldMHF]

Thanks you! I need to make some leather stamps and this was the video I really needed right now to go from jpg logo to CNC stamp.

[GeofDumas]

I just redesigned my logo. Pretty sure I used the same guy on Fiverr, too. I am REALLY glad I don't have to click all those mini arcs. Thanks!

[seeigecannon]

Something I like to do with my DXF files is to first import them into CorelDraw. I can set the exact size I want and ensure all of the lines are the same colour. I can also reduce the number of lines if a curve is made up of many lines instead of a few. I can then import it into Solidworks or something and it will already be the correct size.

[bcbloc]

Very nice and not as hard as I thought it might be when you know what to use.

[NickMcEntee]

Great video! I don't know how I missed this one.

[DavidBixler]

Before you say it, yes, I make things harder than they have to be sometimes. I use Adobe Fireworks for most graphics....things. There is an "export to SVG" extension in the Adobe Exchange. First thing first... open your logo/image. Select all of the various components of your image (if assembled in Fireworks, lots of extra data/editable regions will crap up your SVG) CTRL+SHIFT+Z to convert selection to bitmap. Use the magic wand, select the desired regions, go up to Select / Convert Marquee to Path. Copy that path to a whole new image. Even if you hide/lock all other layers, the data still translates into the SVG.... CTRL+N then paste your copied path into the new canvas. Turn off canvas background. Save your image. Then go to Commands/Export/Export as SVG.
Then just go to Fusion 360 and import as SVG.

Similar process for other software so it seems.

[Steve_Just_Steve]

Pretty cool how all those connectors just show up in steel all by themselves =) Kinda sad that you still have to figure out a work around to do something as simple as select all imported geometry. Thanks John

[linkduda]

Great video! Any idea on how to do that using fsion 360 and 3d images like human face profiles?

[BigMjolnir]

John, didn't you change the place name to the Oval-H-Ranch when you scaled? Doesn't look round like the original in the screen shots...though the final steel looks fine...did something end up on the floor in the video edit!

-- Mike

[recrdholdr]

How do you make a picture into a vector file? You get someone else to do it.