How to scan a physical part for raster to vector conversion
Scanning a physical part like a gasket or similar for profiling can be problematic. Because parts have a thickness they produce shadows when you scan them in. Once in Scan2CAD it can be difficult to tell where the part ends and the shadow begins. Here are two suggestions to help get around the problem.
Suggestion 1
- Lay the part on a piece of white paper.
- Carefully trace around it with a fine, sharp pen to get a tight fitting profile.
- Scan the trace and vectorize it.
Suggestion 2
To reduce shadowing, put a black sheet of paper or card over the part in the scanner. You may also want to try spray painting the part white. When you scan, the shadows will simply become part of the black background.
This will give you a reversed image with a white part on a black background.
In Scan2CAD, click 
to switch the image so you end
up with a black part on a white background.
"I have not found any other product that exceeds yours in terms of utility and reliability ... it works as advertised which is rare for this kind of product."
M. Kroeker
"What a tremendous program. It's a real time saver!"
D. Janelle
HINTS & TIPS
Don't use JPEG or GIF files! Click here to find out why these file types are unsuitable for most raster to vector conversions.
STAY UPDATED!
To get raster to vector and scanning hints and tips, large format scanner news and views and all the latest about Scan2CAD, enter your email address below then click Subscribe.
NEED HELP?
Scan2CAD support is free.
If you have a question about Scan2CAD or are experiencing a problem, please email us.
If you have a question about converting a particular raster image please attach it to your email and we'll have a look at it and advise.
We answer every email we receive. If you do not receive a reply from us, please check your spam bin.
