It’s often said that a workman is only as good as his tools. If you’re in the CAD industry, one of the most important tools at your disposal is the computer mouse. Whether you’re a drafter, engineer, or technician—the mouse is…
Tips and Advice for Users
4K Monitors for CAD—Are They Worth It?
Those of you who work in the CAD industry know that a lot of your time is spent rendering, inspecting, editing and sharing designs. It’s important, therefore, that the workstation you use is able to provide you with the best possible…
Convert PNG to Vector—For Accurate Results
PNG is by far one of the most common file types available. While most prominent in the field of web graphics, this particular file type spans across a wide range of industries and users. If you’re working in sectors that require…
Convert TIFF to Vector—For Engineers & Designers
TIFF is one of the most versatile file formats around—it supports millions of colors and allows for good image quality. It’s for this reason that it’s the go-to format for many designers and engineers. Despite its many advantages, however, TIFF is…
DXF to DWG: How and Why to Convert Your Files
DXF and DWG are files with a shared history, but that certainly does not mean they are interchangeable. Sure, they have many similar qualities, but you should be aware that they are suited to slightly different uses. Particularly if you want…
Which BIM Software Should I Use?
If you work in the AEC sector, you’ll have encountered BIM software at some point. Building Information Modeling software is designed to compile all the information that designers, architects and engineers might need to know about a building or infrastructure. From…
Convert PNG to SVG: How to Vectorize Your Image
When it comes to web graphics, PNG has long ruled supreme. It’s easy to see why: PNG pulls off the delicate balancing act between a file size that won’t impact too much on page speed and good image quality. However, PNG…
Convert Images to G-Code – The Machinist’s Guide
CNC allows designers, engineers and hobbyists worldwide to create all kinds of interesting projects. Using CNC tools like milling machines, waterjets and laser cutters, nothing is too far out of reach. With so much to create, you might be wondering how…
PDF to CAD: How to Convert Your Files
No matter what industry you work in or how familiar you are with file formats in general, you’ll undoubtedly have encountered PDFs at some point or another. One of the most popular file formats around, PDFs are the perfect way to…
Which Architecture Software Should I Use?
CAD software has changed the way the entire world works—from the design industry to engineering to architecture. Instead of old school drafting methods, architects can use CAD software to bring any type of design to life. From start to finish, design…
Compared: The Best Graphics Cards for CAD in 2023
So, you’ve decided you need to purchase a graphics card for your CAD work. At first, you may have thought that you could purchase any graphics card as long as it is powerful—only to realize that the GPU market is more…
Top Tips and Tricks for Vectorworks Newbies
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Scan2CAD blog, you might be familiar with Vectorworks—a cross-platform CAD and BIM software gaining popularity in the entertainment and architecture industries. As you’d imagine, a software offering both CAD and BIM has many…
Vectorworks: Learn The Basics In 1 Hour
If you like to stay updated with Scan2CAD’s blog, you’ll undoubtedly be familiar with Vectorworks, a term that represents CAD history and heritage dating back to the 1980s. Vectorworks refers to both a software development company founded in 1985 (Vectorworks, Inc.) and…
How To Trace An Image In Vectorworks
For those of you who have only ever delved into the worlds of AutoCAD and SolidWorks, you’ve truly been missing out on the cross-platform CAD and BIM package Vectorworks. Used primarily in the architecture, landscape and entertainment industries, Vectorworks is looking…
DraftSight: Learn the Basics in 1 Hour
If you’re a regular Scan2CAD reader, you’ll no doubt be familiar with DraftSight. A popular 2D CAD product from none other than Dassault Systèmes, DraftSight is used by hundreds of industries every single day. If you’re familiar with CAD software, you…
How To Trace An Image In DraftSight
As you may already know, DraftSight is a popular freemium 2D CAD product used across a multitude of industries including architecture, design and engineering (it is a popular alternative to AutoCAD). With it, you can create 2D models not to mention…
Top Tips and Tricks for DraftSight Newbies
Another popular product from software giant Dassault Systèmes, DraftSight is a freemium 2D CAD application used by engineers, architects and designers alike. With an accessible interface and a wide range of capabilities, the advantages to using DraftSight are endless. It can, however, be…
How to Trace an Image for SketchUp
SketchUp is a popular 3D modeling program used worldwide—by industries, students and hobbyists alike. With it, you can create any number of 2D and 3D models. You can even trace using SketchUp. It doesn’t provide for automatic tracing, but don’t worry—tracing is…
CAD on iOS: Pros and Cons
While CAD work is still predominantly performed on desktops, more and more programs are enabling designers to create and access files and perform edits on mobile devices. This gives different members of design and engineering teams accessibility when working remotely, which…
Vectorize Using Photoshop (And When Not To For CAD/CNC)
Photoshop is a raster-based image editor used across industries worldwide. Using Photoshop, it’s possible to create and edit incredibly detailed images. Unfortunately, as it is a raster-based editor, it doesn’t currently provide an automatic conversion process. So, what can you do?…