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Thread: PDF to STL ?

  1. #1

    PDF to STL ?

    hi, i have a PDF of a logo that i promised my sister i would look into whether i could turn it into printable form to use as a stamp for her polymer clay work. ive heard of it being possible to 'trace' it does anyone know how i would go about putting it in a format that i could open up in designspark mechanical, extrude it then print?
    its only a simple logo but when i try to manually trace it the line tool only jumps to the nearest intersection on the grid :/
    im really sorry if its been asked before but any help would be brillo pads
    thankyou

  2. #2
    Staff Engineer
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    Some PDFs are vectors (rare) and many are text, but if it's an image, it could be a bitmap. Can you attach the PDF file for examination? I'm downloading the program to see if I can assist directly. If I didn't have DSM, I'd use Inkscape bitmap trace to create an SVG, which is nearly universal for importing into CAD programs.

  3. #3
    Staff Engineer
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    Apparently the free version doesn't support PDF import, so I can't explore the options available to my installation.

  4. #4
    im really sorry stupid mistake but its a JPG not a PDF haha :/ im not terribly computer minded
    here it is...

    Attachment 15997

  5. #5
    Staff Engineer
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    Unfortunately, the attachment returns a message of invalid when the download is attempted. Being a JPG is likely to make the process of converting easier.

  6. #6
    Technician xayoz's Avatar
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    yes to both, and relatively easy. take a look at hxxps://youtu.be/5pioFLkESD8

  7. #7
    Brilliant thankyou i will take a look

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Higgins420 View Post
    hi, i have a PDF of a logo that i promised my sister i would look into whether i could turn it into printable form to use as a stamp for her polymer clay work. ive heard of it being possible to 'trace' it does anyone know how i would go about putting it in a format that i could open up in designspark mechanical, extrude it then print?
    its only a simple logo but when i try to manually trace it the line tool only jumps to the nearest intersection on the grid :/
    im really sorry if its been asked before but any help would be brillo pads
    thankyou
    You can try this one: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:66115

    Or:
    Use the 3D builder app that comes pre-installed on almost any up-to-date Windows computer.
    The app has a feature that can convert an image into an STL or OBJ file very easily.
    Note that this will not work on Mac, only on Windows 10. Here’s how it’s done:


    1. If you don’t already have the 3D builder app on your computer, download it from the Microsoft Store.
    2. After you have downloaded and installed the app, drag your image onto the workspace or click “Add” in the “Insert” menu and choose the image.
    3. Adjust the “Levels” and the “Smooth” sliders until your image is crisp and clear. You can also change between the methods “Contour”, “Height Map”, “Edge”, and “Stamp” to get different effects.
    4. When you’re happy with the model, click the “Import Image” button. Here, you can change the scale with the “Scale” tool at the bottom of the workspace. When scaling, it’s a great idea to lock the proportions by clicking the lock in the same menu.

  9. #9
    Super Moderator curious aardvark's Avatar
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    INteresting, I remembered 3d builder and had aquick loook yesterday.

    Kind of non-intuitive, but looks like it might have its uses.

    I guess I'll have to watch some youtube videos :-)

  10. #10
    Staff Engineer
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    Another curious aspect about 3D builder is that it will attempt repair of failing or failed STL files and often enough, present a nicely corrected model. Somewhat counterintuitive when it comes to Microsoft software, isn't it?

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