AI & EPS vector graphics

[Arkomo]

I see on eBay where some people sell clipart in AI, EPS, JPG formats. Of course they say they can be used for plasma. I am very skeptical. Anybody ever use anything like this?

I have a Plasmacam machine that is the 98z old model with the old windows 98 software.
What formats can I use with me software directly easily?
Thanks, Tom

 

[SignTorch]

well I think that version of plasmacam can import BMP or DXF

JPG is a raster format, it can easily be converted to BMP (with external software), then imported in plasmacam, but then it has to be traced or converted into vectors, and hopefully the image is really big, really clean, and drawn right for plasma cutting

EPS and AI are traditional desktop publishing vector formats, which can be converted directly to DXF (with external software), then imported into plasmacam, without having to trace or convert to vectors, which is easier provided it is drawn right for plasma cutting

but there are various ways to convert from EPS/AI to DXF, depending on what software is used and what DXF version is used, and how the target program interprets that DXF version can lead to different results from different software/dxf-version combinations

if the EPS/AI is good quality bezier curves, you can use a good quality vector program (like corel draw) to convert to DXF version 2000 or later (with splines in place of bezier curves) and as far as I know plasmacam can open that without any problems

if the EPS/AI is not good quality, or if an earlier DXF version is used, then curves might be a billion tiny line segments, which might or might not work without problems, but probably won't work as well as the aforementioned bezier/spline composition

most all of my downloads are ZIP files that include EPS format which you can experiment with, and mine tend to be reasonably well drawn for plasma cutting (except for scale which is arbitrary), but some EPS/AI file providers don't know what they're doing, so buyer beware...

you should be skeptical about anyone selling a JPG file for plasma cutting

 

[Arkomo]

So all of your files you sell, I should be able to import direct into my old Plasmacam software without any type of conversion and cut them out, am I correct on this?
Also, do you sell ready to use cut scaleable fonts of different designs? Thanks, Tom

 

[SignTorch]

yes, you usually have to scale them up some, most are drawn around 8" across,

I have some DXF fonts, but you should be able to use standard windows fonts, they're free and you don't have to import a file for each letter

my fonts are mainly useful in cases where windows fonts don't work so well, like for moving bed machines