Converting PDF files for use with CAD

The PDF file format is a document format developed by the Adobe to be read using Adobe Reader. It exists in two variants: Image-only PDF contains raster content; Regular PDF contains vectors and text. PDF is increasingly found in engineering environments. Trix Systems offers the solutions below for handling Acrobat PDF.

More on the difference between raster and vector PDFs

You do not have to have AutoCAD or Acrobat to use any of the following Trix conversion software solutions.
 

Product	PDF Functionality	Product Description
	View and markup PDFs, plus CAD to PDF conversion Converts CAD image, with or without markup, to PDF format.	CAD Viewer opens PDF,  DWG, DXF, DWF and HPGL (PLT) files. Includes markup, measuring and printing tools. No knowledge of CAD required.
	Fully featured CAD to PDF converter Converts entire image or selected detail, with any markup, to PDF format. User can control size of PDF output.	Converts DWG, DXF, DWF and HPGL (PLT) files to PDF and raster; also converts raster files to DWG, DXF, HPGL , IGES and other vector formats.
	Scriptable batch CAD to PDF and PDF to raster converter Continuously batch converts input files.	Server-based batch conversion to PDF from AutoCAD DWG, DXF, HPGL (PLT) and raster files; conversion of PDF files to raster formats. Industrial strength. Runs as a true Windows service.
pdfFLY	PDF to CAD vector converter	Converts vector Acrobat PDF files to editable CAD vector formats via DXF. One at a time, batch or scriptable versions.

Regular vector PDF files can be reverse engineered into CAD vectors using pdfFLY. Image-only PDF is less susceptible to reverse engineering and therefore a better protector of intellectual property.

See also Converting DWG to PDF.