'Tracing' images from files and pictures

[Natalie]

Ok so I'm not a Cad wizz - I've done an Advanced CAD module as part of my engineering HNC but without doing CAD basics first it was pretty useless!

I'm REALLY struggling to 'cut out' shapes of things that I want to import. I can import pictures into Lasercut 5.3 but it will only recognise as a picture to engrave.
Is there something I can use to 'pick' things that I want to cut out or delete backgrounds? Short of zooming right in and hand selecting (which looks awful) on AutoCad I can't seem to find a way around it. There must be surley?

[Daven]

Couple of ways to do it:-

Import picture 'as reference' into AutoCad/Draftsight and draw around it using poly-lines, save file as dxf.

Use a program like R2V - you will need to take the original picture and turn it into a 2bit image. Remove the background so the item you want to cut out is black on white. Load it into R2V and maniplate to get the best settings.

If you have a picture as a sample I'll do a step by step and post it here for reference if you want - I did a review of R2V here.

Cheers

Dave

[avalonman]

if its any help i do the following

1) import image into corel 12
2) convert to a 2bit lineart trace using supplied corel trace program
3) save as ai file
4) import ai into lasercut 5.3
5) once ai file loaded i then remove/layer lines as required

[Natalie]

Cheers for the advice. I'm hoping that once the students finish then I'll have time to play around.
The big hurdle is that due to being a University all of our programs need to be paid for and licenced. Tho I may get around it by editing images on my laptop.
Will have to see.