The question clients ask us is almost always the same: can you do a scan to DWG conversion without the dimensions suffering? The answer is yes, provided it is clear what the scan contains and what the set is for. We redraw the scanned material you supply in DWG, layer by layer and sheet by sheet.
You send us the scans, and we turn them into usable CAD drawings. That covers old paper drawings, printed revisions and files that were partly drawn by hand. We trace the geometry manually rather than relying on automatic recognition.
A drafter rebuilds the geometry so that lines sit on the right layer and dimensions add up. A second team member then checks the work before it goes back to you. We deliver in DWG and, where needed, in DXF. You get an initial response to your enquiry within 1 to 2 working days. For large batches we put several drafters to work side by side. That way a file of hundreds of sheets never gets stuck with one person.
Cable tray routing in the model, built with parametric families that carry the material schedule with them.
What you get with scan to DWG
At OutsourceCAD we deliver a complete DWG set that accurately reflects the scanned situation. In most files that means floor plans, sections, elevations and details. We also redraw schematic diagrams, pipe and cable routes and overview sheets. Every element gets the layer, lineweight and hatching that your standard calls for. We set text and dimensions up as real text and real dimension lines, not as loose line fragments. Wherever an element keeps recurring in the set, we build it as a block. A door type that appears in forty places is drawn once and then placed as a block.
Title blocks are filled in according to the layout you already use. Where the scan is unclear, we mark the spot rather than inventing something. We bundle those points and present them with the partial delivery. If you want, we can also build a 3D model in Revit from the DWG set. As-built material often calls for this, because the model then goes on into facility management. We draft and model, so calculations and structural decisions stay with you.
For a file of hundreds of sheets we work in a fixed sequence. First the load-bearing geometry, then the infill, then text and dimensions. That sequence keeps the work consistent across multiple drafters. As a result you get a set that looks the same on sheet eighty as it does on sheet two. For every sheet we record who drew it and who checked it. If something starts to drift, we spot it early rather than in the final batch.
Software and file formats for scan to DWG
We convert scans in AutoCAD. We always run the latest version and work with our own licences. You can supply files in any common format, from DWG and DXF to Revit formats and STEP. For a pure redrawing job, DWG is usually the logical output. If the set also needs to open in older software, we save it to an earlier DWG version. We agree that in advance, because a set that will not open wastes time. We ask you to supply your scans at a usable resolution.
We can straighten a skewed or distorted print, but an illegible detail stays illegible. We first calibrate the image against a known dimension from the drawing. That way the scale in the model matches reality. If part of the set is already digital, we build on it. We adopt the existing layers, blocks and title blocks rather than creating our own setup. Otherwise a mixed file ends up as a set with two different styles in it. If a Revit model is involved, we link the drawn DWGs to it as an underlay.
We use Rhino for freeform work that is hard to build in AutoCAD. We use Inventor for components, and Grasshopper where parametrics can take over the manual work. Dynamo and Vault come up to a limited extent. Which packages come into play depends on what you use in-house. We adapt to you, not the other way round. That saves conversions later on.
No ongoing payroll costs and no idle staff once the peak is over. If one of our people is off sick or on holiday, we replace them and the work simply carries on.
Your CAD standards determine what the DWG looks like
We work to your CAD standards. For this kind of work, supplying them matters more than for any other drafting job. After all, a scan has no layers, no blocks and no structure. Every bit of structure the new set gets comes from your conventions. That is why we ask for the layer scheme, lineweights, hatch patterns and naming conventions. We also adopt your text styles and fonts. If there is a template with a title block, we draw in that. If there is no standard, we propose one based on your existing digital sheets. We present it to you first, and only then does the bulk of the work go through. Reworking two hundred sheets, after all, costs more than an hour of discussion up front. In practice we find that clients sometimes have no clear picture of this themselves.
In that case we look at what happens in their most recent sets and follow that approach. We flag it when an existing setup is going to cause problems in the new set. A layer scheme that has become cluttered over the years is one we would rather take over in a cleaned-up form. Whether that is wise is your call, because it affects your entire archive. We deliver the first sheets early, so you can check the structure. Once the setup is right, we carry it through the rest of the file. We record those choices in a short project note. If a second batch of scans arrives later, it fits in seamlessly.
From scan to DWG to the next stage
The delivered set consists of DWG files per sheet or per building section, as agreed. They contain the drawn geometry, dimensions, text and completed title blocks. Blocks and layers are cleaned up in the file, with no leftover construction lines. We remove the reference scan or leave it on a separate layer, whichever you prefer. Wherever we have made an assumption, there is a note on a separate layer.
That way the next drafter can see at a glance where the scan was unclear. If the next stage requires a PDF set, we plot one as well. That handover is the whole point of this work. Clients rarely have a scan converted only to put it away in a drawer.
Usually the set moves on to a renovation, an extension or a revision round. We make sure the drafter who picks it up can start drawing straight away. That means usable layers, correct scale and blocks that can be edited. If the model then goes to Revit, we can use the DWGs as an underlay and build the model on top. For work preparation we can also supply elevations and details per component if you wish.
We agree on that before drafting starts, not afterwards. The intellectual property of the set belongs to you. We keep a copy for as long as the project runs. If you want an NDA, we sign it before we start. A short trial job on a few sheets is also possible, so you can judge our accuracy. We charge by the hour or at a fixed project price, depending on how clearly the scope is defined.
Frequently asked questions about scan to DWG
Hand your scan to DWG work over to us
Send us your documents and drawing conventions and we will let you know within one to two working days what we can take on and when.