How to Print full outline in boardcad?

General Discussion
1

Hey Guys,

Im on Board #2, and have made the outline in BoardCAD. My friend works at a print shop so he has access to the big banner printers.

I would like to print out a full template instead of having multiple sheets to glue together. The problem is i cant figure out how to export it as one big outline?

I installed the virtual PDF printer but when i do that i just get the individual sheets you connect. Any Advice?

Cheers - Fil

2

I work in printing too but I haven’t used BoardCAD yet. Is there a way to export to an EPS file? (Expanded Post Script that is, not Poly Styrene hehe) - if there’s a way you can make a vector file that can be opened in the print shop’s graphics software you should be golden.

Alternately If it’s just outlines, not 3d rendering and you have access to adobe illustrator try making a full scale document in AI and copy - paste your outline. It might be a good idea to double check that your design transferred correctly though.

3

Run this program. You may have to lower your Java security settings and accept risk warnings. 

http://jedail.free.fr/programs/HBTM.jnlp

File > Open (go to & select your .brd file) > you should get a “sucssesful” pop up

You can zero out the fields or ignore them

File > Generate Outline template > you should get a “sucssesful” pop up

This will generate a printable .pdf on a single page layout.  Press the Donate button and drop a few bucks to the maker of this little gem

When you’re ready to print on a continuous feed wide format printer, make sure you first go to File > Properties > Page Size and find the actual length of the page. This is the number you need to specify in the custom print settings of the printer to preserve the scale.  Note that this will not be the length of the board, but the length of the paper to be printed on.

HTH

 

4

I think i got it. I just uploaded the board file to HollowBoard Template Maker and it generates a nice full template easy.

It is in a PDF but i think my friend said he can work with that.

Thanks for the for the help Brillynt

5

If you have access to Photoshop or InDesign you can take those individual sheet pdfs and assemble them into one big pdf.  This is how I do it.  You create a blank PDF 24" x whatever length you want to print.  I use 24" because that’s the smallest size roll of paper we keep in the plotters.  Then you drag the individual sheets into the work area on your screen, reassemble and align them.  The cool thing with doing this is once I have one that I like…say its a template for a 5’10, I can use the scaling features of the plotter software to print it as a 6’6 template or any other size I want.  I can also make the tempate a fraction narrower or wider when I print it as well using the scaling features of my plotter software.  (Plotbase)   Basically I could create many different size boards off of the same template.

6

Thanks for the tip, i will definitely mess around with that. The resizing of the boards sounds convenient like that.

hollow board template maker made it so easy. The only thing is it doesnt have the grid but i dont think i will need that with the full outline being printed

I am taking my pdf to my friend tomorrow. I am excited to see the outline come out of the printer.

7

Hi.

You can export the outline to DWG format and then open it in illustrator or a cad program and save it to pdf.

I have archicad soo I can help with the conversion.

Best regards