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My Sets are in a .BMP "Ready to Trace" format only
This is the most asked question I get about how my graphics are used with Cutter systems. Here is a quick overview of "Ready to Trace" VS "Ready to Cut" terminology.
Ready to Trace:
I only offer my Western Art package(s) in a .BMP graphic format. This is known as a "Raster" format. Any re-sizing of a Raster image, either larger or smaller, usually results in the outline of the image becoming very "ragged/blockey". Raster images are re-sized by a graphics editor "guessing" (for lack of a better word) what the shape outline should be at whatever size you are trying to make. Unfortunately... for Metal Art cutting, this results in outlines that are very hard to trace. The only way to clean these Raster image outlines is to enlarge the image, convert them to a much higher dpi (dots per inch) and smooth them out by hand with your graphics editor. This is exactly what I have spent hundreds of hours doing with my "Cowboys & Critters" 600 dpi series. This makes for a MUCH cleaner image outline than the standard 72 dpi that .BMP's are normally generated, and gives a much cleaner "trace" for converting the image into a Vector format. That is why I refer to my "Cowboys & Critters" 600 dpi .BMP Series as "Ready to Trace".
Ready to Cut:
Cutter systems use images in a "Vector" graphic format. Vector images can be re-sized, both up and down, with very clean outlines which make them perfect for cutting. This is done with mathmatical procedures with a software program such as the TorchMate CAD Software Module, PlasmaCam or CorelDraw 9 with the CorelTRACE function. These software programs can "Import" my .BMP image(s), trace the outlines, and then convert them into a Vector format (such as AutoCAD's .DXF). They are now ready to load into your system and "Ready to Cut".
Why don't I offer my packages in .DXF format?
Several reasons... but the bottom line... I offer my packages to both InterNet clients for Desktop Publishing/Printer work as well as the "Cutter" industry which includes both the Metal, Wood and Vinyl cutter machine owners, plus the Fabric stitching machine owners and the Glass etching industry. 75% of my clients opt to download the image packages when ordering. The .BMP format compress packages very well in a .ZIP file which make them perfect for faster downloading purposes and speeds up the online transfers between myself and the client.
Secondly... with several test runs on different "generations" of .DXF over the years, (Many Thanks to all of you that sent me feedback!) I have found that there is not a single .DXF generation that is accepted as "standard" by ALL the "cutter" systems in service today. Even the age of the cutter/software makes a difference in what .DXF generation is accepted by that particular system. Whereas, my .BMP series imports very well into all cutter systems. Each cutter's/stitching software program could do a Trace on my .BMP series and convert them into the vector (.DXF, .PCM... etc.) generation that worked best for them.
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