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Need suggestions for a large digitizer pad

Printed From: CAD Forum
Category: EN
Forum Name: CAD - general
Forum Description: General discussion about CAD, formats, standards, management, licensing, networking, harware, other CAD applications
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=5544
Printed Date: 02.Oct.2026 at 07:14


Topic: Need suggestions for a large digitizer pad
Posted By: rkirk
Subject: Need suggestions for a large digitizer pad
Date Posted: 22.Mar.2011 at 23:24
Hi,

We use SolidWorks for most of our engineering but have one process that involves a paper tracing process (the engineer uses special instruments by hand to determine curves that is difficult to replicate in SolidWorks). If you're curious, we basically print a 1:1 drawing, and the engineer uses some tools to help him draw curves with pencil on the drawing.  Then he uses a 25-year old HP computer that runs BASIC and has the ability to plot points based on a mouse with a crosshairs in it. The resulting points are then used for programming our forging equipment.

We want to figure out how to get this more advanced. We bought a large GTCO roll-up digitizer pad, but the critical problem with the software is that you cannot reset the point of origin or align the axes, which is critical when placing the sheet of paper on the digitizer. And when using any 3rd-party software, the digitizer and software don't talk to each other, so it becomes impossible to zoom in and out without misaligning the points.

Is there a better way to do this? Does anyone know of a digitizer that comes with software that will allow for the origin to be moved?

Thanks in advance.


Replies:
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 23.Mar.2011 at 00:17
My old Calcomp DrawingBoard III using Tabletworks allowed for the origin to be reset but it was a 12x12.  Calcomp was bought out by GTCO.  Who talked you into the roll-up digitizer?

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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: rkirk
Date Posted: 23.Mar.2011 at 20:42
Hmm, This is a GTCO Roll-Up II, and it has TabletWorks 10.x. However, TabletWorks seems to just be a control panel, and in it, I don't even see a place to set the origin.

The Roll-Up was bought off eBay by my predecssor. I actually think it has other problems too -- it seems to lag when drawing and is jumpy in a couple of places. I'd buy a new one if I was sure I had the ability to:

- Plot points
- Zoom in and out
- Set origin and angle (touch three corners)

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 23.Mar.2011 at 22:50
I had no problem with my Calcomp DBIII when it came to digitizing drawings.  I would cut a large drawing into 10x10 sections and digitize them in.  Obviously to do this the origin had to change so I would be starting the next section in the correct location relevant to the previous section.  I used the keyboard commands for zoom and pan rather than jump in and out of tablet mode.  Worked a treat.

The only time I ever had problems with a digitizer re: lag and jumpiness is when my cat jumped off her perch directly atop my tablet.  It never worked right after that and I had to replace it.


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>


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