Digitizing Tablet - Does anyone use them

[Quickers]

Hello,
I am looking for a cheap but still accurate way to scan basic 2D shapes and have that information transfered to dxf format.

We need something quite large (approx 48" x 24") because we measure up a lot of boat windows, flat panels etc. Then they are machined on our CNC router.

The Logic Group sell a digitizing tablet which appears as though it might work.

Has anyone used one of these tablets?

Any advice or concerns about this product would be greatly appreciated.

[br1]

I use a GTCo CalComp Super L IV, It does come in handy to pick points but is very time consuming, acurate but time consuming, I find it well worth the money, but you must have a lot of patience.

[jkhesch]

With the right kind of software, a digitizing tablet can do wonders for converting "art to part", such a digitizing a gasket, then export a CNC-ready DXF file. Ziatek® produces JetStream, which is used mostly by counter-top fabricators to digitize in the fields, or its derivative, Paper²CAD!, which is an easy to use program for other kinds of 2D digitizing. It easily digitizes lines, arcs, circles, filleted corners, etc., and interfaces to any GTCO-compatible digitizer. Please feel free to contact me at: info@ziatek.com if you would like a 30-day evaluation copy of this software. I will assist with configuration and a brief tutorial to get you using the program almost immediately.

Kind regards,
Jim Hesch
Ziatek, Inc.

[Quickers]

Thankyou Jim, I will have a look at your website and let you know.

I actually bought a digitizer from the logic group but I do not like it at all. It claims to have an accuracy of 0.01" (0.25mm in metric) but that is a load of crap. I spent $3000 getting this thing over to Australia from the US and I cannot even use it.
WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!!

[jkhesch]

...sorry to hear that you are not pleased with your digitizer! However, I think that this can be salvaged. First, if you are using a stylus, you will lose considerable accuracy due to human error. A 4- or 16-button cursor is highly recommended for this type of digitizing. I believe that you will find 0.010" accuracy to be real.

If you would like to try out Paper²CAD!, you can download it at this website:

Ziatek PaperCAD

It has a hard-coded expiration date of November 30 . . . should give you plenty of time to evaluate it. A serial port connection is needed, and the GTCO tablet needs to be configured with SuperSet Code S-04. Oh...you will need to disable TabletWorks.

Let me know if this is sufficient information to get you going.

Kind regards,
Jim Hesch
Ziatek, Inc.

[Iykist]

I am looking for a reasonably priced tracing software that is accurate and will work with most graphic tablet.

[jkhesch]

Originally Posted by Iykist I am looking for a reasonably priced tracing software that is accurate and will work with most graphic tablet.

Ziatek Paper2CAD! is designed for art-to-part operations, speeding up the "front end" of 2D CNC machining operations, i.e., getting the data INTO your machine quickly and accurately. It uses an industry standard GTCO HiRes Binary format, and serial port connection. It does NOT use TabletWorks or WinTab drivers -- all is self-contained in this program.

More information can be obtained at Ziatek : Home, and questions can be directed to info@ziatek.com.

I hope this helps!

Kind regards,
Jim Hesch