CAD Conversion Services Australia

Paper to CAD, PDF to DWG, 2D to 3D, and legacy drawing conversion — accurate, standards-compliant, fast turnaround

ASTCAD provides professional CAD conversion services to engineering firms, architects, facilities managers, and manufacturers across Australia who need existing drawings upgraded, digitised, or converted into a different format. We convert paper drawings, scanned images, PDFs, and outdated CAD formats into accurate, standards-compliant AutoCAD DWG files — ready for immediate use in design, construction, and maintenance.

CAD Conversion Services We Provide

Paper to CAD Conversion

Original drawings on paper, linen, or mylar are digitised into editable AutoCAD DWG files. Our drafters work from scanned images or physical originals, tracing each drawing to create a clean, fully editable CAD file with correct layering, line weights, and title block to AS/NZS 1100 standard. Useful for: heritage buildings, legacy plant drawings, as-built surveys, and any situation where the original CAD files have been lost.

PDF to DWG Conversion

The most common CAD conversion request — converting a PDF drawing (vector or scanned raster) into a fully editable DWG file. ASTCAD’s PDF to CAD conversion produces clean, properly layered DWG files with accurate dimensions, correct text as editable text objects, and all geometry reproduced to the original scale. We handle complex multi-discipline drawings, A0/A1 format sets, and high-volume conversion batches. All converted files are quality-checked against the source drawing before delivery.

2D to 3D Conversion

Converting existing 2D AutoCAD drawings into 3D models in SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Revit, or AutoCAD 3D. This is particularly valuable for:

Mechanical components being redesigned for manufacture — 2D fabrication drawings converted to parametric SolidWorks models
Buildings being entered into BIM — 2D AutoCAD construction drawings converted to Revit models for facility management
Retrofit and as-built surveys — 2D as-built drawings converted to 3D for clash detection and modification planning

Legacy Format Conversion

Converting drawings from older or specialist CAD formats into current AutoCAD DWG or other required formats:

Source Format	Target Format	Common Use Case
MicroStation DGN	AutoCAD DWG	Infrastructure, government projects
CATIA / ProE / NX	STEP, IGES, DWG	Aerospace, automotive engineering
IGES / STEP	SolidWorks, Inventor, DWG	Importing supplier models
AutoCAD (old version)	Current DWG	Legacy drawing archive upgrades
Raster scan / TIF	AutoCAD DWG (vectorised)	Pre-CAD paper drawing archives
SketchUp SKP	Revit, DWG	Architectural concept to construction

Drawing Standardisation and Cleanup

Many organisations have accumulated DWG files with inconsistent layers, non-standard line weights, incorrect title blocks, or mixed units from different projects or software versions. ASTCAD provides drawing cleanup and standardisation services — reorganising layers to your company standard, applying correct AS/NZS 1100 line types and weights, populating title blocks, and purging unused elements — to bring inherited drawing sets into compliance with your current standards.

Industries and Applications

Mining heritage drawings — Pre-1990s mine site drawings converted from linen originals to searchable, editable DWG for maintenance and expansion projects
Infrastructure as-built conversion — Water, sewage, road, and rail as-built drawings from paper or microfilm converted to DWG for council and utility GIS systems
Manufacturing and plant — Legacy equipment drawings converted from paper or IGES to current SolidWorks for spare parts manufacture and reverse engineering
Building and construction — PDF shop drawings and structural drawings converted to DWG for design development and contractor coordination
Defence and aerospace — Legacy CATIA or ProE drawings converted to STEP/IGES for supply chain management and MRO use

Quality and Accuracy

Every CAD conversion at ASTCAD undergoes a two-stage quality check: the drafting check confirms geometric accuracy and completeness against the source; the senior review checks layer structure, drawing standards compliance, and title block information. Converted drawings are delivered with a transmittal noting any ambiguities in the source material — we flag unclear dimensions or illegible text rather than making assumptions that require expensive correction later.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is paper-to-CAD conversion?

Accuracy depends on the quality of the source drawing. Clean, dimensioned paper drawings can be converted with accuracy matching the original tolerances. Scanned drawings at 300 DPI or higher convert well; 75–150 DPI scans often require more manual tracing and annotation. We always confirm key reference dimensions against the source before delivery and flag any discrepancies.

What scale will the converted DWG file be in?

All ASTCAD converted drawings are produced at 1:1 model space scale (real-world dimensions), with the drawing scale set in paper space viewports. This is the correct practice per AS/NZS 1100 and allows the drawing to be used at any output scale without rescaling geometry. If your source drawing specifies a scale (e.g. 1:100), we calibrate all dimensions accordingly.

Can you handle large batches of conversion work?

Yes. ASTCAD has handled batch conversion projects ranging from 50 to 5,000+ drawings, typically for mining, infrastructure, and manufacturing clients digitising historical drawing archives. For large batches, we agree a quality sampling protocol and provide progress reporting against a conversion schedule. Volume pricing is available.

What file formats can you deliver the converted drawings in?

Standard delivery is AutoCAD DWG (current version or specified legacy version) and PDF. We can also deliver in DXF, DGN, Revit RVT, SolidWorks SLDPRT/SLDASM, STEP, IGES, or any other format required by your project. Please specify your required delivery format when requesting a quote.

📞 1300 002 228 | 📧 info@astcad.com.au | Get a free quote →