TechSoft created 2D Design for users who require sophisticated drawing and design features, but who don't want to spend a lifetime learning how to use them. Although designed with professional capability, its ease of use means that 2D Design is ideal for the classroom.  It is already the CAD standard for the vast majority of secondary schools in the UK.

Combine vector graphics, text, bitmap images, photographs and clipart to create graphic products such as logos, point of sale displays, packaging, greeting cards, etc.

           

C2D Design makes an excellent electronic drawing board with an extensive range of tools to enable you to accurately draw and dimension anything from a nut and bolt to a super tanker.

     

Create manufacturing drawings and output them directly to a wide range of millers/ routers, laser cutters, knife cutters, etc.  2D Design has built-in tools and drivers to make the CAD to CAM link as seamless as possible.

     

The main benefits of Version 2 are the enhanced and extended graphics capabilities.  Some of the more significant features are outlined below.

Bitmap data such as JPEG and BMP images can be imported directly into 2D Design V2.  Graphic products can now be made even more exciting by integrating bitmap images with vector artwork and text.

Convert bitmap images (clipart, scans of printed or hand drawn images, etc.) into vector paths (see below).  The vector paths can then be used as clip paths, or as cut paths for knife cutting machines, milling machines, lasers, etc.

Create clip paths to mask (i.e., make invisible) or delete parts of a photograph or drawing.

A clip path is a drawing outline that can be combined with another image such as a bitmap or vector clip art.  The image inside or outside of the outline can be masked or deleted.  Any closed outline can be used as a clip path.  Existing shapes or text can be used or clip paths can be drawn around objects to pick them out of the background.

Graphic images can be built up by placing one clipped image over another, and then the vector artwork or text can be added:

Add and extra dimension to colored fills, with the comprehensive graduated fill tools:

With Windows fonts, all characters are outlines.  These fonts are not ideal for many engraving applications where single line (or "stick") fonts are often much quicker to reproduce.  V2 has a range of single line fonts ideal for engraving.

Design your own fonts (including single line fonts) for use within the software.  Or, you can add special characters or symbols to an existing Windows font.  In either case, V2 will make the process easy.

One of the key features of 2D design has been the high level of integration with many CAD/CAM devices, including all Roland CNC systems (STIKA, CAMM-1, MODELA, RotoCAMM, etc.) and the LaserCAM range of laser cutters.  This integration allows easy control of all the devices' key features and allows simple, accurate control over exactly where the image is reproduced on the machine (something that can be a nightmare when relying on standard windows drivers).

TechSoft have continued to enhance this device support by covering the new features of the latest CNC devices such as Optical Print Alignment for vinyl/card cutters like the CAMM-1.

• Exhaustive geometrical constructions, including circles, arcs, tangents, normals, etc.  Essential for all constructional work.
• Comprehensive text facilities, even exceeding those on many sign-writing packages.  Truetype fonts may be used, either as outlines or filled in color, even hatched.  Editable text blocks may contain different heights and angles, even different fonts.
• Single line fonts and a built-in font editor/designer.
• Powerful tools such as fully "tuneable" bezier curve drawing, text flow along paths, etc.
• Import/export bitmap data such as BMP, JPEG, PNG and TIFF.
• Import/export WMF, EMF, DXF, HPGL, Acorn Draw and Designer V3 files.
• Convert appropriate bitmap images to vector paths with a user friendly conversion utility.
• Clip path tools, essential for creating professional high end graphic images.
• Comprehensive graduated fills.
• Comprehensive transformation commands include move/copy, rotate, mirror image, alter size, 3D effects, etc.
• Automatic or manual dimensioning.
• Contour routing provides either a powerful graphical tool, or the means to generate a cutter diameter compensated tool path - ideal for RotoCAMM, MODELA users.
• Powerful editing and delete facilities.  Unlimited user named drawing layers.
• Cut and paste facilities.  Unlimited user named drawing layers.
• Cut and paste facilities allow links to many other packages, eg., put your drawing into a document on your word processor.
• Unique customization feature allows layout and menus to be simplified to suit any age/ability.

Minimum Hardware Requirements