MEMBER TOOL
Print Draft Generator
Turn a STEP file into a buyer-reviewed manufacturing requirements draft— proposed datums, tolerances, and GD&T callouts with real drawing views. We propose; you confirm. Nothing reaches a supplier until you release it.
Requires a Noramark account with Journeyman (Tier 2) membership or above.
How it works
- Upload your STEP file.We extract the real geometry — envelope, faces, holes, and hole patterns. If reliable geometry can't be extracted, we stop and tell you.
- Confirm what we found. Units, part vs. assembly, and how you intend to use the output (quote clarification vs. manufacturing print).
- Answer targeted intent questions. Should the highlighted largest flat face be Datum A? Which features are critical to function? ASME Y14.5 or ISO GPS?
- Review the generated draft.Drawing views with suggested dimensions and GD&T frames, a tolerance table, and an explicit list of what still needs confirmation.
- Confirm and use it. Download the PDF/DXF, attach it to an RFQ, or release it to the suppliers you choose.
What this is — and isn't
A STEP file can't tell anyone which surfaces are cosmetic, which hole pattern is primary, or what tolerance stack your assembly can absorb. That's design intent, and it belongs to you. This tool does the mechanical work — geometry extraction, view projection, a defensible starting GD&T scheme — and makes every unknown explicit so your review is fast. It does not generate an engineer-approved drawing, and every artifact says so until a human with authority confirms it.
FAQ
Can a STEP file really be turned into a manufacturing print?
Not automatically — and we don’t pretend otherwise. A STEP file describes geometry, but GD&T encodes design intent: which face controls assembly, which holes locate a mating part, what tolerances actually matter. The Print Draft Generator extracts your part’s geometry, proposes a defensible starting scheme, then asks you targeted questions (datums, critical features, standard, units) so the draft reflects your intent. The output stays clearly marked as a draft until you confirm it.
What do I get?
A requirements-sheet PDF (title block, isometric and orthographic views, dimensional tolerance table, GD&T callout table, and an explicit "needs confirmation" list) plus a layered DXF with the projected views. Every proposed datum and callout carries its provenance — proposed vs. buyer-confirmed — and the document is watermarked until you confirm it.
Do suppliers see my draft?
No. Drafts are private to your account. Suppliers only see a print draft if you explicitly release it — and it stays versioned, so a superseded draft is never quoted by mistake.
What does it cost?
Print Draft is included with Noramark Journeyman (Tier 2) memberships and above. You’ll need a free Noramark account and an upgraded business tier to generate drafts.
What file types are supported?
STEP (.step / .stp), AP203/AP214/AP242. If we can’t extract reliable geometry from your file, we’ll say so rather than generate a guess.