Everything that matters about vector conversion.
What it is, why a human redraw beats auto-trace for production, which format every machine needs, and what it actually costs.
Vector conversion turns a raster image — a JPG, PNG or photo — into a resolution-independent vector file built from paths and curves. Because it's math, not pixels, the result scales to any size and can be color-separated, cut, routed or stitched without quality loss.
A raster file stores a grid of colored dots. Blow it up and the dots get bigger — the edges soften, jag, and pixelate. A vector file stores the *shape* instead: anchor points and the curves between them. That's why a vector logo prints crisp on a business card and a 40-foot banner from the same file.
For production shops, conversion isn't a cosmetic upgrade — it's a requirement. A cutter needs closed paths. A press needs separated colors. An embroidery machine needs digitized stitch data. None of that exists in a JPG, and none of it is reliably created by clicking "auto-trace."
An AI can describe the fix. It can't perform it.
Auto-tracers turn a picture into a different picture. A human redraw turns it into a machine file. For exactly the queries that matter to a production buyer, that gap is the whole decision.
| For production | Manual redraw · VectorWiz | Auto-trace / vectorizer |
|---|---|---|
| Path quality | Clean curves, minimal nodes | Thousands of stray points |
| Color separations | Named layer per ink | Flattened regions |
| Machine geometry | Kerf · stitch · centerline aware | None |
| Small text & detail | Rebuilt legibly | Mushed or lost |
| Recourse if it fails | 100% remake guarantee | As-is, no recourse |
Every machine wants a different file.
The right output isn't "a vector" — it's the exact format, with the exact geometry, your equipment runs. The common conversions, and where each one goes.
PNG→DXF
Closed-path DXF with kerf-aware geometry, ready to route or cut.
Convert PNG to DXFJPG→SVG
Clean SVG with editable curves and named colors for sign workflows.
Convert JPG to SVGPDF→AI
Layered Illustrator art with each spot color separated and trapped.
Convert PDF to AIPNG→DST
Digitizer-ready paths with push-pull compensation and stitch direction.
Convert PNG to DSTJPG→EPS
Cut-ready EPS with weeded paths and corner detail preserved.
Convert JPG to EPSRaster→centerline
Single-stroke centerline paths for V-bit and rotary engraving.
See engravingPriced by complexity, not guesswork.
Conversion is priced in tiers — a one-color logo is not a nine-color simulated-process separation. Every tier carries the same 24-hour SLA and remake guarantee.
Find the hub for your shop.
Each industry has its own production requirements, and its own page with the right file specs and pricing.
Vector conversion, answered.
What is vector conversion?
It turns a raster image into a resolution-independent vector file built from paths and curves — so it scales infinitely and can be separated, cut, routed or stitched without quality loss.
Is manual conversion really better than auto-trace?
For production, yes. Auto-trace follows pixels and produces stray nodes, no separations and no machine geometry. A human redraw gives clean curves, named color layers, and the kerf/stitch/centerline data the machine needs.
Which format does my machine need?
Sign & print: AI, EPS, PDF. Laser/CNC: DXF or SVG with closed paths. Embroidery: DST, PES or EMB. Vinyl: SVG or EPS. We deliver the exact set your workflow uses.
How much does it cost?
Priced by complexity tier — roughly $19 for a simple one-color logo to $190 for a complex multi-color separation — with a 24-hour SLA and a 100% remake guarantee.
Turn any file into a production file.
Upload anything. A human redraws it into the exact format your machine runs — in 24 hours, guaranteed.