Printing Drawings in colour using CutePDF

Colour can be used to good effect in drawings to increase clarity - for example by differentiating between dimension lines, model lines and annotations. Under Document Properties, you can assign new annotations to different layers, and assign colours per layer.

However, when it comes time to print, sometimes it’s difficult to get those colours to come through in the printout. Here’s how to do it with CutePDF Writer, a program which emulates a printer in Windows, but creates a PDF file rather than a physical print out.

Firstly, download and install CutePDF Writer: http://www.cutepdf.com/

From your SolidWorks drawing:

1. File >> Page Setup >> set Drawing Colour to Color/Gray Scale >> OK
2. File >> Print... >> select CutePDF Writer as the printer >> Properties >> Advanced (bottom right on the Paper/Quality tab)
3. Graphic >> Image Color Management >> click on ICM Method >> select “ICM handled by Host System” >> OK >> OK
4. Set your other print options and then print. You will be prompted to save the drawing as a PDF file on your computer.

If you are having trouble physically printing a drawing in colour, try printing it to PDF as above then printing the PDF. Alternatively, when printing, select your printer >> Properties, and locate the option that tells the printer to allow SolidWorks to handle the colour. Since each printer driver is different, you may need to refer to your printer manual or the manufacturers website to find the correct option.