My Files Sent to Someone Else to Cut

[Dawgonhawg]

Just discovered today a customer is sending my files to someone else to cut. My current process is create the dxf file then use BRAVA DWG VIEWER to create a jpg file and send that file to the customer. Is there something I can do to stop this from happening or how do you guys protect your work and keep this from happening? Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

[pertneer]

Are the dimensions on the file you are sending? If they are remove them. You can also add a watermark to the image so the other contractor can at least see it is someone's work. That will at least slow them down, but it will never stop them. Even an image most people on here can convert to a file to cut relatively easy.

[762frmafr]

I take a picture of my screen with my phone and send that to the customer. I call it a "Proof".

[CNCCAJUN]

A scanned PDF with an ADOBE WATERMARK is the worst nightmare you can send a thief . . .

Steve

[vmax549]

Sure there is a very easy way to solve the problem STOP doing business with THAT customer AND TELL HIM WHY. He is robbing you blind. Now if you continue to do business with him then LOOK in the mirror and you will see your problem.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

[beefy]

Off the top of my head:

Get paid for your design time before they get a copy of your work. At least you wouldn't work for completely free.

All communication has some form of dated tracing. Emails or whatever. Statements in your emails that all work is copyrighted, is your property, etc. Perhaps there is a way where the "customer" agrees via a tick box. Lots of web sites have these and it seems it's a legal way of proving you agreed to something. Don't know the setup though.
Tom from Candcnc said he always used to communicate via email so that when a customer said something like, "That's not what I wanted", he just showed them the email.

Watermarks.

Skew images, although they can probably be unskewed in software, but at least it adds to the difficulty.

If you know the other guy that is doing the cutting, call him and see if he has any ethics, and will refuse to do the work.

Keith.

[Dawgonhawg]

Guys thank you for your input!
I have never used a watermark. will have to figure out the process?
Steve are you saying email a scanned dwg with a watermark from Adobe?
Keith what do you mean "skew images?

Thanks again, Jim

[pertneer]

"Skew images" = distort drawing in some way as to not allow tracing via software to steal your designs.

If you have adobe acrobat you can create a watermark in a file you create. You can also do this with images if you have a software to edit images, such as photoshop.

[Stout]

Export the file as a low resolution .jpg. I have never and will never send a vector based file of my proposal.