BASALT · JOURNAL
PDF redaction for technical diagrams
Technical diagrams can expose facility layouts, network addresses, serial numbers, customer names, and proprietary dimensions. Redaction must protect the drawing while preserving enough context for the approved review.
Identify sensitive layers
Review legends, labels, title blocks, coordinates, annotations, revision histories, and embedded CAD or spreadsheet files. Remove internal paths, usernames, and customer identifiers that are not needed by the recipient.
Mark without destroying meaning
Use tight marks around confidential labels and values. Do not cover scale, orientation, or safety information unless required. Inspect vector text and raster backgrounds separately; a mark over one layer may leave the other visible.
Verify the export
Search labels and identifiers, zoom into marked regions, inspect attachments and metadata, and confirm that dimensions and legends remain legible. Keep the engineering original in its controlled system.
Frequently asked questions
Can vector text survive a visual redaction?
Yes. Remove the underlying vector object and verify search and copy behavior.
Should revision history be redacted?
Only when it is outside the recipient’s need, but it often reveals internal names and dates.
Are embedded CAD files a risk?
Yes. Inspect and remove unapproved source attachments.
Doing it in Basalt
Basalt keeps technical-PDF cleanup on-device and helps verify vector text, images, attachments, and metadata before sharing. Download Basalt.
Redaction that proves itself
Basalt destroys the content you mark, then re-opens the file it wrote and proves the content is gone before it saves anything. Your documents never leave your Mac.