Does anyone have recomendations for two different kinds of software?

A good, but reasonabley priced, raster to vector converter software.
Something that can convert .jpg and .bmp files to a .dxf files, as well as maniupulate them before the conversion for use with a CNC machine.

A software package that can create and manipulate text and export in a .dxf format for use with a CNC machine.

I have been looking but there are a lot of opions out there and would like to here from someone who is actually using this type of software on a CNC plasma table.

The Torchmate CAD software does both of those functions, and also has some slight CAM ability as well. For it's price, it's hard to beat. The CAD Lite has the scanning function removed from it, but can still add and manipulate text well.

As far as others, the only other software that we work with or sell that can do (with the addon of a package) is BobCAD Pro Art. But it's not as easy to use and is more expensive.

I've heard of a few free, or close to free programs that just do raster to vector, but I've never tested any of them.

I dont know if it will do what you want but look into inkscape. (http://www.inkscape.org/) It's free. I have used it to turn jpegs into vector graphics before.

I dont know if it will do what you want but look into inkscape. (http://www.inkscape.org/) It's free. I have used it to turn jpegs into vector graphics before.

Thats the first thing that came into my mind. Inkscape has a lot of functionality for free.