Text not generating full toolpath

downloaded fonts online to fusion. type text go through the setup and all that . at the end on simulate it runs the full text but when I load g-code on mach3, and pull up the text it only displays first part of the letter? any help would be appreciated

Did you pick the text in design (model) mode, right click and select Explode? That turns it into paths.

Then in Manufacture you have to select all of the resulting path segments and define toolpaths.

no, I just went to new sketch went to text and typed in what I wanted (just like I do my other designs. not sure how to do what your saying

The text you got is just that, text. It needs to be turned into a “path”. A path is a vector line that can be turned into computer code that says “go in this direction until you get to this point and then head off in this other direction”. Effectively it’s a map of how the computer can make that line. It’s a vector (a starting point & a direction or ending point). That’s why you can make them as big or small as you want without getting little jagged lines - they’re just math equations.

When you apply a tool and parameters to that path you’re defining the tool path.

So you need to turn your text into these paths. When you do that it stops being text and is just like any other vector. But it stops being text so you can’t double-click in the text and delete a character or type a new one in so make sure you proofread it :slightly_smiling_face:

Then select all the text. The lines should change color and you can use either the Modify menu option (& then Explode) or right-click and select Explode. That changes the text to paths or discrete lines.

Don’t ask me why it’s called Explode :slightly_smiling_face:

Then when you switch to Manufacture mode and create a Setup you can define the toolpaths for the lines just like any other set of lines.

Here’s a good post on how to do it.

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Man that really helped a lot! Thank you for all the information.

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:slight_smile: soon you’ll be helping the next new folks.

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I almost got there…trying to type “J & G” did the explode text did the manufacture, the simulation was correct. so loaded G-code and the J and half of the & only came up. hmmm?

Full version of mach 3 or demo?

Could be an issue with lead in and outs. When fusion shows you the cut paths are you sure those sections of letters that are missing were included in the tooth path and they were created without errors.

I have mach 3 demo…

This is most likely your problem. Mach 3 demo is limited to 500 lines of code. Open the gcode (“xxxxx”.tap) file in notepad and see how many lines of code there are.

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I’ll look and see, but that sounds about right. I was making a lot of small designs that I forgot about the full version. Thanks

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how did you end up fixing this? I’m having the same issue now

You have to buy the full version if Mach 3

That’s so it meet the obscurity criteria set up by the Fusion QC team :wink:

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