Fusion 360 2020 for absolute newbies, Tips and tricks are welcome

Thats the screen that pops uo when you hit the G1/G2 icon

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Yes… now I have it… .nc

File is savable to my pc now… but only extension is "All (asterisk .asterisk)

When I went to save it MS gave me this garbage… should I use it or cancel it?

Update…I installed it… it is a genuine MS file… I figure I can always delete it later if its unnecessary

Capture

Yippee…of course it didnt work and more BS to try and figure out… got to love it…
(am I the only knucklehead with issues?)

Youve got to be kidding me… it cannot be this hard…no wonder new’b’s give up

Thats enough for tonight… 12 ga at 10 yds with this in the target zone looking really good right now

Yes… Im sure youre right… and I have downloaded Fire Control and the CPS file that goes with it… error stuff happening … Ill have to figure that out
I will go through the post process tomorrow… thank you so much
Time to go play some banjo with my brother

redneck

rednck

I think you’re missing a step.
Have you downloaded the fusion post processor for fire control yet?

https://www.langmuirsystems.com/software/fusion

I think you need to go through that and go through the post process section.

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If you haven’t loaded the Post Processor go to the Langmuir home page open support, open CAD/CAM with Fusion, click on Post: Exporting you part on the left side of the screen. A5. has the information to download the Post Processor. You will find a lot more info there too… It took me a couple of tries to get it right bc I have trouble with this kind of stuff. I think you are past the info below but I put it in just in case. Fortify has you headed in the right direction. That link is where I had mentioned
When you open Fusion and the work area opens; on the left and down a bit you see Design? This is where you design your part as you did. Now in the same box click on it and it will drop down. Click on Manufacture. On the top line you will see a folder (setup) click on this and a box will open in the lower right corner. You will click on the milling box and select cutting. select box point and select the lower left of your part. There is a small dot there and when you click on it arrows will appear there one pointing up and the other pointing to the right now select sketch, Now select the next icon (an orange cube) here just select stock side offset and put in .125" select ok, the setup is complete. Now you will see on the top an icon cutting, click on the tool . On the right you will see another box. Here is where you will put in the cutting info. Select you tool here (Do you have one set up?). Leave Through Auto, select the cutting feed rate, lead in feed rate, and lead out feed rate. Select the next icon (white and blue cube). Select the contours you want to machine, now select the passes icon you do not need to select the heights icon. In the passes area you have the option to cut left, center, right, leave it as left and then click on the compensation type and select in computer, select preserve order if you want to cut in the way you selected or the control will cut what it wants the way it sees it. Preserve order is what I use. Now select the linking and last icon. DO NOT SELECT KEEP NOZEL DOWN if you are using THC, now select the lead in radius and make it what you want, I use anywhere from 0 to .055". You can deselect lead out if you want. Piercing is set in the Post Processor so you can ignore this, now you will need to select and entry position (normally on the left side of the part. now click “OK” NOTE: A work of waning! Do not click OK until you are finished or you will have to start over. You can run the simulator at this time to see the cutting on screen. Now close it and select the G1/G2 icon to post. Here you can give the program a name insert a comment if wanted. You can open in the NC editor if you want to see the g-code program. I normally don’t bc I have an editor for this. Now select post and it will open a box where you can select the folder where you want to store it.

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The above is a very good explanation of step by step processing your part…thank you
But…
I am well past that…having watched and mimic’d langmuirs how to video on it many times. I have no errors showing in the file and it appears to run correctly in simulation. Zooming in shows all lines properly connected at specified 90 degree angles and all radii uninterupted. My settings are all in the recommended,as far as I know, parameters

I’m into moving the file…but if my error code is correct the file is failing at post processing. The notes do not detail further exactly why

Later this morning using your flow chart I will start anew…seeing if I can get from a to z

40fab has excellent suggestions and has gotten me from start to here…I’m almost there…maybe?

Thank you all

I ran everything again from the start… still an error message after post processing (nothing during manufacture phase)… F360 help manager wasnt any assistance… nor was a google search
Im stumped… the only thing that is odd about my file during setup in the start of the x y axis… I have to use “model”… which moves the start point to bottom left where it supposed to be…

I did find this searching the forum… continuing to work on it… yippee

I have always had Fire control downloaded (which I cannot open because its not connected to anything yet)… and the .cps file that goes with it. The .cps file is not recognized by my computer

Can you post the file? Or email it to me at derrick@fortifyfabworks.ca

I think your going sideways at A5 in this link CAD/CAM with Fusion360 | Langmuir Systems

Thank you Sir…will do
File cannot be any simpler…
it will come from notmeofficer@gmail.com
Files are not allowed here to upload error message in the forum

Your suggestion is correct… Im not setup properly…I think…Im going step by step from A5…not successful at this point but working on it

So far now my file is gone

Ok
After going through steps from A5… this is what I got

Does this mean Im successful? if and when I get to actually open FireControl?

Can you take a screen shot of that same post process window again?

Let me see what I can do… is there some area in particular you want to see other than the above?

Just to see the post configuration

Im not completely sure what you want …let me grab what I think your referring to…
This?

Screen shot of the window after you hot the g1/g2 icon

Yup that and it looks like your laughing now.

I am laughing…but not at you

com

I have to give kudos to langmuir…everything is there to get you to the finish line… and some worthwhile direction here on how and when to do something… and maybe I can get to the next problem to overcome

Lol I’d just change your output folder to something easier to find like your desktop or something.

After you save the file and you have firecontrol just open it from fire control and you should be good.

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You mean no shotgun practice on my computer?.. (yet)

Thank you 40
Thank you Langmuir…

Now I have to learn how to nest and a 1000 other operations

40… send me your address via email and Ill send you some goodies for all your help

There’s still going to be lots of time for shotgun practice.

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Yes Sir… somehow I knew the pain is just beginningcom

Ok… so for the other new’be’s like me
What did today’s lesson teach us

  1. This isnt going to be a plug and play system , especially if you’re new to cad
  2. Pick a cad program and work through the issues… I like the idea of freecad/cam because its just that… free… and (probably) unlike autocad wont turn you on or off at some point or screw you up with some obtuse update
  3. Dont give up… without James and 40’s help I think I would have lost out on some valuable learning lessons
  4. Follow everything step by step… and if youre like me and dont even understand the steps and have the most stupid question… ask… Ive never been flamed or put down on this forum for asking… I got so excited at having a file with no red errors I lost sight of the fact I wasnt close to being finished and having to do post processing… once I went from Langmuirs step A5 then things started to fall into place
  5. If it doesnt work… its you… and some simple mistake or some step not followed… go back to your “welding gusset” each time and start over
  6. Did I say… dont give up?

Some of the other programs have to be easier… but again… if I can learn the basics here I think I can learn the basics of any program, and besides I have interests perhaps beyond 2d

Does this mean I can cut a simple part yet… no… not by a long shot… but Im getting there

Thank you
I need a break…good thing I dont drink…Im into this about 30 hours so far to get here…much of that was spent making repeat errors…

I do have one last question…
will I need to setup every file the same way in post processing? each thickness… etc?

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Please your almost there! Some important info below
40fab is very helpful and he has helped me before. I try not to say too much bc others have been here a lot longer than me. I am a 4 month migraine. I have 25 years of programming CNC machining centers mostly g-code and conversational the later is similar to to Fusion CAD . I was lucky that my first attempt was good. Fusion was brand new to me. I watched the videos so many times that I could see the outlines on my screen after I shut down and when finally the light bulb came on in my head.
I think below is your problem as of now!

  1. INFO; Mr. Notme, It looks like your program is ready so FYI a little more info; FireControl will not open on the PC. The PC has to be connected to the FireControl box before it will open properly. Langmuir does not have the code files that you can install into the PC. to be able to run the simulation in FireControl on the PC. this is why you simulate it before you post it. I am sure things are good for you though. In one of your screen shots you had the Red arrows pointing in different directions. Did you correct this? In the holes the arrows should be on the inside. On the outer geometry the arrows should be on the out side and pointing counter clockwise. If you click on the arrow it will reverse direction. If you select a geometry accidently you can select the line again and a + - and a trash can will appear. Select the one you want, if you want it deleted select the trash can or + to keep it.