Hi everyone…
I purchased my Crossfire Pro back in January 2020 and have received it sometime in mid May 2020. I have down loaded the Fusion 360 program and was wondering if the program is only free for one year? As of now I still have not cut anything on the machine, still trying to learn fusion 360 and not having great success following the Langmuir videos. I hear that sheet cam is a easier program especially for beginners, like me. Should I switch to sheet cam? and will this program be compatible with the THC, Fire Control and my computer is Dell Windows 10. If there is anyone around my area with the same system, I would like to learn hands on if anyone would be interested. I’m around the Lafayette, Louisiana area.
Fusion is free for hobbyists, but they keep neutering the free version from what I hear. I can’t imagine having the table for a year without cutting.
Yes sheetcam is much easier. I was able to design a few things in fusion, and ran the toolpathing portion and did not like it. Didn’t feel intuitive or efficient.
An hour with sheetcam and I was off. Accepts my svg files perfectly.
I use affinity designer, but Inkscape will work as well. I even design my functional parts, not just art in affinity. It has constraints, snapping, everything you need for 2d work. Inkscape does too, but affinity runs better.
keep in mind that 360 is a design and post processor all in one…it is complicated and does have many pros and cons to it…and it is getting more limited each day.
I use a mix of Inkscape and AutoCad for the design work.
Then I load the SVG or DFX into Sheetcam…Sheetcam is the program to switch a drawing into Machine code (G-code).
You can not design parts or things in Sheetcam…it is only a post processor…
The G-code is then loaded into Langmuir’s Fire Control program to do some cutting.
Hello Neighbor - rcneauxs.welding,
I’m not too far from Lafayette about 50 miles in Erwinville. I’m fairly new to this CNC thing myself and still learning. I do have my original CrossFire going and still assembling my CrossFire Pro table that I purchased in batch 1. My job is holding me back from completing it. But to give you a better understanding of successfully cutting a part/art there are 3 apps needed.
1st - CAD is an app that allows you to draw & create your part/art.
2nd - CAM is an app that creates your tool paths & generates your G-code.
3rd - MACH 3 or FIRE CONTROL depending on the machine you have (mach 3 for the original and fire control for the original gen2 & Pro) allows you to load the G-code in the app then once started the app sends the information to the control box then starts cutting.
I’m sorta like you. I started out using Fusion 360 also playing around with Inkscape but I just downloaded an app called Solid Edge. Its It’s a free CAD app that does 2D but you can pay for the license to get the 3D. I find that it does everything that fusion can do much simpler but only on a 2D platform. I also just last week purchased Sheetcam (thru Langmuir Systems $140.00) that I’ll be using for the CAM operation. I’m learning from YouTube videos created by Arclight. I like it so much that I am ditching con-fusion 360. The other guys really have good suggestions on other apps and may want to check them out also.
I hope that this info gives you a better understanding on the whole process of getting a piece cut out. Good Luck!
Thanks guys for all the information and helping me to hopefully get to cutting really soon. I have a fire pit that I just finished building and now need to put some custom art work on it. If i can accomplish this i will include a picture once completed.
The other guys really have good suggestions on other apps and may want to check them out also.