When you have a completed design saved as a DXF or SVG that is the time to move into sheetCAM to start developing toolpaths.
Or. Fusion 360🎉
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The Test Card by Cletus is .dxf so I downloaded Fusion 360, extracted the file so I have the .dxf but whenever I try to load it into Fusion it gives me the error “Fails to insert this .DXF file!”. Any idea what might be causing that?
When I try to open it in SheetCam it says this file version is no longer supported.
I think I might have figured it out, I didn’t select a plane before clicking on insert.
After several hours of working through videos and trying to figure out exactly how to navigate through fusion and make a gcode I finally got the Test file converted but without the text because somewhere along the lines I accidentally removed the TEST text and didn’t want to spend an extra hour learning how to fix that. So, here is the first cut from my table. I would call it a 95% success only because I think I can reduce the dross just a hair. Otherwise it couldn’t have gone better.
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Congrats great start.
Check out my number six video I made it might help you with some of the single line letter cutting.
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I just redownloaded it and tried it again works no problem. I am starting in a new job and then adding new part. Is that your process? It does complain about some duplicate lines but it removes them and goes on no problem.
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Those look really good! The word test will help you determine kerf width and pierce delay so it’s worth figuring out.
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When the letters disappeared on the “Extrude” function is when I lost them. I’m going to try making another file to cut today, it took almost 3 hours to figure out how to get the Test piece run through Fusion and converted to a usable GCode but it will definitely be faster the more times I do it as I become familiar with the process. Great video Tin thanks! ScottNH I read somewhere that kerf is usually 1.5x the diameter of your nozzle (ballpark) so I just used that formula. It seemed to work decent but I’m sure it’s probably a little bit one way or the other form 1.5x. Using text as a way to measure kerf seems like a really good idea. Is there a way to keep the table from splashing coolant all over the place when you are cutting near the edges? I wound up just putting my material in the center of the table and setting the work start to that spot which worked good but that won’t always be an option.
One more question, can you import .SVG files into fusion for conversion to gcode or is fusion .dxf only?
SVG can be used in fusion 360.
After you extrude the body on the left hand side in the browser bar make sure that the sketch is visible before moving into the manufacturing space.
This will allow you to select the single line geometry that doesn’t get extruded.
The video I linked to you above goes through this scenario.
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You found the best way to prevent splash that I’ve found. Just work further from the edge if possible. People also put scraps near the edge of the cut line to prevent that. I also try to remember to put the jog to continuous and at least 100 ipm before I hit start so at the end I can move the nozzle over metal if it ends up near an edge over the water.
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You should be able to go right to sheetcam with an SVG also. I love fusion but have not found the CAM part very user friendly so I use Fuion to design and sheetcam for the CAM. I will eventually figure out Fusion cam but for now I’m happy with using sheetcam. Post the SVG you want to process I’ll pull it into sheetcam to make sure.
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When I get to locking the letters, when you click on them after getting your font and spacing setup, 3 letters lock in black and one letter locks in blue. Also naming the lock button the fix/unfix button is just next level trolling…
I get the red triangle that says errors but when I open the dialogue box for the errors it’s empty, any way I can find out what the errors are?
I figured out I think most of it, thanks for the great video Tin. I had an issue at first with the operations tab, I didn’t select the cut pattern for the letters AND the base piece but once I figured that out it was pretty smooth sailing. Since I don’t have my own library of material settings I decided to run off a bunch of these test pieces with different settings to try and dial in the best settings. Here are the results, the first one cut was at 37A, 90 IPM and 50PSI (I thought it was set at 55PSI). The markings on the front of the pieces are Amperage on the left, PSI on the right and where you see % marked that’s the % of 90 IPM I had it set to. Really happy with most of these pieces actually but a few definitely found the edge of the envelope.
The picture below has all the test pieces in the same arrangement just flipped over so we can compare the dross sides.
P.S.
This is 1/8" stock, the settings chart for the Cut 60 doesn’t have 1/8" listed it goes from 16GA to 10GA to 3/16", it doesn’t list 14GA either and 1/8" and 14GA will probably be the two sizes I use the most so I need to dial in the settings on them.
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Nice job. When I read the title of this thread “what should I start studying?”
My first thought was that the real learning starts when you start burning.
It is really wonderful when you start being able to make the products that you want or need. You are off to a great start.
I tried to use Sheet Cam but decided to stick with F360. With input and postings from @toolboy, @TomWS, @jamesdhatch, @Cletus, @ds690, @TinWhisperer and others, I feel comfortable with my setup now. If you get into the real art pieces, Sheet Cam will be your friend.
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The fix and unfix button in the sketch environment will take green fixed sketch lines and unlock them making them blue unfixed sketch lines. (Or vice versa)
Black sketch lines are fully constrained. Which means they have one or more constraints applied to them that make them completely immobile.
Since I posted this link they have added the red sketch line which shows a inside contour in a closed profile.
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Quick question for you, I designed some gussets and nested 6 of them in Design, went to manufacture and it’s showing me the orange warning triangle that says “One or more passes were discarded due to linking constraints.”. What are linking constraints and how can I identify them or when they may become a problem?
What this means is that a combination of your parameters ( kerf width, Pierce clearance, lead in radius, lead in, lead in angle, and/or lead out) adds up to more than what fusion feels it can fit into that shape so it discards that contour ( small shapes or holes) and does the tool path for the contour ( small shapes or holes) and can not fit those parameters in.
When you take a look through your tool paths you’ll see that it is discarding one or more contours. You may start a second operation and pick these miss contour(s) up with different parameters while leaving the yellow alert icon on the first toolpath. This won’t hurt anything.
The other option would be going back and editing the first tool path reducing those parameters so it may pick up these contours ( small shapes and holes)
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