topic Re: DXFer Add-in in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

DXFer Add-in

Brady_Fulton — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 15:30:59 GMT

So yesterday I threw a challenge out to @prainsberry and in less than 24 hours, HE DELIVERED! There's a new add-in here:

https://github.com/tapnair/DXFer

Called DXFer and if anyone exports DXF files for laser cutting, waterjet, or other manufacturing techniques and are tired of generating a new sketch and then individually exporting each sketch to a dxf file and then importing each file into your machine control software, it is now a simple process.

Thank you Patrick and I hope others take advantage of this in their workflow too.

Re: DXFer Add-in

prainsberry — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 15:52:59 GMT

Haha thanks man!!

Re: DXFer Add-in

JYZMT — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 12:34:09 GMT

Thanks for this, and a big thanks to @prainsberry for contributing.

I've been on a similar quest.... Searching for a way to putout to dxf, but with medium complicated outputs. The best I could get to last time was exporting sketches using a plugin. It works but its quite cumbersome for what I'm trying to do.

See this discussion, where the codes are posted

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-api-and-scripts/multiple-dxf-export/m-p/7561139#M5104

Also, I note there is some kind of dxf export in the unfolded sheet metal part of the December 2017 update, which is what got me back on to this, but I'm struggling to find it. I think it only exists in unfold space?

I'm going to play about with this new DXFer add-in. From your you tube video it looks like it outputs faces to DXF? What would be so useful (well, for me at least) is a slight development of this, where by the user can select LINES (similar to "project" in a sketch, but more than one at a time!), then export them to a given DXF layer (where the name can be defined, Say one could be etch @ this depth, one etch @ this depth, one could be cut, one could be pocket etc). And this is stored in the time line, so you can add and remove lines from the selection, and change user parameters prior to export.

I thought this might work using the CAM workspace and creating some kind of 0 cutting tool for a dxf post. I tried a few things but could not get it to work. I hoped this method might work because you have to define the axis first, which I guess is needed at some point if lines are selected not faces?

I also tried using selection sets to group all the lines I need in a given dxf layer, but this also did not work.

If any one has any thoughts on this do please let me know

Thanks

Re: DXFer Add-in

prainsberry — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 22:03:52 GMT

I think for what you are trying to do the best solution would be to use the CAM workspace and use the laser tool path strategy. There you can select any combination of sketch lines and model edges to assign a particular operation to.

Re: DXFer Add-in

JYZMT — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 22:13:39 GMT

Thanks,

I've been trying this, and I've searched for some tutorials but could not find anything. Any idea where to look?

I also tried making a 0 kerf laser tool (I know its physically impossible) because I wanted to try the dxf post, but I can't get anywhere. I'm not massively familiar with this side of fusion. I just need to out put to dxf, but with features assigned to different layers.

And I only need the cutting/etching path, not the full path the tool takes to get between.

If you have any pointers it would be very helpful.

Thanks again

Re: DXFer Add-in

prainsberry — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 00:59:49 GMT

So I don't know a great tutorial but i am sure there are some out there.

Here is a basic overview of the steps:

First go here and download the 'AutoCAD DXF' post:

http://cam.autodesk.com/posts/

Use the 'Cutting' strategy to define the tool paths for cutting through and etching.

Pick a tool by filtering for laser cutter:

When you define the operation you have the choice of Etch or Cut:

As far as 'Zero thickness' you don't really need that. Ideally for contours you can actually have it compensate for the kerf thickness, essentially offsetting the tool path by the kerf width. Note that for the AutoCAD DXF post you need to select 'In Computer' for compensation type. If you really want to ignore the thickness, or for etching, you can simply select 'Center' for the sideways compensation.

The best way to see more details is to slowly hover over each field and read the detailed descriptions:

Then when you go to post process select 'putOperationsInSeperateLayers' which will put each operation on a different layer. You may still need to clean it up by renaming the layers, but this should be mostly what you were looking for?

You can see this simple example here: http://a360.co/2jQnrMS

Re: DXFer Add-in

prainsberry — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 01:04:20 GMT

One other small Note. You will probably also want to check the box: 'onlyCutting' .

This will remove the linking passes from the output and only output the model geometry.

Re: DXFer Add-in

JYZMT — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 09:08:52 GMT

Thanks so much, I'll try all this. If I do find a tutorial out there, I will post it up here.

With regard to naming the layers, is this the kind of thing that its possible to script inside of fusion? I started to get it to python, and am happy to go further, but it would be good to know if this operation is open for this kind of customisation? or is it just not possible to mess with this part of the process?

Thanks

Rob

Re: DXFer Add-in

JYZMT — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 21:34:10 GMT

Thanks so much for this @prainsberry I've spent a long day getting my head around the cam part of F360, and a crash course in manufacturing.

For others, this video helps join the dots from your explanation above https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c064tN3D6wE

There is no sound but its still useful

Yes, this is so very nearly exactly what I'm looking for. The Auto cad DXF post has the capacity to put different operations in different layers, but it only names them numerically on from the default layer set. I can go through and rename the layers in the dxf as you suggest, but its quite intensive (because I'm likely to post multiple times with revisions ) and prone to human error.

Do you think its possible to hack the code to take the tool path name (which can be defined in fusion), and add it to the layer name? Can a post do this type of operation?

Thanks again so much for your guidance.

Re: DXFer Add-in

prainsberry — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 22:30:52 GMT

I think this is definitely something that could be done by editing the post processor, but that is not something I am familiar with.

Re: DXFer Add-in

JYZMT — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 22:32:15 GMT

Thanks, I'll post it in the CAM forum. See if any one can give me some pointers. Thanks for your help

Re: DXFer Add-in

adamw.14128 — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 22:37:35 GMT

This looks brilliant, I wish I saw this sooner. I have yet to try it but I am wondering if the exported file name will match with the project name and corresponding component/body name. This would be perfect!

Re: DXFer Add-in

wes_mTCQL9 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:58:06 GMT

Anyone know how to get DXFer to work? I added it to my Scripts and Add-Ins but it wont Run. I don't even know if this tool will work for what I am wanting to do. I want to be able to select multiple sketches and export them as 1 DXF with each sketch being its own layer and keeping its origin. I need to do this for our waterjet so that it can recognize cut layers vs scribe layers.