DXF Dimensions are 1/10 Size

[leeackerson]

I created a box in mm to be laser cut. I created individual files from the box file then used A360 to convert to DXF files. When imported into the laser cutter software they always end up 1/10 the size in X and Y.  Also, when I send off the individual files I have them all displayed on the screen as front views, but the DXF conversion retains the original orientation from the box file, so I get the edges for some of files rather than the frontal view.

[HughesTooling]

Are you using New Drawing to create a DWG or are you right clicking a sketch and selecting a Save as DXF? 

From your description I think you're using New Drawing to create a DWG then converting to a DXF with A360. If that's what you're doing I don't think it will work because the DWG files Fusion makes can only be read by AutoCAD. If you search the forum you'll find quite a few threads about the problem.

Mark

[leeackerson]

I create a Fusion360 drawing then view it in A360 on the Web, then convert it to dxf from the pull down menu.*

[HughesTooling]

I affade that will not work, the only way to convert a Fusion DWG into a DXF other programs can use is with AutoCAD. If you use the forum Search button you'll find the info on why Fusion's DWGs can't be opened on how to convert with AutoCAD.

Mark

[leeackerson]

Thanks for the input, however, I don't believe that is quite right. Here is what I did as a test: I opened a new drawing with mm units and created a 60mm X 20 mm box

then extruded it to 2.5mm. After saving the file, I then selected from the pull down menu the option "Open Design on the Web" which takes me to a web page where

I am then in A360. There I select save a DXF from the down arrow pull down menu. A360 then converts the file to dxf and sends it as an attachment to my email.

I save the attachment then go back to Fusion360 and insert the saved dxf from my computer's folder into a design which has mm units.  What happens is that the dxf

works perfectly, with all dimensions correctly done.

But if I import it into the laser cutter the dxf shows the dimensions as 1/10 the original value, in other words, the saved dxf is in cm not mm. I think what

is happening is Fusion 360 is smart enough to realize the units are cm, but the design is mm so a conversion takes place before it is inserted into the design. The crux of

problem is that A360 does not retain the units from which the design was created, but rather, converts everything to cm regardless of the designer's intention. I'll bet if

I created a design in meters A360 would still represent the dimensions in cm.

[HughesTooling · Accepted solution]

It would have been easier helping you if you'd used the correct terminology, you are creating a 3d model, I thought you were creating a 2d drawing. Yes Fusion saves all 3d models in CM there are a few threads about it on the forum. I don't now if there are any ideas on the ideastation to fix the problem or allow picking the units you want. The unit information is saved in the files, I've transferred several different file types to Rhino and Rhino reads the units in the file and scales to the correct size.

The DXF you export from A360 will be a 3d DXF, I don't know if there are any free Autocad clones you could use to change the file to mm, for 2d I've used QCad.

Mark