AnyCAM (CAM for Inventor/AnyCAD parts)

[ToddHarris7556]

In a mixed IV/Fusion environment, CAM can only be applied where the part was designed. i.e. If we design a part in IV, we can link it in and use it as AnyCAD reference in Fusion - but in order to toolpath it, it has to be imported (Create New Fusion Design).

I recognize that file formats, etc.... this is a blue-sky idea. It is, however, a pain point that we deal with almost every day. AnyCAD is a great start. AnyCAM would be a great add.

[HughesTooling]

I haven't had time to experiment with AnyCAD and as Fusion's version doesn't work with stp files not that useful, but one thought is can you use Boundary Fill on the bodies imported using AnyCAD?

Mark 

[ToddHarris7556]

Thanks, Mark - you just made me realize I was a little ambiguous.

Specifically, it's a little more than *just* AnyCAD.

We use the Autodesk Desktop Connector so Inventor can access Fusion files located in out Fusion Team Hub. The ADC basically places a local sync folder on the desktop. We mostly grab Fusion files to insert into IV assemblies to generate drawings. However, we also go the other way - saving IV files into the Fusion Folder which ADC then syncs up to our team hub. This allows us to place IV files into Fusion assemblies. 

The issue is that there's a container object required, in either direction. I can't actually make an IV drawing of a Fusion part - it has to be placed in an IV assembly first. Likewise, we can't actually toolpath an Inventor part without first adding it to a Fusion assembly. On the CAM side, this really isn't too bad, but it would be useful to streamline it even more. 

[HughesTooling]

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@ToddHarris7556 wrote:

Thanks, Mark - you just made me realize I was a little ambiguous.

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And a bit ambitious.  No harm in that but not only would Fusion need to read the IV file it would need to be able to insert the CAM information and keep the file usable by inventor. Then inventor would need to preserve the CAM info when it saves. How does inventor handle editing it's own files if one person has HSM and someone without edits and saves the file?

I guess something like you're doing now could be done behind the scenes where an assembly file is created and contains the IV file but you only see this file.

Mark

[ToddHarris7556]

I did acknowledge it was 'blue-sky' 🙂

Your question re: toolpaths in IV is a great one, and I've no idea. I have one seat of PD&M Collection, and everyone else here is Fusion, so I can't test out what happens when a non-HSM user edits my IPT. There's no external metafile, so I would guess it would be stored as some hidden feature data? <shrug>