Optimize 2D CAM Engrave Paths

[Anonymous]

When using the 2D > Engrave tool in the CAM workspace, generated paths are very far from optimal.  Some paths result in 90%+ unnecessary movement.  This is most obvious when engraving text.

I make some simple signs with names on them.  Below is a small screenshot of part of the tool path (I don't want to include names, so I can create another screenshot with generic text if needed). Just for some perspective on the cost, the word "Always" is about 5 inches long and the body is roughly 30 inches.  Each time it does an unnecessary movement, it's not just a little movement, it's traveling in some cases 20 inches just to come back to where it was!

Let me summarize the movements below (sorry if i missed any):

1. In the word Always, it enters on the y
2. Goes off and does another letter y on the other side of the body 
3. Returns to Always and engraves the comma
4. Moves up to the letter l (L) and engraves it
5. Goes off and does a letter L on the the other side of the body, followed by another letter near that one
6. Moves down PAST Always, to another word, engraves one letter
7. Moves up PAST Always to another word engraves one letter
8. Moves up to Always, engraves the letter A
9. Moves down to another word engraves one letter
10. Moves back to Always and engraves A followed by W (enters W from the middle...)
11. Engraves the letter S

Please optimize these movements, or provide us with a method to optimize them manually.

Thank you so much! 

P.S.  I love Fusion, this is just my one gripe!

[daniel_lyall]

If you have your toolpath along the Y axis it is all over the show, If you have it along the X axis it is way better.

[al.whatmough]

Can you attached your dataset.

[Anonymous]

Hey I'm not sure I did this correctly.

Here's a link to a sample dataset. Is this what you were looking for?

Also please don't archive this yet :).

http://a360.co/2knRwFh

[aa7bq]

The solution is simple: Give us the "Preserve Order" option for both Trace and Engrave.

Apparently, the developers don't appreciate that this is a problem.  At the very least they should explain to us why this isn't worth fixing.

[Anonymous]

Same issue, I'm creating a coordinate plane for my router table (30x24) and I wanted to note the XY position of my screw down holes every 6 inches apart.  So along the X and Y axes, there are only 11 numbers to engrave (X:  2, 7.5, 13.5, 19.5, 25.5 and 29.5, Y: 0.5, 6.5, 12.5, 18.5, 24.5), however the job says it will take over 6 minutes because the entry position will be at X2, goes all the way across this 28 inch path to get to Y0, goes all the way back to 7.5, then 13.5, 19.5, 25.5, and 29.5.  Where it starts getting really screwy is on the Y axis; as it passes the 29.5, instead of finishing the .5 for the first location that it already did the 0 for, it goes right past that spot goes down to 12.5, but only makes the 1, then repeats for 18.5 doing only the number 1, then moves to 24.5 and does 4.5, moving back to 12.5 only to do the 5, goes to 0.5, makes only the 5, goes to 18.5 makes the 5, ........ I can reiterate this all day long, but my point is that by the end of the program, the cutter has passed over the number 6.5 six times, wildly inefficient doesn't even begin to describe the tool path.  Why can't it just go in the sequential order of the text box?

[CBB1962]

Fusion is greatly lacking in handling text and engraving it:

• Text wrap 
  • Define a text box and allow text to fill the box.
• Align multiple lines of text to a line (horizontal alignment)
• The ability to distribute lines between two points (Verticle Distribution)
• Select multiple lines and change attributes for the selection
  • need to be able to change font, size, and alignment for a set of lines.
• Align text along a curved path.
• Easily emboss text
• Give a warning that not all sections of some letters did not engrave.
  • if you choose a bit with too large a tip it may not engrave the cross-bar of an "A" or the top and bottom of an "O"  - It would be nice to know.
  • give a warning when the interior is not completely cleared.Add the ability to treat the interior of a letter as a pocket and clear the un-machined portions.
• Engraving tool paths SUCK!!
  • I repeat Engraving tool paths SUCK !!!
  • If you have multiple lines of engraving Fusion will first engrave the O's and 0's then it will jump all around. It is incredibly inefficient. 
    • The path of a drunken pig makes more sense.
    • The developer of Engraving must have said: "Oh well, at least it works..."

[daniel_lyall]

What on earth do you think spamming and abuse will get you, grow up.