CAM API - Create Setups?
I don't remember everything I said in the past but it should be possible to build most parts entirely by using the API. Most of the modeling features are supported by the API and it's great that you've had the success you've had.
However, as you've also found, the capabilities exposed through the CAM API are currently very limited. Mostly what the current CAM API lets you do is update and export what's already been manually created. I agree that it would be very useful to be able to automate creating tool paths. It's a matter of priorities for the CAM team. I don't know when more functionality will be exposed.
Post your request in the Idea Station (https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/ideastation-request-a-feature-or/idb-p/125). You'll certainly get my vote.
I'm not sure I fully understand your question but if you're just modifying existing geometry you should be able to automate the modification and then force the existing toolpaths to recomputed. If you're adding any new geometry there isn't currently any way to modify an existing path to edit what it's supposed to cut.
Hi Brian-
I was trying to avoid having to set up cam everytime I created a new curve/loft. Now I understand that it is in fact a new model everytime a dataset via the API is used to create said surface.
So, this begs the next question (but I suppose this take me away from the API side) - once the curves are created, how can I use a formula/expression to modify coordinates once inside Fusion?
See pic. Thanks!
The easiest way to edit an existing model is to edit the parameters controlling it. In your case you would create dimension constraints to the points on the curve you want to modify and then you can edit the parameters controlling those dimensions. It's also possible to directly modify the point positions through the API but it's more difficult because you have to find the correct point. Here's an example of editing parameters.
http://modthemachine.typepad.com/my_weblog/2016/04/fusion-meetups-and-melting-butter.html
The CAM API has been stagnant since the initial realese. Phase 2 hasn't happened yet and is not currently scheduled. It's up to the CAM team to prioritize this in relation to their other tasks. It would be best to post a request in the IdeaStation so more people are aware of the need and others can also express their interest by voting on it.
I'm not sure that CAM supports that in the UI but even if it does, the API does not expose this capability.
I looked at the comments for the idea you linked to. It was referring to being able to create fixture models and re-use them in your CAM designs. They say that this was solved with the introduction of external references in Fusion. In my tests tool path data is not referenced when you create an external reference so I believe this only solves the issue of re-using geometry.
Just to clarify one thing, if it's just re-use of a model as a fixture then you can do that through the API today because the API does support inserting an external file into a design. That really doesn't have anything to do with CAM but is just a modeling operation.
As far as Inventor or HSM itself, there's no API for the Inventor integration and I don't know about HSM.
