Export DXF problem

[Markclayto]

When exporting a fusion drawing as DXF if i send that drawing to be laser cut they cannot use the file.

If they open it in draft sight only half of the drawing is visible if they open it in Autocad it it has problems too.

The only way i have found to correct the problem is get a trial version of Autocad and use the export layout command to make the drawing readable.

Then it can be opened in other programs a lot of people we use for laser cutting use draft sight because of the free version.

Is there any chance this can be fixed soon as i cannot have another trial of Autocad and would prefer to use one program.

Kind Regards Mark

[laughingcreek]

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@masterprompt wrote:

...As for the weird line you see, it's intentional; this is for a teardrop camper and I needed the galley hatch support to be perpendicular to where the roof attaches into the frame.  

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just talking about that line that's highlighted blue.  not the perpendicular one.  I doubt it was intentional to have a 3 degree spline and a five degree spline, along with 2 different line segments  all laid directly on top of each other.  the shorter line segment in particular seems to be irrelevant since the perpendicular constraint is actually applied to the longer of the 2. 

 It's my understanding that in order to get complex shapes, one must find planes to create sketches on, in order to extrude those shapes, and join/cut/etc with previously extruded shapes.  Just to get the teardrop spline was a major pain in fusion, and then in order to work with that spline with the rest of the more straight geometry, I had to extrude the shell, and then do sketches over the top of that...

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I think we might can improve on your understanding of how to approach these things.  the above isn't really a very good or complete understanding  of how to approach things.

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..There never seems to be one tried and true way ..

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for this type of model?  there is.  top down, skeleton sketch modeling.  boom. easy.

you might want to do some research into the BORN technique espoused by @TheCADWhisperer .

[laughingcreek]

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@masterprompt wrote:

... I'm just trying to get a DXF file so they can import it into VCarve Pro.  ... 

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Vcarve will take a mesh file (obj or stl) as input.  I've used vcarve a good bit (been a couple of years now).  I much prefer the functionality offered in fusion for generating tool paths. 

[wsworx]

It is pretty pathetic on Autodesk's part, the original creator of both .dxf and .dwg, that one has to export the file as a Step, import it into Solidworks to then export it as a useable DXF. If Solidworks ever gets itself up to par with Fusion I am out. This among a number of other issues as well as screwing with my supposed lifetime yearly payment amount so they could suck more money out of me has pretty much put me off.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@wsworx 

You have not illustrated why you are having trouble exporting dxf from Fusion 360.

Can you File>Export your *.f3d file to your local drive and then Attach it here to a Reply?

And also Attach your *.dxf (from whatever creation method you are using).

[wsworx]

When I export from Fusion 360 as a dxf the image that is seen in other viewers is a jumbled mess of lines and crap. If I import the Fusion f3d file into SW, save the file as an SW file and then export it as a dxf from solidworks it views perfectly in all other viewers. I am not interested in "if this" or "maybe that" or "you have to do these precise steps". If SW can export it correctly without doing any of that then Fusion should be able to as well without excuses or work arounds. I also know when I export from Fusion 360 as a dxf that is actually somewhat useable, generally the simpler the design the better the dxf comes out of Fusion, I first have to open the dxf in LibreCAD and save it as a 2000 or earlier version dxf so earlier viewers can see it and then I have to adjust the scale by 10. Doesn't matter what adjustments I make in Fusion this is still the case. I do not have to do any of these things in Solidworks. I can upload files here but it doesn't take a genius to go review these things in Fusion to find out that this is the case. Okay maybe if everything in the design was done precisely to some specific process it wouldn't be this way but who has time for that crap. Again, I say if SW can do it there is no reason that Fusion should not be able to do it. Look at all the posts for the last 8 years or so. Post after post after post of how the dxf export is not useable and still Fusion/Autodesk has done nothing to fix it.

[etfrench]

Export Dxf always uses centimeters, so change your document units to centimeters before exporting.  Save As Dxf uses document units. 

[wsworx]

I don't see where "Save As" give us any options other than where to save it in the cloud.

I have done all of the things I have read about, and that people have suggested doing and the dxf still comes out 10 times smaller when exported as a dxf. Nothing anyone has suggested solves the issue with a complex design that comes out as garbage other than the work around I have to use by going through SW. My suspicion is that Autodesk only does up to date programming and refuses to deal with anything legacy which is a poor way to design software as everyone has legacy machines, software e.t.c. that they cannot afford to update or replace with all new just to match Fusion.

Sample project in Fusion exported as a .step file, imported to SW then exported from SW as dxf

Sample of import to SW and export to dxf

Same project file as above but exported from Fusion as dxf

dxf export from Fusion

[etfrench]

Just a quick "Save As Dxf":

[wsworx]

Can you explain how you did that? I have no place where I see a quick "Save As DXF". The Save As functions available to me in Fusion 360 give me no options other than where to save it in their cloud. Or did you just reopen the exported DXF file on fusion 360? The DXF will open in fusion but that serves no purpose in terms of using it in other applications and machines.

[etfrench]

Create a sketch on the top face (or any plane parallel to the top face).  Project the bodies to the sketch. Close the sketch. Right click (Windows) on the sketch in the Browser.  Select 'Save As Dxf' from the context menu.  It will be saved with the document units.  Unfortunately, there is no option to save as an older dxf version, so some programs will not recognize splines.  There is an add-in to convert splines to polylines in the app store.

[wsworx]

As I stated originally, "I am not interested in "if this" or "maybe that" or "you have to do these precise steps". If SW can export it correctly without doing any of that then Fusion should be able to as well without excuses or work arounds."

[mandy_davis898]

Hi, I have an educators license, and I cant export to .dxf format - which - obviously as everyone else, I need it for CNC, it says I need to use a free trial version or look at subscriptions and pricing..

I thought I would just  be able to do this through my schools license.

Please advise, as I dont to confuse my system with 'free trial versions', when I should already have the function.

cheers

mandy

[HughesTooling]

@mandy_davis898 You probably should have started a new thread for your question as it's different to the rest of this thread.

You should be able to export DXF files with the educational license. There are a few ways to export DXF files. Most people exporting for CNC are exporting sketches and you can do this with all versions of Fusion. Just right click a sketch in the browser and select Export DXF.

You could also create a 2d drawing and save as a DXF from the drawings workspace.

There is also the option to export the whole design as a DXF but that's probably not going to be useful for CNC as it will contain all sketches and bodies in the design.