New Forum Member - Trouble Creating a DXF for Woodworking Project

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone

I'm a new user to Fusion 360 I have probably put in 30-40 hours over the last few months looking at some (not all) of the videos and repeatedly making beginner mistakes.

I have created a simple set of sketches and components to make some shelves from plywood which I would like to get machined by a CNC wood cutter. The design is slot and tab and I have assembled it adequately. I have then unpacked it and laid all the components on the same plane. I have attempted to create DXF documents of this arrangement of parts but it never turns out right. I have done this using the myhub.autodesk website change my project into a DXF. I have created numerous DXF but they never look right to me in viewers and the companies I send them to are unable to deal with them despite it being their desired format. I imagine I'm making some schoolboy mistake on how I select components or something.

My project is relatively simple 2d shapes it's a tester project for something more complex later and ply CNC cutting should provide me a finish and speed that will make learning Fusion 360 worthwhile.

I guess the help I'm as to how to approach this problem of getting decent DXF's

Any help would be much appreciated.

[etfrench]

Can you share your file (Export as Archive (*.f3d) and post here)?  It would make it easier to see what the problem is.

1. In order to do the layout, make copies of each of the components and paste them as subcomponents in a new component called CAM_Layout.
2. It isn't absolutely necessary to put them on the same plane, but that will make it easier to visualize the layout.
3. Create a new sketch in the CAM_Layout component.
4. Project the outlines and other geometry of each subcomponent to this sketch.
5. Close the sketch.
6. Right click on the sketch item in the Browser.
7. Select Save as Dxf.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Here is the method I use when doing a tabbed 2-d component for CNC or laser cutting using a DXF file.

1) Each cut component will end up having it's own DXF file.

2) Activate the component you want the DXF created from.

3) Be sure all sketches for that component are Off. (so you don't have trouble selecting the correct face)

4) Move your pointer over the face you want a DXF created from.  Right Click.

5) Select CREATE SKETCH.

6) A new sketch of that face will appear under that component's sketch tree.(I often rename that sketch something like "face1 DXF" so I know why I made it)

7) Move pointer over that new sketch in the tree, right click, select SAVE AS DXF.

8) Repeat these steps for each face you want to be cut.

The reason I create a new sketch using the face is that ONLY the edges of the face to be cut will show up.  If I use the sketch that was used to create the body, construction lines will appear as solid lines, and any features added to the face after extrusion, such as a hole, won't show up in the DXF created from the sketch.

There are other steps you could use, but I find this to be the most logical at this point(as I am myself a beginner).  I have been able to create usable DXF files of components that look just right.  

Good luck-

Eddie

[Anonymous]

Thx for those 2 replies. I'll give them a go tomorrow. They are both approaches I haven't tried. 

[Anonymous]

OK it has taken me more than 2 days to get back to this. Kids work, etc.

I have tried the second of the two methods because it is a little less involved and provides the results I need. I will get around to trying the first because it looks a neat solution it looks a little more involved so I'll try it at the weekend when I've got the time to fiddle.

Thank you both for answering it is greatly appreciated.

Also attached an image of earlier not quite right version of the shelves I'm looking to make. Hopefully these will be a proof of concept for more complex furniture later. I'm sure there are loads of mistakes the more experienced will find but I'm learning.