Dado - 2D Pocket malfunction 101

[ruga666]

Hello Everyone,

I am having an issue machining Dados into my parts, I machine a lot of sheet good materials.

I am trying to best to switch over from using AlphaCAM which is very convenient for programming sheet goods to Fusion 360 which I keep running into issues with Fusion.

Attached is a screen shot of the issue and my file.

I've tried using both 2d Pocket and 2d Adaptive to try and get it to cut the dados,

what am I doing wrong? 

Seems like this should be a programming 101 type thing

[DougRodrigues]

Try checking the "stock contours" box on the geometry tab? This worked for me when I tried your file unless I understand the issue incorrectly

[ruga666]

That definitely seemed to get it to run the rest of the dados, but it also made the dados go through the last 2 parts!! Look at the screenshot! Very interesting

[ruga666]

Thought this would be just a simple, easy tool path to program. Got any more advice for me please?

[DougRodrigues]

I tried 3D adaptive to see how that would work

Hard to tell in the screenshot so attached the file as well

[ruga666]

Well I did get it to work correctly (I think) with the 3D Pocket clearing tool path, and it just seemed like the wrong with to be using because it's not a 3D surface so I kept trying to get the 2D one to work. But I'm just baffled as to why the 2D Pocket did not work correctly at all??? 

And even though I got the 3D Pocket to kinda work, it STILL left out edges and had to be cleaned up with a 2D Contour in some areas!

There must be an easier way, otherwise there is some serious limitations to simple CNC programming in this software 

[DougRodrigues]

I tried 2d pocket and this is as close as I got

It picks up all the channels but for some reason it has two very small perpendicular toolpaths that I cannot figure out why they are there. Hopefully someone more experienced see this thread  and can figure out the cause.

[ruga666]

Thank you Doug, I appreciate your efforts very much. Yes hopefully someone does pick up on this thread and has some answers

[daniel_lyall]

It is the way that you selected the toolpath, quite often with the way you selected the toolpath the outcome is how it is in your model it misses stuff.

Selecting the toolpath by selecting the bottom edge and making them closed it works.

With 2D tool paths, most times you have to select where or what not to cut, and having them open can make them go stupid. There are a couple of spots missed so using the adaptive toolpath in these areas maybe be a good idea.

Editing tool paths See this video for selecting toolpaths https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATs4rsI_TPc

[ruga666]

Thank you, can you please post the video of exactly how you did that to my parts specifically and/or the file so I can see what you did exactly. Watched the video, it was somewhat informative

[ruga666]

it also appears that your file based on the screenshot did not cut the rabbet on the open edge of the part

[ruga666]

Here's what I'm talking about

[daniel_lyall · Accepted solution]

Yes I know that's why I said it misses some spots.

You can use a contour to cut the missed spots or an adaptive toolpath.

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[engineguy]

@ruga666 

Hmmm, not sure if you will like this idea, it occurred to me that as you already have an excellent Sketch that covers all the area you need to pocket could you not try using that? Only needs a depth adding to the original operation to do the job, seems to me to be the simplest option given that you already have the Sketch on hand ???

Anyway, have a look at the screen cast below, might help you for future 2D pocket problems 🙂 🙂 🙂

Regards

Rob

 

[ruga666]

You know Rob, it is interesting because yes you can use the 2D to program the tool path which I have been doing in AlphaCAM for almost a decade.  But I get mixed responses here on the forum about programming 2D sketches.  Some people tell me the program 'wants' the 3D models to program and you'll get better results.  But instances like this is what's making me think I should just be using my sketches.

It is also much faster to just import a sketch rather than having to extrude and cut all the shapes just to start to program something. I sketch everything in AutoCAD before I put it in AlphaCAM and I just assumed I should be doing the same for Fusion 360-  I don't find the CAD as friendly in Fusion as it is in AutoCAD that's for sure.

[daniel_lyall]

@ruga666 You definitely can use Sketches for tool paths in fusion if you want and yes the preference is to use the model, not a sketch.

I still use Vectric Vcarve pro and Aspire for the missing functions in fusion with Aspire I can use a 3D model or a sketch for tool paths the 3D model is easier to program and just using a sketch for the boundary, you can do the same thing with fusion and it is easy using a 3D toolpath.

I run with the standard most of the time.