Desperately trying to figure out why this happens

[mshaynerush]

I'll try to be as descriptive as possible. I am almost at my wits end with this application because I get that the whole concept of CAD is complex, but I really think my issue is such a simple thing to do that Fusion360 just seems to struggle harder than anything I can imagine to accomplish.

In this case, I create a separate body to make the headstock round down and it seems to work well after what seems like 7000 attempts with adaptive clearing. Now, Im just trying to use Parallel like Austin Shaner does with a flat end mill to just smooth out the feature that will be raised on the headstock. For some unexplainable and maddening reason, Fusion usually seems to not want to cut anything but sometimes it wants to cut everything.

I just want it to stay in the clearly set boundaries I have, and follow the faces that are obvious, but it seems to want to cut in locations that don't make sense. I have posted the fusion file, an image of what it says it will cut, and images of what it actually does. As you can see, it seems to leave one side alone while the other side gets cut though there is no obvious reason why. You can see on the right side of the image it cuts along the right side. Incidentally, I have a tool path that clears that out on purpose and it works fine so even though I'd rather not see that cut in this path, it isn't gonna ruin the piece. On the left however, that is completely unacceptable and I can't see why it wants to do that to save my dog's life. 

Side note, someone is going to demand i upload the f3z file and this site will not allow it. keeps removing from my post.

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

There is a forum bug that prevents uploading of .f3z files using the Browse button(Its immensely frustrating this hasn't been fixed in almost 2 years)

You can either drag and drop them into a post or .zip the file to attach

[seth.madore]

What is your machine (and machine control) and what post processor are you using?

As Andrew points out, there's a bug with .f3z files being attached via "Browse". Put it in a .ZIP or drag/drop instead.

[mshaynerush]

Oh well loo. Ok ill upload it tomorrow but i have since managed to finally get what i needed from the path. Still, I think it would be worth learning something new.

@mshaynerush- this post has been edited due to Community Rules & Etiquette violation. 

[mshaynerush]

Its a fox alien. I use grbl post processor. I will upload that file tomorrow, but in the meantime i have made so many successful paths when it comes to pockets, profiles, and holes, but curved surfaces seem to be some sort of mythical process, even though they seem common. And one thing i also struggle with is just making a radius on a flat, rectangle piece. Like i draw the piece with an arc and three sides, loft it or extrude it, set parallel with al my bits measured and entered correctly and it will always cut more off the -x side than the x side. No matter where my orientation is.

anyway, ill upload my f3z tomorrow. Id like to try to learn something

[programming2C78B]

3D toolpaths work on the basis of cutting your entire model, while your selections restrict what is cut. This is the opposite of 2D things where you ADD each thing you want to cut.

If in a pickle, make 0 selections and see what it wants to do, then restrict it with depths and boundaries/avoid surfaces.

[mshaynerush]

it seems like a weird quirk in fusion 360 because it’ll give me and error if I try to cut my model without doing a contour on the outside first as though once it runs past the part I wanna cut it’ll run into wood and it doesn’t want to cut, but at the same time even though I tell it to cut certain surfaces. It has no problem cutting in the surfaces that I don’t tell it to cut into.

what’s with the accept solution thing? Do you guys get points for that? I already solved my problem and kinda in the same way that you described so I’m inclined to go ahead and say that solves my problem but I still want to upload my file here in a few minutes so that someone can at least look at it and tell me there’s something wrong with it along with the settings that I have for the Cut. Right now it’s perfect as I finally got it to do exactly what I was hoping it would do, but it wasn’t as intuitive as I hoped

[programming2C78B]

1) there is this

as well as

2) when someone in the future searches for a similar issue, a closed one is more likely to be seen and recommended. 

[mshaynerush]

I was just curious. It seems I get pressured to accept a solution a lot so I was wondering.

Anyway here is the file

[mshaynerush]

I can see the usefulness of such a feature, thanks for explaining that.

[mshaynerush]

Guys, I appreciate everything you’ve done to try to help me, but after fixing several tool Pads and having one completely disintegrate after the fact when it shouldn’t have nothing about my tool path has changed I have determined that my ultimate conclusion that’s a fusion 360 is a piece of garbage and I will not be purchasing it. But I do want to really say thank you all for being willing to help me. I appreciate it a lot  

[nize7P396]

I want to reply here.

My main job, between all my CAD/CAM jobs, is plastic mold designing/making (from idea to technology for injection). 

Lot of my colleagues and students ask me - why to use 3d strategies when we can make 2d form with 2d strategie. My answer is very simply, programming2C78B explained 90% - 3d toolpaths are connected with 3d model, not with Your/our selection. We are humans and mistakes are part of our lives - bad selection means piece of material into garbage. In 3d strategie, Your  bad selection can not send material in garbage, maybe cam make longer process or cycle. 

I am using 2d strategies where i must to use (2d contour, trace, slot, face), but "with six eyes opened". 

And, i like to say, if You want to be the boss of Your software, Your design knowlidge have to be more than beginner. In first case we must know create new plane (for 4-5 axis machining), USC, sketch for selection. 

Have a nice day.

[mshaynerush · Accepted solution]

I can accept that your design knowledge has to be pretty good. I am no beginner, but I wouldn’t call myself an expert by any spread to the imagination obviously. However, as a programmer and developer a software, I think simplicity is a focus that I take very seriously, and most of the things that I create require a little to know instruction to use because I make them Intuitive enough. Maybe this program wasn’t written for the beginner in mind but people have been doing this for a while. If that’s the case, so be it. And I do recognize that this particular program has a lot more to it than just CAM products to make CNC parts So I’m sure it’s useful to a lot of people and even to me drawing these things out it does a really good job at that

I guess what I’m getting out with the whole complaint is that I use a free program that has a lot of limitations and so I wanted to try something with a bit more software support other than open sources but the other program that I use allows me to select the surface. Tell the piece where my zero is tell how deeply I want to go and which surface I wanna follow and then create a G code to do exactly that without any extra work. and for the price tag that slapped on fusion 360 I would think that you would have the option to be that simplistic or also the option to get really detailed if you’re somebody’s been doing this a long time.

the bottom line is, I select the surface tell the application that creates G code that I want to create a code to cut this part and I assumed that since I made the part within the program, it would know how to create the G code for that but again this one is pretty tough so while I’m recognizing what this program can do, but it just isn’t that useful in terms of letting it do the heavy lifting. If you don’t have a lot of experience with it, then you’re basic screw and another thing is that I watched a few tutorials when I followed them to the letter and I still didn’t get the same results they got so it’s like somewhere along the way the programmers aren’t willing to admit they made some sort of mistake. I need to adjust their code a little bit because I do think it makes G code. That’s either Center sometimes or doesn’t work properly in other situations because I have gone through some pains, taking stuff to set up my nieces only to have my G code off to the left a little bit .

but I digress I don’t wanna complain about it anymore. I almost have the part that I need pretty much complete so after a lot of trial and error, I was able to get it to work.

[programming2C78B]

and how exactly do you know your gcode is too far "to the left a little bit" ? 

[seth.madore]

@mshaynerush could you share a part (the actual file) that you were discouraged with, a brief description of what you expected to happen and then we can tackle it one step at a time?

Fusion is, in fact, incredibly easy to use, but also quite powerful in the hands of an experienced user. I don't say that because I have to (I'm not compelled to say that at all), I say that because it's the truth. I (and thousands of others) have used this on a daily basis to establish and build up successful businesses, whether it's a machine shop or wood shop.

[programming2C78B]

When you say "left" I read that as it was off-position along the X- direction.



You programmed it to do that!

You also do not have to select Model Surfaces! Thats why its overcutting into the headstock.

Do you still think Fusion is a "piece of garbage" or do you see now that you just made 2 unnecessary selections in your programming that caused you issues....


This is another great example of why it's so important to attach files when problems arise.