machining parts from an assembly?

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi if I have an assembly in Fusion 360 and it contains some parts to machine on a lathe and some parts on a mill.

All the parts are datumed and located within the assembly.

when I want to then machine them, what is the best workflow, do I just turn off the items in the assembly not being machined and just machine the bit that I want, or do I export the part out to machine so it is individually on its own with no clutter?

Bear in mind I will want to include models of fixtures and or vices...

so if I do it in the assembly and I have multiple turned parts (or milled parts or a mixture of both) which are all in different positions in the assembly, any vice or fixture will need to be positioned relative to the part to be machined..
so with multiple parts in different positions, do I then have to keep repositioning the fixture/vice models?  or do I load multiple vice models for each part or process being machined?

the same goes if I am machining the part on multiple sides with multiple setups...

or is there a way to position a vice/fixture within the machine set up for an individual set up so it does not effect other setups..? 

I hope this makes sense, if you know of any sample videos showing the answers to this please send me the links..

A

[josh.sapp]

You have listed several viable ways of going about it. For my own sanity, I tend to make a manufacture project for the individual components and then insert the linked component from the assembly into the manufacture project. This way any updates to the component will carry across and I don't have a huge list of setups that I have to search through to find what I'm after.

[seth.madore · Accepted solution]

With multiple components to machine, fixtures/vises and other workholding, you're going to become overwhelmed in data very quickly if you try to manage it all from one file. Not saying it can't be done, it's just cumbersome. 

What you're detailing sounds like a good application for Derive or XREF (I prefer Derive). 

Create a blank document, call it "Widget X" CAM" (where "Widget X" is the name of the component)

Derive or XREF that component into the file, placing it where you prefer.

Repeat the process with your workholding.

If you are reusing the workholding across multiple parts and with different softjaws, you may prefer to break the link on the workholding, or have a separate component for the dissimilar parts of it.

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi Seth

Thank you for your reply.  when using derive like this should the joints and motion limits carry through as well?
I.e if I have a 3-jaw lathe chuck modeled up and have the jaws linked and motion limited etc.. in the master model.

If i pull this into a part to use in the machining set up using the derived command, should all the joints just work as per the original?
A

[seth.madore]

Not as a Derive, no. But it will as an XREF

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi Seth
Thankyou.
So does X-ref basically mean "external reference"?

and to do this I just right click on a part from another design source in the file tree on the left and select" insert into current design"?

A

[seth.madore]

Yes, and yes.

You can also just drag one document from the Data Panel into an active document in Fusion