Selecting Solid

[jrichels20]

Hi,

I'm my design I create what basically looks like a cone (more like Apollo 13) by revolving a sketch.  Then there are a number of operations inside the cone.  And finally, there is a curved surface cut on the outside of the cone.

In CAM, I start with cylindrical stock, do the internal operations, then turn the cone.  The next step is to cut the curved surface out of the cone.   For Stock, I want to select From Solid and select the cone prior to the curved surface cut.  I can select the body, but this already has the cut done, so it doesn't reflect the real stock I'm going to cut.

How do I select the uncut cone? It doesn't even need any of the internal operations as they aren't relavant to this surface operation.

Thanks.

[Steinwerks]

Your best bet is to model your incomplete part. You can export your previous job as an .STL file and load that as stock for simulation but that's about all it'll do.

[jrichels20]

Hello Atomkinder.  I don't see an option to import an STL for stock. Except for From Solid, the other 6 options are for fixed or relative sized box, cylinder, or tube.

I tried moving the Model timeline slider to the plain cone, selecting that in CAM as my From Solid body, then setting the slider back to the end.  This idea which I thought was clever, screwed up the model and CAM both. I tried a similar idea, moving the slider to the plain cone, then copying the body, which of course was then superimposed on the original body, and I hid the plain cone.  Then you can select the plain cone in From Solid and the viewed stock is the desired plain cone.  But, the resulting CAM simulation is cutting the original body and the stock isn't shown being cut.

Jeff

[Steinwerks]

Can you export the file as a .F3D and share it here?

I would say that your best bet is to move the slider, copy the unfinished part, save as a new solid and use that as your stock in the setup.

This is what I was talking about for loading an .STL (and again, it doesn't use it for toolpath computation, just simulation): http://nicholscornercam.blogspot.com/2015/10/stock-save-and-conversion-in-fusion-360.html

Edit: there is information in that link about using it to create a useable solid as stock though, but it might take more work.

[jrichels20]

Thank you Atomkinder.  The linked article adds great information.  I readily created an STL file, and this file is readily brought into the simulation.  It is wonderful to watch realistic stock being machined because - it didn't machine exactly as I expected which is the point of doing a sim.   Unfortunately, this method requires loading of the STL for each new pass of the sim but it is sufficient for now.

It would be a nice feature if loading the STL was an option that stayed active.

Jeff