user cutter definition

[Anonymous]

Hi, first and foremost, I'm new to Fusion360 and have mainly got into it to use and evaluate CAM. I played for a few minutes with TSplines, and as we've got a license of TSplines for Rhino, it was interesting and exciting to play with it in F360.

Now to CAM, I've been trying to put our tool library into the application. How does one draw a generic tool, lets say a profile tool, and how can one upload standard tool holders for indexable tools?

For indexable tools:

1. I use many tools for facing which have a flat edge that is perpendicular to the tool axis and then a 45 deg taper and then again a small flat edge which is parallel to the tool axis. Its like a small square with edges flattened say 2-3mm and rotated by 45deg. How can I model it in the CAM and have the CAM work with it. There are many complex inserts that I use and don't know how to input the shapes in.
2. I use inserts in the same tool holder depending on the material being machined. There are inserts for Aluminum and for Steel, each of these have different parameters and I'll like to put these in the speeds and feeds, so depending on the material being machined, the CAM would pickup the correct feeds and speeds.
3. Can one use STEP models of the tool holders or the F360 designed tool holder models in CAM?

For non indexable mills:

1. Most non indexable mills have either a small chamfer or a radius at the edge. The radiused mills can be easily added, but how does one add a mill with a chamfer?

Thanks a lot

[Laurens-3DTechDraw]

The only thing I can say is that most of these problems should be tackled when the updated version of the tool library is released.

That is between now and 2-3 years or so.

[Anonymous]

Laurens,

Waiting for 2-3 years is totally unacceptable for such a simple feature. I'm evaluating a move to F360 just for CAM, I use mainly Rhino3D and SolidEdge ST8 but the integrated CAM/CAD of Fusion along with TSplines (which I use in Rhino) and cloud support is very exciting. But if we cannot use the tools we already have, this will be a big deterrent to me. Almost half of our cutting tools are insert based and from my limited view of Fusion360 CAM, I cannot see how to use them effectively. From the CAD side, I would like to understand if a TSpline model in Rhino3D can be exported as a TSpline to F360?

I'd also like to understand if we can program our own tool algorithms using python, and add it to our fusion interface. For instance I use plunge milling using insert cutters for quick roughing of the blanks, and the feeds and speeds need to be adjusted for plunge milling. I'd like to create a plunge milling strategy and make a little icon for it so that everytime we need to use that strategy, we can use it.

Another issue I noticed is the definition of carbide endmills. Many of the endmills we use have a structure which is not a plain cylinder. Take the example of a 3 or a 4 mm DIVER endmill from Guhring. The endmill begins with a tiny chamfer, say 0.04mm(2.92mm), then the main dia (3mm), for the flute length (9mm), then there is a shank with the dia reduced by say 0.125mm upto the clearance length of the tool (18mm), after which the shank tapers upto a larger dia shank for over 4mm then there's the mainshank of 6mm. I cannot model this in F360.

Another thing is suppose we define a tool (tool holder, material), we should have the possibility to specify feeds and speeds for specific blank materials in one place, and then not have to look back at that. This will work for all types of users, those who have industrial grade setup and those who do not, since once a speed and feed combination is true and tried by the user, they can use it with the same machine over and over again.

Another thing I have a question about, whats this thing about F360 ultimate? There seem to be many references to that in the documentation, but I don't see it on the autodesk site currently. Is there a product like that or is there only F360 (without the ultimate)?

[Laurens-3DTechDraw]

I understand your answer and questions.

And to be honest you are right, but I can't change it.

I'll let one of the Autodesk guys respond to this: @al.whatmough @jeff.walters or @dave.anderson

[al.whatmough]

Laurens of course is joking with the 2-3 years comment.  That said, we have been working on a new tool library for sometime.  So, there is some truth in his humor.

1. I use many tools for facing which have a flat edge that is perpendicular to the tool axis and then a 45 deg taper and then again a small flat edge which is parallel to the tool axis. Its like a small square with edges flattened say 2-3mm and rotated by 45deg. How can I model it in the CAM and have the CAM work with it. There are many complex inserts that I use and don't know how to input the shapes in.

• Adding an option to the face mill to support a radius or chamfer on the corner is something you can expect in the near term.
• In the mean time, you can define the tool as a Bullnose endmill or a chamfer mill.  This will get you the geometry you want.

1. I use inserts in the same tool holder depending on the material being machined. There are inserts for Aluminum and for Steel, each of these have different parameters and I'll like to put these in the speeds and feeds, so depending on the material being machined, the CAM would pickup the correct feeds and speeds.

• Differnent speeds and feeds for a cutter is something that is VERY high on our priority list.  It is unfortuntaly taking longer then we would like to get done.  However, I can say we are getting very close.

1. Can one use STEP models of the tool holders or the F360 designed tool holder models in CAM?

• At present this is not supported.  It is on the to-do list.

[Laurens-3DTechDraw]

@al.whatmough I like jokes 

But indeed what I tried to say is that there is no given time when it's finished so you can't plan ahead with that date in mind.

I'm probably even more curious to see how it turns out than you so you bet we will keep reminding the development team this is highly needed.

[Anonymous]

@al.whatmough

Thanks for the response. My comments to your response are inline. Some of the things I guess you missed, plunge milling, how can we currently do this in F360? Is there a way to edit/add/improve tool path strategies?

---

@al.whatmough wrote:

Laurens of course is joking with the 2-3 years comment.  That said, we have been working on a new tool library for sometime.  So, there is some truth in his humor.

1. I use many tools for facing which have a flat edge that is perpendicular to the tool axis and then a 45 deg taper and then again a small flat edge which is parallel to the tool axis. Its like a small square with edges flattened say 2-3mm and rotated by 45deg. How can I model it in the CAM and have the CAM work with it. There are many complex inserts that I use and don't know how to input the shapes in.

• Adding an option to the face mill to support a radius or chamfer on the corner is something you can expect in the near term.
• In the mean time, you can define the tool as a Bullnose endmill or a chamfer mill.  This will get you the geometry you want.

Regarding your suggestion; I don't how a chamfer mill can be used to do facemilling in F360. Can you explain it a bit better? This is where we use it. I'm attaching an image of an insert to show you what I mean. The insert is held like you see it in the image, so its got a flat land both vertically as well as horizontally. This is used for vertical finishing as well as for horizontal facing. 

The cutter we use is above

1. I use inserts in the same tool holder depending on the material being machined. There are inserts for Aluminum and for Steel, each of these have different parameters and I'll like to put these in the speeds and feeds, so depending on the material being machined, the CAM would pickup the correct feeds and speeds.

• Differnent speeds and feeds for a cutter is something that is VERY high on our priority list.  It is unfortuntaly taking longer then we would like to get done.  However, I can say we are getting very close.

1. Can one use STEP models of the tool holders or the F360 designed tool holder models in CAM?

• At present this is not supported.  It is on the to-do list.

What about the generic tool definition? I'm attaching the 4mm Guhring endmill that I explained in the last post.

I hope that in the near future you'll have the tool definition features in F360, since that is the time we'll seriously begin spending time with it.

Thanks

[al.whatmough]

RE Plung milling, this is something that we have talked about adding.  However, we have not commited resources to doing it yet.

Attached is a screenshot showing how a chamfermill can be used to capture the cutting edges of the tool

[al.whatmough]

To create your reduced shank endmill use the "Shaft tab"

[Anonymous]

That I know, and have tried it, but it will not pull up that chamfer tool in the face milling operation.

Thanks a lot for the shaft definition.

[al.whatmough · Accepted solution]

You will get a warning that says the tool is comatable.  However, the toolpath does still generate fine.