Wood carving - Flat area toolpath on STL model

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

Hello,

i am using Fusion 360 for woodcarving from 3D objects (STL files). I am using 3D adaptive cleaning for rough clean (6mm downcut tool) and then Parallel for finish (ballnose 1/32).

Now i want to make processing more effective by doing finish on flat areas with 6mm downcut tool and then finish the rest (3D stuff) with ballnose tool.

When i use 3D Flat toolpath on the model it takes 30minutes to finish and on the end i got unknown error.

What is the best way to make this possible? Thank you very much!

This is my model.

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

Because .stl files are made up of a bunch of small triangles there isn't truly any "Flat" areas on them, just an approximation of them.

You could overlay a sketch bounding the areas you want to cut and use the 2D Pocket toolpath to machine the flat areas.

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

That's not entirely true. If I split the model using Mesh - Plane Cut i will get 2 models. Top one with 3D stuff and bottom one with the flat area:

Than i can apply the Flat toolpath on the bottom model part. Only issue is i get toolpath like this:

So i need to avoid the areas from the top model. So i wanted to try Avoid/Machine Surfaces feature on the Flat toolpath and selecting the top model part.

The flat area tool path cannot be generated.

[a.laasW8M6T]

Ahh OK

I think there might be an issue with how the avoid is being selected, or some other selection issue its hard to tell without looking at the file

Can you share your file here?

Goto File>Export>Save as .f3d/.f3z

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

No problem. Here is the file: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtqWPFNsHoc6h8FO-WA_DtWww8e5HA?e=koGyhQ

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

I am also getting a bunch of different errors depending on the approach I try.

Meshes are horrible to work with because there is No selectable geometry for boundaries or sketches.

In saying that I think this should still work just by using Height containment but that fails too, Unfortunately I'm out of Ideas, Someone else may have a different approach.

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

Thank you very much for try 🙂

So what is best format for fusion for this kind of models? Btw this model is pretty simple, mostly i have more complex models. I have external guy who is making 3D models for me.

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

.stl is primarily a 3d printing format and is also huuuge, like that file is 110Mb

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format)

.step files are more common and would maybe only be a few Mb for the same shape, you can also use them more effectively in fusion.

Basically any file that's not a mesh would be better, Fusion also does not have great tools for dealing with meshes in the design space either

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

And what about quality and detail of model with .step file? I am making high quality and detail 3D carvings and i want to keep it that way 🙂

[programming2C78B]

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@o_sochurekXTE8M wrote:

So what is best format for fusion for this kind of models? 

I have external guy who is making 3D models for me.

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Cant you get him to export as a STEP or solid model then? 

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@o_sochurekXTE8M wrote:

And what about quality and detail of model with .step file? I am making high quality and detail 3D carvings and i want to keep it that way 🙂

---

There's no difference in quality/resolution between a STEP and an STL but take a cylinder for example. As a step, it will be 3 face - top, bottom, and the round. 

As an STL, we are looking at 10+ faces for each top and bottom, and a veeeery high number of triangles to make the "round". It also will never be a true circle, but a very small faceted shape resembling a circle. 

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

Now i have one step model from him. But its not detailed as original STL:

What I was told is that it is not possible to achieve a 1:1 model in STEP format as a mesh in STL. Step file will be always less capable and detailed then STL. See for example the complex model shown in the picture (STL):

[programming2C78B]

That step example literally has features missing, which means it was exported wrong or he simplified it.

Worst case, you can overlay this on your Mesh and use the STEP surfaces to chain all your boundaries, then surface the meshed raised sections. 

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

If I understand correctly, is it possible to make an STL object (mesh) into a STEP format object by simple export without loosing details? In which application is this possible?

[o_sochurekXTE8M]

Here is the 1:1 STEP file with STL. It has 217MB (double of STL) and in Fusion with this model is pretty slow (and this is very simple model) even almost unusable...

[djlunty]

@o_sochurekXTE8M 

For this type of work I use a different program than Fusion.  The program is called PixelCNC.  It handles .stl files and is designed "by artists for artists".  https://deftware.org/ 

I loaded your .stl file and had no problem with speed or generating tool paths.  The program takes a bit of getting used to.  The creator of the software is very responsive to any questions. 

No affiliation - just a program that I use for artistic type work.

Doug