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Can't Figure Out How To Make CAM Do What I Want....

Anonymous

Can't Figure Out How To Make CAM Do What I Want....

Anonymous
Not applicable

I've been using HSMXpress with Solidworks for years, and am now trying to make the leap to Fusion 360.  But, on my first project, I am stumped.  I can't get the result I'm after.

 

The attached IGES file is the model I'm working from.  Of the 5 parts in the model, only the second from left requires 3D machining, and only on the trapezoidal face, which is slightly angled down and to the left.  Everything else can be done with 2D paths, and are not a problem.  So, what I want to do is use 2DAdaptive to do the bulk of the stock removal, then use 3DAdaptive to finish the one angled face.  But, no matter what I try, I can't get the 3DAdaptive to work ONLY on that one face.  It either wantts to machine all 5 parts, or nothing at all.  I tried drawing a bounding box around the problem part, defining that as a boundary in the operation, and telling it to machine only inside the boundary, but it then ALWAYS creates an empty toolpath.

 

What's the trick?

 

On a related note, obviously the real Fusion project is saved to the !@#$%^&*( "cloud" (and I HATE the "cloud"...).  How do I "share" the real design, if I want to?

 

Regards,

Ray L.

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Anonymous
Not applicable

I don't know what has changed, but it's now doing exactly what I want.  I first use 3D Adaptvie to clear the trapeoidal "shelf", then 3DAdaptive to clear everything else, a 2D Profile pass around the outside of each part, and a final Pencil line across the corner at the top of the ledge, and all looks good!  I just wish I knew WHY it's now working....

 

And, I wish I could get the ShopBot SBP POST to work....

 

Regards,

Ray L.

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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

@Anonymous wrote:

 

On a related note, obviously the real Fusion project is saved to the !@#$%^&*( "cloud" (and I HATE the "cloud"...).  How do I "share" the real design, if I want to?

 

Regards,

Ray L.


 

As you've figured the CAM problem out I'll just answer the above. What I find the easiest way of exporting is go to the model workspace the right click the top node (the file name) and select export and save as an f3d file. There is an export on the file menu as well but you have to work in the dark a bit as it uses a different save dialog.

 

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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Anonymous
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Mark,

That gets me a dialog telling me export is not support for "distributed designed", whatever that is...

Regards,
Ray L.
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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

If you have linked parts in the design you have 2 options. One right click on the design in the data panel and select Share Public Link. The problem with this option is the other person has to go through the hassle of clicking the link then entering an email address then wait for another download link.

Capture3.PNG

 

The other option is for you to use dashboard in your internet browser and select download then upload the file here, you'll get more help this way.

Capture4.PNG

 

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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Anonymous
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Clearly there are things I simply don't understand about 3DAdaptive....

 

I need to be able to use 3DAdaptive to machine only specific surfaces in the model.  I've been able to make it work once or twice, but it seems very inconsistent as to whether it will work or not, and I just end up trying all kinds of different things until it decides to work.  In most cases, the generation takes for.......ever......, or the progress counter counts up very slowly for a long time, then simply hangs.

 

Here's what I've tried most recently, which does not work:

 

For Bounding Box, I use silhouette, Tool Center on Boundary.  (I've also tried using a sketch as the bounding box, with the same lack of result)

Stock Contours un-checked

Rest Machining From Setup Stock, Ignore Cusps

Tool Orientation un-checked

Model is checked, Model Surfaces selected, and the face I want machined is highlighted.

Heights are set correctly - Top = Top of Stock, Bottom = Bottom of Model

 

Generation runs for about 5 minutes, then stalls at about 25% done.

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

Regards,

Ray L.

 

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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

@Anonymous wrote:

Model is checked, Model Surfaces selected, and the face I want machined is highlighted.

 

Regards,

Ray L.

 


 

It will be easier if you upload a file. The bit above sound wrong, you should only use boundaries to contain the toolpath the model selection in an op is only used if you want to add patches to the setup model to corver holes and pockets.

Clipboard02.png

 

Mark

 

 

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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Anonymous
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Here's the model...

 

Regards,

Ray L.

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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

A few pointers for you, not sure adaptive is the best for this though. Basically you're making a pocket so you need to enable Machine Cavities.

First select the boundaries like this.

Clipboard02.png

 

Then setup the passes tab like this.

Clipboard3.png

 

Gives this toolpath.

Clipboard4.png

 

Mark

 

 

 

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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HughesTooling
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Consultant

Just noticed some of your parts are above and below the stock, are they supposed to be all on one level?

Clipboard5.png

 

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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Anonymous
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Mark,

 

Thank you.  I wish I understood better how it uses all the settings.  What I had DID work, on that same part, in a different file.

 

I'll try what you suggested, and report back.

 

Yes, I'm aware the model is a little buggered - I'll look into that.  The assembly was created in Soldiworks, exportes as a STEP, and imported into Fusion - a VERY inconvenient way to work, but too much work to move the whole design into Fusion right now.

 

Regards,

Ray L.

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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

A fairly quick way to align all the part is use align set Object to components then with the origin on select the XY plane then select the bottom face of a part, repeat for all parts.

 

Clipboard5.png

 

I've attached the file I think all the parts are aligned, I added a parallel finish op as well.

 

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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Anonymous
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OK, that all looks good!  Thanks much!

 

I think part of what threw me off from the start was having "silhouette" come up as the default selection for geometry.  Having to check "Machine Cavities" is also counter-intuitive.  On HSMXpress, that would be checked only when machining a true pocket in the model.  It seems to have a somewaht different meaning here....

 

Generation seems painfully slow compared to HSMXpress.  For just those little areas, it takes probably 5 minutes to generate.  Is that normal?

 

Regards,

Ray L.

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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

Is HSMXpress 2d only?

 

One thing that speeds up generation, make another setup and select only those 2 components. On my laptop with all components selected the toolpath took 38seconds to generate with just the 2 components it took 28 seconds. Done like this you need to be carfull it doesn't cut into any other parts.

 

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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Anonymous
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Yes, HSMXpress is 2D only.  My machine (2.2GHz 8-core Core-i7 laptop with SSD and 16Gb RAM) takes waaaaaaaaaaaaay longer than 38 seconds.  Odd..

 

Regards,

Ray L.

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HughesTooling
Consultant
Consultant

I could not remember the speed of my laptop so I called up task manager and did a regen and recorded with screencast. Looks like I have a 2.4ghz i7 with a turbo boost to 3.2ghz.

 

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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