Fusion 360 - Bugs in Print Settings / FFF Machine profiles after latest update

[Eric_Schubert]

Firstly, let me mention a couple of items for clarity:

1. I primarily use Fusion 360 and the Additive Manufacturing tools when I model and make for my personal use.
2. I work for an Autodesk VAR as a technical resource, performing technical support and training for AutoCAD, Inventor, and Fusion 360, as well as simulation products like Nastran and CFD.

I mention these two items because I'm well-versed in troubleshooting issues, and I'm used to dealing with technical software products.  I can confidently say:  this is definitely NOT a training issue. It is a bug issue.

On to the problems...

I noticed that Fusion 360 received a minor update the other day. It appears to have added some new features and functionality in the Additive section of the Manufacturing workspace, which is fantastic. I'm excited to see this area grow. However, this new update also started causing all sorts of odd issues surrounding my 3D printer profile and my saved print settings.

My one and only printer, a Creality Ender 3, would no longer post g-code via the standard Creality FFF post-processor. I had to reload the Ender 3 as a new printer, from scratch. Copying the printer would not fix this issue. However, I did not remove the original printer. I've noticed I sometimes get this same issue now using my new printer profile, and that selecting the older printer profile gets the model to post again. I cannot find a rhyme or reason for this.

I've also noticed problems with my saved print settings. I originally had some issues with saving settings locally, where edits to my settings would not stick. I switched to using cloud-saved print settings, and that seemed fine until now. Now, even my cloud-based settings are no longer saving edits. I found a workaround that sometimes does the trick, copying an Autodesk print setting for generic PLA filament and editing that again. But that's hit-and-miss. Copying/pasting my print settings doesn't work. I did export some print settings prior to this update, but print settings from before the update are missing access to the new features, which can also cause some odd things to happen. (Default distance for priming is 3mm from the front edge. This cannot be changed if I can't see it, and it was added in the update.)

Just after the update, I noticed that print settings would stick until I closed the print settings library. Now, they won't even stick after I save the print setting, but prior to closing the library.

I also have no idea why, when my Ender 3 is only configured for a single extruder, I see 2 different extruders in my print settings. I've also had issues since the update where, even when print settings show the correct temperatures for Extruder 1, the post-processor is using the details for Extruder 2 when creating g-code.

So, no idea what happened here, but this update botched a bunch of stuff related to printers and print settings. I sure hope someone from Autodesk's Fusion 360 team sees this to help resolve these issues.

[Eric_Schubert]

Firstly, let me mention a couple of items for clarity:

1. I primarily use Fusion 360 and the Additive Manufacturing tools when I model and make for my personal use.
2. I work for an Autodesk VAR as a technical resource, performing technical support and training for AutoCAD, Inventor, and Fusion 360, as well as simulation products like Nastran and CFD.

I mention these two items because I'm well-versed in troubleshooting issues, and I'm used to dealing with technical software products.  I can confidently say:  this is definitely NOT a training issue. It is a bug issue.

On to the problems...

I noticed that Fusion 360 received a minor update the other day. It appears to have added some new features and functionality in the Additive section of the Manufacturing workspace, which is fantastic. I'm excited to see this area grow. However, this new update also started causing all sorts of odd issues surrounding my 3D printer profile and my saved print settings.

My one and only printer, a Creality Ender 3, would no longer post g-code via the standard Creality FFF post-processor. I had to reload the Ender 3 as a new printer, from scratch. Copying the printer would not fix this issue. However, I did not remove the original printer. I've noticed I sometimes get this same issue now using my new printer profile, and that selecting the older printer profile gets the model to post again. I cannot find a rhyme or reason for this.

I've also noticed problems with my saved print settings. I originally had some issues with saving settings locally, where edits to my settings would not stick. I switched to using cloud-saved print settings, and that seemed fine until now. Now, even my cloud-based settings are no longer saving edits. I found a workaround that sometimes does the trick, copying an Autodesk print setting for generic PLA filament and editing that again. But that's hit-and-miss. Copying/pasting my print settings doesn't work. I did export some print settings prior to this update, but print settings from before the update are missing access to the new features, which can also cause some odd things to happen. (Default distance for priming is 3mm from the front edge. This cannot be changed if I can't see it, and it was added in the update.)

Just after the update, I noticed that print settings would stick until I closed the print settings library. Now, they won't even stick after I save the print setting, but prior to closing the library.

I also have no idea why, when my Ender 3 is only configured for a single extruder, I see 2 different extruders in my print settings. I've also had issues since the update where, even when print settings show the correct temperatures for Extruder 1, the post-processor is using the details for Extruder 2 when creating g-code.

So, no idea what happened here, but this update botched a bunch of stuff related to printers and print settings. I sure hope someone from Autodesk's Fusion 360 team sees this to help resolve these issues.

[lukas.fuhrmann · Accepted solution]

Thanks for reporting the issues and the detailed explanations. Some of the issues you are describing are already known to us and a fix is in the making while others need to be investigated first.

In the meantime to make your life at least somewhat easier I would like to present a workaround for the problem with the print settings not saving your edits. There is a little bug that will discard all edits if the print setting has not been renamed. So if you rename your print setting when you make an edit (e.g. to _1,_2,_3 etc) it will save your edits. As mentioned above a fix is already in the works.

[lukas.fuhrmann · Accepted solution]

Thanks for reporting the issues and the detailed explanations. Some of the issues you are describing are already known to us and a fix is in the making while others need to be investigated first.

In the meantime to make your life at least somewhat easier I would like to present a workaround for the problem with the print settings not saving your edits. There is a little bug that will discard all edits if the print setting has not been renamed. So if you rename your print setting when you make an edit (e.g. to _1,_2,_3 etc) it will save your edits. As mentioned above a fix is already in the works.

[Eric_Schubert]

Lukas,

Thank you for your reply.  I'm glad to know the Fusion team is working on these items.  In general, the tools were working fine (mostly) until the latest update.  I'm not sure what's different that's made these features act differently since the update.  I'm excited to see the Additive features expanded and improved in the future.

I was able to confirm that modifying the name of the print settings will keep my settings.  At least that's a functional workaround.  Thank you for suggesting it.

I'm still curious why Fusion 360 was running into issues sometimes when generating g-code.  I haven't had that issue come up again since modifying and saving my print settings, so maybe it was related.

Eric

[Eric_Schubert]

Lukas,

Thank you for your reply.  I'm glad to know the Fusion team is working on these items.  In general, the tools were working fine (mostly) until the latest update.  I'm not sure what's different that's made these features act differently since the update.  I'm excited to see the Additive features expanded and improved in the future.

I was able to confirm that modifying the name of the print settings will keep my settings.  At least that's a functional workaround.  Thank you for suggesting it.

I'm still curious why Fusion 360 was running into issues sometimes when generating g-code.  I haven't had that issue come up again since modifying and saving my print settings, so maybe it was related.

Eric

[karlelonbeck]

I am running the 2023 version of Fusion 360 and am having the same problem with the edits to my local print setting not saving. My specific problem is with the Print Bed Adhesion option checkbox. If I uncheck this box and Okay the editor and close the Print Setting Library, then reopen the Library and and start an edit on my local print setting, the check box is checked again.

I tired making the check and exporting and then importing, my change didn't keep. I also tried renaming the my setting, like mentioned above and still have the same problem. Even tried copying the PLA settings from the Fusion Library, and that has the same problem.

Any suggestion on making the settings save the custom changes?

[karlelonbeck]

I am running the 2023 version of Fusion 360 and am having the same problem with the edits to my local print setting not saving. My specific problem is with the Print Bed Adhesion option checkbox. If I uncheck this box and Okay the editor and close the Print Setting Library, then reopen the Library and and start an edit on my local print setting, the check box is checked again.

I tired making the check and exporting and then importing, my change didn't keep. I also tried renaming the my setting, like mentioned above and still have the same problem. Even tried copying the PLA settings from the Fusion Library, and that has the same problem.

Any suggestion on making the settings save the custom changes?

[lukas.fuhrmann]

Unfortunately the print bed adhesion setting not being remebered is a different problem to the one described above. This was already known to us and we have fixed it. The fix will be released with the next Fusion release. Until then the only workaround will be to disable the setting before generating the toolpath.

[lukas.fuhrmann]

Unfortunately the print bed adhesion setting not being remebered is a different problem to the one described above. This was already known to us and we have fixed it. The fix will be released with the next Fusion release. Until then the only workaround will be to disable the setting before generating the toolpath.

[matthew.nordhusHLB4S]

Hello,

In the fusion 360 additive manufacturing environment, I found that most of the extrusion width fields do not work. Within the print setting library "PLA 1.75 mm" print setting under: Body presets ->normal ->extrusion, the only "width" field that changes the actual g code output is "perimeter extrusion width". None of the others seem to have any affect. I tried many different high and low values up to 1.5 mm width. Is this a gitch or is there another setting I need to modify first?

[matthew.nordhusHLB4S]

Hello,

In the fusion 360 additive manufacturing environment, I found that most of the extrusion width fields do not work. Within the print setting library "PLA 1.75 mm" print setting under: Body presets ->normal ->extrusion, the only "width" field that changes the actual g code output is "perimeter extrusion width". None of the others seem to have any affect. I tried many different high and low values up to 1.5 mm width. Is this a gitch or is there another setting I need to modify first?

[thomas.stock]

Hi @matthew.nordhusHLB4S ,

Hmmm I will look into this and get back to you.

[thomas.stock]

Hi @matthew.nordhusHLB4S ,

Hmmm I will look into this and get back to you.

[lukas.fuhrmann]

Hi Matthew,

we did some test on our side in the meantime and we were able to see a difference in the gcode when using different extrusion widths, as expected. Could you maybe share your machine and print setting that you are using in Fusion, so we can have a closer look?

Thanks,

Lukas

[lukas.fuhrmann]

Hi Matthew,

we did some test on our side in the meantime and we were able to see a difference in the gcode when using different extrusion widths, as expected. Could you maybe share your machine and print setting that you are using in Fusion, so we can have a closer look?

Thanks,

Lukas

[Scott.bender]

I can vouch for Matthew. I have been getting my settings and .cps code right for my LUZBOT Taz Pro and the Extrusion Widths don't seem to be updating in the print settings. Or rather they don't get applied to the simulate and post processes. 

What I've been doing is change print settings, save them, edit the setup and re apply the machine to the setup.

-Scotty

[Scott.bender]

I can vouch for Matthew. I have been getting my settings and .cps code right for my LUZBOT Taz Pro and the Extrusion Widths don't seem to be updating in the print settings. Or rather they don't get applied to the simulate and post processes. 

What I've been doing is change print settings, save them, edit the setup and re apply the machine to the setup.

-Scotty

[Scott.bender]

Ok. It might look like the infill extrusion width is the master of the first layers and infill as well. Only when I changed the infill extrusion width change happened.  

[Scott.bender]

Ok. It might look like the infill extrusion width is the master of the first layers and infill as well. Only when I changed the infill extrusion width change happened.  

[thomas.stock]

Hi @Scott.bender & @matthew.nordhusHLB4S ,

Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention!

On closer look at the extrusion width settings, we found the following:

• Extrusion Width: Only affects the print bed adhesion toolpaths. We will rename this to "Print Bed Adhesion Extrusion Width".
• Perimeter Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.
• Layer 1 Extrusion Width: This setting is being ignored by the slicer. We will correct this.
• Infill Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.
• Support Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.
• Bridge Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.

I will also add, that I tested for the following as you mentioned, but was unable to reproduce:

"..the infill extrusion width is the master of the first layers and infill as well. Only when I changed the infill extrusion width change happened."

Finally, I attach some images of my testing for you all:

  

[thomas.stock]

Hi @Scott.bender & @matthew.nordhusHLB4S ,

Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention!

On closer look at the extrusion width settings, we found the following:

• Extrusion Width: Only affects the print bed adhesion toolpaths. We will rename this to "Print Bed Adhesion Extrusion Width".
• Perimeter Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.
• Layer 1 Extrusion Width: This setting is being ignored by the slicer. We will correct this.
• Infill Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.
• Support Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.
• Bridge Extrusion Width: Behaves as expected.

I will also add, that I tested for the following as you mentioned, but was unable to reproduce:

"..the infill extrusion width is the master of the first layers and infill as well. Only when I changed the infill extrusion width change happened."

Finally, I attach some images of my testing for you all: