Helping my Manufacturer

[terrynicholasj]

Hello there,

I have a furniture model that I'm taking into prototyping that is all CNC'd from 3/4"/19mm stock. I have a shop here that I am working with and they're happy to cut it for me, and in fact they seem really good. The problem is that they are really busy and they are asking me to make some changes to my .dwg files that I don't fully understand. I was hoping I might be able to get some guidance from you folks instead of poking the shop manager until they refuse to make my parts....

I have been working a lot in fusion360's CAD but am a lot less familiar with CAM. 

Specifically the manufacturer said: 

"Holes will require points on different layers like my attached file." 

In the .dxf file they attached, there are 4 sketches. 1 is the "plywood outline" the other is 3 different hole diameters e.g.  "10 mm hole" etc. (I have attached both the .dwg I sent the manufacturer and the .dxf they sent back). I tried to export my own design as a .dxf and for some reason fusion 360 says it can't open it... so I've shared a .dwg of my model (please ignore the veneer skeleton from the CAD model; they have asked me to delete those as well and that is easy enough for me to do). 

EDIT: The manufacturer's .dxf file wont attach to this post, fusion says: 

Correct the highlighted errors and try again.

• The attachment's manufactuer_edit.dxf content type (application/x-dxf) does not match its file extension and has been removed.

The problem is that, following Fusion360 best practices, I did not pattern my sketches in my CAD models. Instead, I made the minimum number of sketch components and then patterned the resulting features/bodies I made from the sketches. Because I didn't sketch each hole, I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to get them the files the need the way they want it. 

Do you think you could help me understand:

1. Why does the manufacturer need the file this way  (I can create tool paths etc. in Fusion 360 no problem without the bodies/features sketched; they are using Mastercam if that helps at all)

2. Can you see any way that I can accomplish what the manufacturer needs?

Thanks for your help in advance!

[johnswetz1982]

Your kind of mixing apples and oranges. You have a *.dwg attached but mention a *.dxf. Which is it that your manufacturer needs?

In your dwg you have items that are blocks. Once [Burst]ed they are a smaller set of blocks. Once [Burst]ed again they are  3D solids.

I think you would just want closed [Plines] for what you need. In addation you would also want the [Point] data type at the center of your holes and on a different level based on your posting.

Once you send that or export that to the appropriate *.dxfs that is propably what your manufacturer wants.

[terrynicholasj]

Hello John, 

Thanks for the reply. 

I send my manufacturer .dwg files and he sends me .dxf back. Because he uses Mastercam I imagine he is just converting my .dwg files into .dfx so he can read them? I'm not sure.

I've attached my .STEP layout just to clarify what i'm doing in case there is some problem. There should be 3 components in the .step:

1. 3/4" Melamine 

2. 3/4" Melamine

3. Modern_Shelf_SHALLOW_NARROW_Model

The first two are the stock, and the third are the bodies that I've laid out into the stock. I simply took this .step file and exported it as a .dwg. I don't really know what you are talking about when yo say [Burst]ed blocks, my apologies. 

Additionally, I roughly understand what you are saying about [Plines] (which I take to mean polylines?) and the [Point] data type, but I have no idea how to incorporate this information into my .step files or the export (whether it be .dwg or .dxf). Could you advise?

As a final concern, the "Modern Shelf_SHALLOW_NARROW_Model" is actually an "insert into current design" component, with the original model as a separate file (the "Model" is what it looks like when assembled and how I designed it, then I create a "Layout" where I insert the "Model" and I use joints to attach the components to the stock).   In the parent model, I have veneer components, and then in the layout file (the one i've attached here), there is no veneer (I deleted them). However, when I'm exporting the layout as a .dwg  and then open it in Fusion360 I can actually see that the veneer is in the .dwg. This is a seperate issue but I figured I would add it here....

Thanks John and anyone else, my apologies if my newness to this is showing... 

[terrynicholasj]

In case it helps, here is the .dwg I am exporting again and the .dxf the manufacturer sent to me (I figured out how to attach it I think)

[terrynicholasj]

I would also be happy to record a screencast with audio if that makes it easier. 

[johnswetz1982]

My first question is to be if you are sending or exporting to a *dwg, do you have AutoCAD? Secondly are you just picking file>export?

I think a better work flow may be to create a sheet from you 3d model. This will generate a 2D file that can then be sent along to your manufacturer. 

The commands in [] were the name of the AutoCAD command or data type if you were unfamiliar with them. 

[terrynicholasj]

Hello John, 

I see.

Answer to first question:

I didn't realize .dwg was the standard for Autocad. No, I am exclusively using Fusion360.

Answer to second question:

Yes

What is the best way to generate a sheet from my 3D model? 

Thanks!

[terrynicholasj]

Are you referring to the sheet metal features? I've been thinking of using those considering all of my designs fit on flat stock, but I wasn't sure as I haven't worked much in it yet...

[johnswetz1982 · Accepted solution]

I mean drawing sheets.

You would be limited with that because you would want to put out a 1:1 drawing would would be too large for the default sized sheets. Not sure if you could make custom sizes.

What you need to do is create a sketch with all features like the part would actually have and right click that sketch and pick [Save as a DXF]. You could try to place points in the center of circles or you could  sketch crosshairs. That may be acceptable for your manufacturer. 

This way when you export the sketch it is 2d and you are not exporting 3D solids.

[daniel_lyall]

They will want the file in a state where they can quickly do the cam and that is all, they will use the layers for the different tool paths it will just be the way they do it, what you can do is lay all the parts out as a nest then get sketches of the different operations in different sketches and export each sketch out as a .dxf

[terrynicholasj]

Daniel,

Wow thanks that's a great solution. John, thanks for your help as well.

One last question if I may? When I'm sketching the holes, (e.g. I have a
series of 5mm holes that are either 12.5mm deep or bore through the whole
material) should I sketch the holes on the surface of the material? Or at
the bottom of the hole? Or does it not matter and instead I should be
making all of my sketches on the surfaceof the stock and sketch each unique
feature and specify the depths to the manufactur e.g. A sketch for the 5mm
holes that are 12.5 mm deep and a sketch for the 5mm holes that bore
through the whole material?

Thanks!

[daniel_lyall]

You need to have all the sketches on the same level or where they are, ask the manufacture where they wonts the sketches positioned it would ever be the same plane or the bottom of the hole/feature.

But they can use a solid in Mastercam so buggered If I would know why the just want a .dxf or .dwg.

[terrynicholasj]

Hello Daniel, 

I've taken a stab at this. I've created the sketches and am happy with the results. However, I still have two problems I was hoping to get help with:

1. When I export as a .dwg, there is veneer/edgebanding showing up that I've deleted from the file. Because the parent component exists as a link in a different file I think that somehow that is coming through? I guess I could always make a copy of it with the veneer and then delete the veneer in the linked parent component, but thought there might be a cleaner way. 

2. More importantly, I can't quite figure out how to export as a .dxf properly. When I export as .dxf and then try to open it in Fusion 360 (using the "Insert" command in a blank document) I will either give me an error that it failed to load, or give me an error about units. Even when it does upload, I can see only one sketch on the bar on the left, but can't actually see any objects or anything in the window. I want to make sure my document shows up right. Is there a way to export all 5 of my sketches as .dxf files instead of each one as a separate file? 

Thanks in advance, here is a link to my layout model https://a360.co/2BCUH65

[daniel_lyall · Accepted solution]

I exported the sketch as a .dxf and loaded the .dxf up in Mastercam it was fine.

[terrynicholasj]

Daniel, 

You're a beauty. You as well John. Thanks guys! 

[daniel_lyall]

I had sketches on different levels and they where all in different places, it could be me just not really knowing Mcad very well, I am going to retest with all on the same level one thing that will help the manufacture have the depth of cut in the naming of the .dxf so then they know the depths of all layers.

All sketches on the same plane it is fine.

[terrynicholasj]

Daniel, 

Thanks. I had each of the sketches for the different features labelled with their diameter and their depth, not sure if you can see that. Let me know if I can help.