Need help with 2d CNC function

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone 

Please bear with me whilst I try my best to explain (Relatively new to fusion)

I have imported my design as an SVG into fusion but am having issues when it comes to the manufacturing part. My design is a text that I’d like to CNC from acrylic and I need the text to be 6mm wide so I can put some led strip lights into the channels. 

what is the best way to achieve this? I can’t select a 6mm tool as the design is 5.2-5.8mm wide. Ideally I need a single tool path through the centre of the text but using a 5mm tool doesn’t do this as it’s 5.8mm in places.  I’ve spent many many hours trying to work out how and before my pc goes out the window, I thought I’d ask here!

any guidance would be gratefully received 😊

lauren 

[Anonymous]

I've attached the file below for anyone who can help me 

TIA

Lauren 

[engineguy]

@Anonymous 

You will need a "Single Line Text" to do what you are asking, however to create 6mm wide slot that you can fit the LEDs into then you will need to use a 6mm cutter, not possible to get a varying width slot in your model to give you a perfect 6mm slot.

It is possible with a fair bit of work to create a single line using Sketch that is pretty much in the centre of your model slot by using a combination of Lines, Arcs, Splines, Conical Curves etc.

I have done a small part of your model this way as an example, see image below and the attached file, best I can come up with for now, apologies.

Image-1 Sketch

The Sketch above gives you the toolpath below using Trace

The toolpath above using Trace and a 6mm cutter gives you the 6mm wide slot shown below

Hope that is of some small assistance, I have no doubt that I will have missed a much simpler method of doing what is required but for now this all my old brain has produced, if you can find a way to create a centre line in the original software used to create the file then that would be easiest 🙂 🙂 🙂

Stay Safe

Regards

Rob

[Stuart-H]

Why not post the trace code from fusion but tel it to use a 5.8mm cutter 

then just put a 6 mm cutter in the machine ok it’s a quick and dirty way but it should be ok but the text will slightly longer

[Anonymous]

Thanks @engineguy That was my next thing to try, but it’s going to be very time consuming so was hoping the was a quicker and easier way. 

I could probably create it into a single line font easier in illustrator and then upload the svg like I had done in the example I sent. I’ll give it a go! 

thanks for your guidance so far, it’s hugely appreciated 😊

lauren

[Anonymous]

@Stuart-HWhat do you mean trace code? I’m quite new with these terms! 

[engineguy]

@Stuart-H 

Tried that, unfortunately because the shape varies in width and the trace follows the shape in some areas it would create a slot that is much wider than the 6mm required for fitting the LEDs.

Running a 6mm cutter on a centre line will give an exact 6mm wide slot seems to me to be the only way to get a uniform 6mm slot 🙂 🙂 🙂

Stay Safe

Regards

Rob

[engineguy]

@Anonymous 

If you can go back to Illustrator and create a "Single Line" type Font that is the shape you want then that would definitely be the best/quickest way forward, doing what I did was the only way with the software I have available 🙂 🙂

You could then just follow the line for a quick and easy toolpath 🙂

Stay Safe

Regards

Rob