If You're New To Fusion CAM, Try This...

[mike.mattera]

If You're New To Fusion CAM, you might want to take a look at these new tutorials from the Learning Experience (LX) team.

Introduction To 2D Machining (Milling).

http://fusion360.autodesk.com/learning/learning.html?guid=GUID-FEFD4AFD-C53D-4411-85C0-62053B2FD105

This is a process based lesson plan that takes you from the beginning to the end of programming a complete part. While you can jump to a specific lesson for quick information, it's advised that you go thru the entire series, from beginning to end.

Each step/page of the lesson process is fully documented and includes video instruction.

Also, looking for feedback. Tell me what you think of these types of lessons.

[LibertyMachine]

I've not looked at a lot of the content yet, but what is the copyright date on the information presented? I know that in the past, a lot of the data was good, but it was out of date and workflows have changed while the educational videos have not, leading people to have doubts about the integrity of the info.

If the info is recent, than I think this is valuable information and really needs to be stickied. I also think these files deserve greater visibility, not buried in a menu or several webpages in. Maybe a tab on the UI or even better, embedded links in each CAM operation menu. There could be a "?" icon that would take you to the relevant web page that speaks about that function

[matthew.nichols]

this looks great Mike!

[mike.mattera]

This is new content. You have a valid suggestion about bring pertinent content to the "top" level of access.

Any new user will benefit from these lessons. But any user will probably find a few useful tid bits. Because... You dont know, what you dont know.

[LibertyMachine]

@brianrepp any chance we can get this to be a sticky at the top of the CAM forum?

[brianrepp]

@LibertyMachine Done!  Thx for the suggestion.

[Steinwerks]

@mike.mattera

Hey Mike, I've been watching all the videos and it's all quite good, addressing lots of issues we see here on the forum frequently.

I did notice however that the video for 'Reusing The Pocket Toolpath' is missing.

[mike.mattera]

@Steinworks  - Good Catch.  I just noticed that on Thursday. Not sure how I missed 1 complete page/process from the lesson. But I was also wondering how long it would take someone to catch it. 🙂

Glad you like what's there. I'll get that other page added as soon as I can. Although it's does make for a nice test. Nothing exotic happening with reusing the Pocket toolpath. Anyone paying attention to the rest of the lessons should be able to figure out the next steps. But I will be completing the lessons plan with this additional page.

Funny thing is... I did the video, just didn't have any place to put it.

[Anonymous]

Wow, Very nice! I learned things about setting default parameters for adaptive clearing that I never knew existed... develop this more!

Great job.

[Kroete1]

That is awesome and exactly what I was looking for! Thank you.

It would be great to see more detailed tutorials like this in the future.

[Cayenne9]

YEA! WHAT ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cayenne9]

When are you going to ANSWER Mike Mattera's post???????  

If you people are going to provide instructions for an eternally BETA product that is a never ending moving target you need to update any and all reference, instructions, guides, tutorials, help files, etc., etc., etc., that you scatter all over the place ( You know, your BS attempt to make a complex product easy, and user friendly) IF YOU MAKE ONE SINGLE UPDATE/CHANGE NO MATTER HOW SMALL!!!!!

All you do is confuse the *BLEEP* out of your intelligent users (You know, The ones who understand, comprehend, and accept the fact that any cad/cam packages are comprehensive, complex, dynamic, require study, require practice, and require PATIENCE)!!!!!

[LibertyMachine]

To whom are you directing your frustration?

This product has come quite a distance from where it was even as short as 6 months ago. I know there are some that still view this as a beta product, but I've run established software that is as (or more) finicky as Fusion. Is there more to go? Absolutely. Does the team know this? You bet they do. Will it get there? Absolutely.

Now, what is it with the reference material you are struggling with? Having gone through a good deal of the material, it's great stuff. It's illogical to expect a complete revamp every time the software receives an update. The rate of growth in the software is large enough where that would not be an adequate use of personnel resources. Of course, if the data is a year or more old, than it becomes almost irrelevant info. That is not the case for the most part..

[Cayenne9]

It becomes irrelevant the minute it becomes inaccurate.

Yall are the ones who came up with the bright idea to post instructions all
over the net before your product even meets the simple guidelines for what
constitute a beta product.

Typical corporate bureaucracy that fails to impose/mandate policy and
procedures that require an update of (obvious) functionality to also
include updating ANY related help files that were prematurely published
(pre-beta guidelines) in the name of what? user friendliness? helpfulness?

Yalls "super user friendliness" and pretending your fixing something that
some user reported but is very obviously intended functionality that never
made it in the alpha release is WHY this product is perceived as a toy.

[mike.mattera]

@Cayenne9 Software is constantly improving. I like to think that if a function solves a problem for 9 out of 10 people, that we did good. Especially since we also care about the 10th person to find out how we can solve his/her problem too. That being said, is there a problem with the tutorial shown in the above link that we need to address? I dont know of anything significant that has changed since those lessons were produced. But I'm eager to hear what you've found.

[Cayenne9]

When are you going to ANSWER Mike Mattera's post???????  <------oops, I meant LibertyMachine please read that post...

[mike.mattera]

I'm sorry, but I have no idea what post you're referring to.

[LibertyMachine]

@mike.mattera based on the fact that he/she gave a kudos to post #2 where I asked  "but what is the copyright date on the information presented?" I would suggest looking there.

That being said, @Cayenne9 if you had read a little further down the post, you would have seen that Mike actually HAD answered that question on post #4 by saying "This is new content". That post was in September. This is still new content. No, it does not all become irrelevant if one little thing changes. Heck, you can't even get a Solidworks manual without a bunch of stuff being out of date.

[Cayenne9]

Is this software RTM? if so where is the accurate instructions / user manual?

If NOT why haven't Autodesk clearly labeled it as beta and solicit beta testers ?

Why do you keep wasting peoples time by misleading them into thinking this is a finished product?

I'm guessing that the majority of users are Windows users. Is no-one at Autodesk aware of what the F1 key does in the windows environment? No developer has to use this built-in help system, but if they don't they should provide a shortcut/avenue to INSTRUCTIONS that explain how to properly use the current iteration of a given function/command.

Who came up with this "unique" way of using customers as unpaid-ed beta testers (without telling them that this is what you are USING them for)? Are you at liberty to tell me the persons name? I'm extremely interested in this new way Autodesk is releasing software products. It has to be someone in the ranks of Steave Jobs, Bill Gates, Sundar Pichai, Jeff Bezos, please, I want to follow this person on Tweeter!

[mike.mattera]

Well @Cayenne9, we certainly are the inquisitive one today! So many questions. Let me try to answer as best I can.

I live in a world of acronyms here at Autodesk (adsk)  , but I'll take a stab and say the RTM you refer to is Release To Manufacturing. Autodesk is doing something here that is unlike anything ever done before in the CadCam industry, especially from a major CadCam developer. RTM is not an term we use in our cycle (we dont manufacture/distribute disks). But we do run a tight development cycle that allows us to respond quicker than almost any other CadCam software company, to problems (when they arise). ALL software, from EVERY software company, is NEVER finished. If you want to be significant in any market, it will always require continuous change and improvement. Our goal is to provide everyone access to engineering level software whether you have a 3D printer in your bedroom, or run a fortune 500 company.

I have been involved with CadCam software development for 25 years. I cant tell you how many times a customer has asked if the software was available for a Mac. The answer has ALWAYS been a resounding "NO". Autodesk is the first company to develop and engineering class CadCam product that will run on both the Win and Mac environments. The point of what we do, is to create something that you can access at work (Win) or at home (Mac) with no differences to how interact with the environment. The Mac does not have Function keys. Therefore, we dont use function keys in our product.

Now I'm going to make a list of companies who have spent millions of $ developing high level engineering CadCam software applications and given it away for free.

1) Autodesk.

Assuming you're an educator, company, or person making less than $100K/year with our product, please enjoy the free use of our software and the open access to our training material. We hope you make something cool, innovative and exciting with it.

We at Autodesk pay close attention to the needs and requests of our customers (yes, we even consider the people who use our software for free "customers"). If you actually had a question about using the software, we would be happy to respond to your needs will all the resources we have available. As much as I would like to solve your issue and provide you with a good Fusion experience, we also believe in "Free Will"  and persons right to choose. Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions you have in using the Fusion software. My associates, our friends on the forum and myself, all look forward to helping you solve your design or manufacturing problem.

Thanks for your feedback and consideration.