using Fusion 360

[Mike Windsor]

I have Fusion 360 and use it for designing parametric furniture and other things . At the moment I cant figure out how to set up my shopbot in the machining module , so I export a .dxf and create the toolpaths in Aspire . Sometimes the vectors come through as un joined curves were you dont want them broken. This takes a lot of fiddling with the imports in Aspire to make them cut correctly . It would be nice to be able to use the machining module in 360 to create the toolpaths . There is a drop down list in 360 of hundreds of machines , but Shopbot isn't one of them . Has anybody used Fusion 360 to creat Shopbot toolpaths ?

[srwtlc]

If you know JavaScript, you could edit or create one. You could try one of the basic G-code posts and see how it works (SB3 will run the basic G-code commands), but YMMV....greatly. SB HQ should really make one for it.

[Mike Windsor]

If you know JavaScript, you could edit or create one. You could try one of the basic G-code posts and see how it works (SB3 will run the basic G-code commands), but YMMV....greatly. SB HQ should really make one for it.

I would have though that Shopbot would have done this as well . Especially since they used to include it with the tool. Unfortunately I dont know anything about Javascript

[gergistheword]

I use Fusion 360 to post to my shopbot buddy all the time. There is a post in the Fusion 360 Library called "ShopBot OpenSBP".

From the post screen in Fusion, click the "Post" dropdown and "Choose from Library". Click "Fusion 360 Library" and you should find it there.

Cheers,
Greg

[coryatjohn]

I would have though that Shopbot would have done this as well . Especially since they used to include it with the tool. Unfortunately I dont know anything about Javascript

I don't believe SB ever included Fusion 360 with their machines. Fusion 360 was first released in 2013. I got my machine in 2013 and the product included was a short version of Aspire. I can't remember exactly what it was called but I upgraded to the full Aspire shortly after purchasing the machine.

I find Fusion 360 to be quite excellent for designing 3D printables and other things. I find it difficult to use with SB so I do the export DXF method which really is pathetic. I find using Aspire with SB to be more intuitive, faster, and produce the results I want so I abandoned Fusion 360 for use with the SB except with the DXF export. Now that I've upgraded my control system to Acorn, I'm probably going to take a look at it again.

[srwtlc]

Greg is right, there are 3 post for SB there, just checked. I've never had need for machining a file from Fusion with my SB, but have posted a few for UCCNC and Centroid Acorn.

[etc6849]

I'm a newbie, but I've only used Fusion 360 (free version) with a used ShopBot I picked up. I created a deck and spoilboard with a grid, and have also done some engraving. Fusion 360 has a ton of tutorials on YouTube and other places. I just watched 8-10 videos on YouTube to learn. You don't pick a machine, but select ShopBot OpenSBP in the post library. Fusion 360 is really a pleasure to work with, and you can define your parts using variables that can be changed after the fact.

I do wish ShopBot would model some machines like mine (it's a 5 axis PRS Alpha), but this really isn't needed for 2.5 milling. My understanding is you need a machine model to check for collisions in the toolpath for complex toolpaths (i.e. 5 axis, etc...). Once I get more familiar with things, I'm going to try using all 5 axis, and will have to use Fusion 360 as VCarve Pro doesn't even do 5 axis toolpaths.

[bill.young]

I am not by any means a Fusion or 5-axis pro, but my understanding is that currently anything over 3 axis requires a paid subscription for Fusion. The regular paid subscription lets you do 3+2 machining for 5-axis which is fine for a lot of people, but for full simultaneous 5 axis you need their manufacturing extension.

[Mike Windsor]

Where I find Fusion really usefull is with cutting plywood parts . The thickness can vary a lot with plywood , so it's nice to use the thicknes as a parameter in the design . This makes it very easy to update the files with different plywood .

[srwtlc]

One other thing to note, the "free" version of Fusion does not output rapid (jog) feedrates, just the cutting feedrates.