Hi guys I am attempting to use Fusion 360 as my CAD/CAM program for the first time and could use some help in setting up the machine profile. If anyone has a profile for the Lead 1010 that is already working and could share that would be awesome. Or if you could just help me fill this in properly that would be great. See screenshots for information needed. I know some of it is obvious but just want to make sure i have it right. Also if anyone happens to have any advice or other settings issues they came across using fusion with the openbuilds lead 1010 please fell free to share. As of now i have been using easel with good results but i am not a fan of the tool paths it produces so fusion is up. Thank you Jeremy
In case you aren't aware, machine profiles are unnecceary. They are info only. The post processor doesnt use them except to have a nice comment showing what machine it is. It doesnt use it for any toolpath calculations. Also, in case you dont know, use the ob fusion post: Fusion 360: grbl post processor install (the easy way)
Well Crap sorry about the wasted post then haha i tried searching couldnt find anyone talking about the profile, guess that makes sense lol. I assumed it would take this information as it post processes. Thank you for the link and the quick reply, I am going to follow those instructions and try that out right now. I am going to attempt with the easel post processor as well and test them both out. Thank you!
@sharmstr few more possible dumb questions. Where do the machine parameters come from then as far as rapid move/max feed rates etc, do they come from the Openbuilds control or easel control then or injected when post processed? If during post process do i need to change settings to make it specific to the Lead 1010. Lastly, how does it handle tool changes looks like in the preview it doesn't stop just keeps carving through different tools, is there a box i needed to check or will it stop during the cut, just want to know what to expect when it begins. thanks
So, I'm assuming you are using a grbl based controller. No tool changes. You need a separate gcode file for every tool change. I've modified the swarfer post to make it easier to handle tool changes. It will auto create a new file for every tool change for you so you only need to post once. Its probably time to get it merged with the swarfer post, but in the meantime, its here: sharmstr/GRBL-Post-Processor Regardless of who's post you use, make sure you read and understand the post properties so you wont be surprised where the machine moves after job completion. If you hover your mouse over them, they should explain what they are for. At least that's the case with my post. You set up your speeds and feeds for each operation. Fusion doesnt care what machine you are using. Its up to you set each op up correctly. So, if your part is bigger than your machine, you are responsible for containing toolpaths. If you dont fusion will generate a toolpath to cut the entire part. I assumed you used fusion cam before, but sounds like you havent. You should probably watch some CAM videos from NYC CNC and Lars Christensen first. Hit us up with any issues you run into.
Thank you, yes grbI am using the BlackBox Controller and a bone stock Lead 1010 with Dewalt 611. That makes sense with the tool changes thanks for the explanation. I am not new to modeling or design and have extensive knowledge with CAD and 3d printing, just newish to CNC and the Cam side of fusion. I have been watching NYC videos that is actually what i used to setup this test file I am post processing today. So speeds and feeds come from the individual operation tool settings it sounds like. Makes complete sense about how fusion doesnt care what size the machine is, it will let me CAM something 10' long without any issues until i go to machine thanks for the heads up. I am going to go through Lars videos today see what i can gleem from him as well. I am feeling pretty comfortable with my settings and operations just trying to understand how it goes from fusion to actual cutting. I like to have a good understanding and be comfortable with the operation before hand rather than spray and pray, bits are to expensive for that. Thank you again for your help i'll give it a shot
Also I see you have a post processor for easel in your download package, I can use that for post process to easel? Easel has one they offer from their site but would rather stick to yours if it is useable. Thanks
Sounds like you are on the right track. Everything I've learned I've learn from NYC CNC. Do yourself a favor and learn about your tool library and toolpath templates. It will save you massive amounts of time and you wont have to think about your speeds and feeds anymore. You just apply your operation template to your model, adjust your geometry and go. I cant speak to the easel post. It was in the swarfer repo so it got copied to mine when I cloned it. Not even sure why its there in the first place.
Thanks for the tips, funny you say that as i am working on tool templates today! sounds like a must have for ease of use thanks. haha okay i will use the post that comes from easel if i go that route, but in the meantime i am going to get going with yours seems well thought out. Thank you for the help i may be hitting you up again very soon
Actually one more quick question, and ill leave you be haha, since you have done a lot with NYC, do you think going the paid route with their lessons is worth it for what im trying to do? or are the free videos they offer cover the cam basics needed? Thanks again
Good question. I'm not really familiar with the paid videos since that came after I learned everything. However, I do pay him $100/yr for the website access though I never use it. I just like to give back to him since he gives so much to the community. I learned on a tormach cutting steel and aluminum which is his focus, so obviously becareful of using his speeds and feeds on your router. Basically ignore the speeds and feeds and focus on strategy. I believe you can learn all of that on his youtube channel.
Thanks, that was exactly my thoughts on it, would be an awesome deal if i had a tormach to be able to utilize the templates to download but i dont believe they will do much for me and i will still need to recreate all my own templates specific to my machine. I agree with giving back and usually try to contribute if possible, i will stick to the youtube videos for now, maybe he has a link to a patreon i can but him a coffee or something. Thanks again!
Im sure there is a simple thing im doing wrong to get this error, have you come across this when i try to post process. thanks again for any help
The error message says "Using same tool number for different cutter geometry". That means you have two different size tools using the same tool number. You cant have that. 2 reasons for that. 1 - with bigger cnc's you usually have your tool length set up so you need different tool numbers so your machine can calculate where Z0 is. On our machines, you have to reset Z0 with every tool change so this really doesnt apply to us. 2- Without the different tool numbers, my post will create a single file and not split your tool changes into separate files. I probably dont have to explain why that is bad That's the reason I added that cutter geometry check to the post.
Thanks, so again sorry for the n00b crap but where exactly do i change the tool number here. I am just using the amana fusion library i imported. where do i change the tool number? is it the #1 next to the tool in the second image that is the tool numbering location?....if so how do i change that. Again thank you for the help you are saving me a ton of time, trying to figure this out. Your always more than welcome to just tell me to google it if you dont have time lol
@sharms Okay i got it to work not sure if i went about it the right way. All my tools were numbered as tool #1. I right clicked on the individual tool in the setup under each operation and manually changed them to a different tool number. I dont think this was the correct way to do it but it was definitely a work around. Is there a better way to have these tools number themselves sequencially as the operations are created?
Maybe this is the proper way to just renumber them all at once just before you post process? I would think it would number them as they are added
Any shop that uses ATC's MUST have tool numbers. We don't have them though, so what do we do with the tool numbers? I used them to distinguish tool types. Drills are one type, roughers are another, and so on. The other option is to just leave them all labeled 0. I'd suggest making your own tool library with the tools you actually have. Don't use "similar" tools that are already there.
Watch some videos on the subject.. They will deep dive it more than I will do here. Buy some tools. Research speeds and feeds for the type of material you'll be using. Create libraries by material type. Create them in the Cloud library so its available wherever you sign in. Once you have one library for say, MDF, you can copy those tools into a new library when you switch material. Spend a few minutes adjusting the speeds and feeds for that material. Everything else like geometry and tool number will stay the same. Number them whatever you want. As Kevon said, there are some **** people who like to organize them buy type. I sort of do that for the 50+ tools for my Tormach, but at this point, I just know what they are. For the router, I only have about 10 so its even easier. Now that you have that set, you can assign tools to your ops from the appropriate tool library and your speeds will be close to what you need. You may have to adjust for the type of operation. That's where operation templates come in handy. When you assign a tool from one of your libraries to an op, it will show up in your Documents section. Any adjustments you make to speeds and feeds for the op will only change it in the document, not your main library. When you first set up a tool that you're not familiar with, odds are that you wont get the speeds and feeds exactly right. You wont know for sure until you start cutting. So, remember to save those adjustment to your main library (or to the material library) so it will be set when you assign that tool to a new document. Dont get confused if your document list the same tool several times. It will do this if you have multiple ops using the same tool but with different feeds and speeds. Dont do what Kevon said and keep them all 0. You'll have to change them like you did in order for the post to work correctly. As far as how you renumbered, what you did is fine, but you wont have to do that if you set up your tools in the libraries first. Also, I never buy tools from the same place. Do yourself a favor and and utilize the vendor, part number and link to buy info when you set up the tool. Its super easy to forget that stuff.
@Kevon Ritter thanks for the info, actually the amana tools are tools that i have, i work for a big general contractor and they bought me some nice bits in exchange for some work i did for them with the cnc. But i do need to set them up in my own library list instead of the big amana tool list. @sharmstr thanks you, I will work today on getting my own tool library setup with what i have, i have invested some time in speeds and feeds and started to get that down pretty well. That is a good tip about the differences between the tool document section and the library i was wondering why i kept turning off coolant but then when i would do another operation it would be defaulted on again i need to change it in the library not just my document! Ill make sure i put the vendor in when i set these up, usually amazon or toolstoday haha
@Kevon Ritter @sharmstr Thanks guys got my personal tool library setup and numbered now ready to go. Ill give this another go today, @sharmstr i did do a test post process after i got the tools numbered appropriately and there were no errors thanks for the help. Next step is to finalize my tool paths and cross my fingers and fire up the Lead. Thanks again guys!
Good luck. Also, I welcome any feedback on the post. Since it hasnt been merged into the swarfer post yet, I havent documented all the post properties, except for when you hover your mouse over them. @David the swarfer, maybe we should get this merged.
@sharmstr Sounds good I will let you know if i come across anything, as much as my questions make me sound like a n00b lol, I have been pretty deep into 3d printing and post processing and design for the last few years so my suggestions "might' be useful if i have any. Just so I am clear when you say the, post properties, when you hover over them with the mouse you are talking about the "property" section in the image below correct?
Yes. Most of them are informational like the speed dial one. It will look at your programmed speed and tell you what to set your dial to. The ones that are potentially dangerous if you dont understand them are the Use MCS at the end, machineHomeX, machineHomeY, machineHomeZ
Tried looking through the documentation on your post package but couldn't see any info. Think you could give a quick over view of how the HomeX HomeY HomeZ and MCS should be set. Also should i adjust any of the Built-In settings? -PreSet- Circle Rad=1000/ Min Chord=0.25/ min circ radius=0.125/ tolerance=0.01.........i noticed in your setting home locatiion image in the zip package the settings are a little different....-PreSet- Circle Rad=1000/ Min Chord=0.01/ min circ radius=0.01/ tolerance=0.005 Should i match those settings? For some reason my machine is moving z axis up until it hits the end stop and causes an alarm killing the job before the spindle even begins. I am assuming this is because of my tool path start up procedure but let me know if its something from the post process. Currently combing through my gcode to finnd the culpret. Thank you!
