Changes in Fusion 360: Problem with generating paths for CNC
fusion360autodesk

Changes in Fusion 360: Problem with generating paths for CNC

At the beginning of October 2020, in Fusion 360 software have been introduced a few changes.
The program, which is used by many people to model and generate files for 3D printers, CNC milling machines and plotters, has been offering fewer functions for several days.
The changes mainly affect users of the free versions - and as we know this is a large group.

We will not write in this article about all the changes which have occurred in the Fusion 360 program, because several valuable articles or videos have already been created..
In this short article, we will focus on the topic of generating files for CNC devices - because there have been introduced minor changes.

Users who have been used the free version of Fusion 360 so far were able to tear their hair out earlier this month.

"My milling machine is not working!”, "The G-CODE generated by Fusion 360 is buggy!" "How do I fix fusion 360 to generate files for the CNC milling machine?"

These are just a few slogans that could be heard from users of CNC machines. Autodesk made a slight change that made it a bit of a chore to work with the CNC machines for which Fusion 360 generated files.

How can I "fix" Fusion 360 and generate the correct files for my CNC milling machine?

At the outset, it is worth to say that Fusion 360 is a really valuable tool that is intuitive, has many functions and gives the user enormous possibilities.
Currently, it is possible to download the software in a test version, for hobby users and for personal use.
In these versions, the software is free, but "stripped down" of a few features.
If you are a user who uses Fusion 360 for a profit or want to use the full version of the software, we encourage you to purchase a license.
Currently, the promotional price is about $ 300 a year (regular price is about $ 495 / year) and people who have used fusion 360 for some time will probably know, that it is a small cost for the possibilities offered by this software.

The version description and the price list can be found at: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/pricing

fusion 360 screen

 

However, if for some reason you cannot buy the full and paid version and you have used Fusion 360 to work on a CNC milling machine, nothing is lost!

 

I have loaded the file / G-CODE from Fusion and the CNC milling machine is not working! Why is that?

Let's start from the beginning.
We created our model for a milling machine, plasma or laser plotter, then generated the setup, created the paths, and save the file using the appropriate Post Processor.
We load the file into our software, set up the machine, click "RUN JOB" and…. the machine stands still without any movement!

model for a milling machine / plasma / laser plotter
generated setup

 

The problem is with the code that was generated!

Most people know that the file generated by Fusion 360 as * .gcode or * .nc is a text file, that contains paths for our machine.
Fusion 360 has treated its users with an additional record, which in the case of some controllers "blocks" the reading of the line and as a result our CNC machine does not make any movement.
To "fix" a file for the milling machine, you should generate the file in Fusion 360 as we have done so far, and then open the file, for example in a notebook.

When you open the file, you will see a path but also a line with the record that blocks the program.
This information is written in parentheses and look as below:

“(When using Fusion 360 for Personal Use, the feedrate of ) (rapid moves is reduced to match the feedrate of cutting ) (moves, which can increase machining time. Unrestricted ) (rapid moves are available with a Fusion 360 Subscription. ) “

Fusion 360 g-code problem


So, what should be done? - delete the added lines (information in parentheses and the parentheses signs) and after that save the file.
Now we can reload it back into our OpenBuilds Control software and our unit should do the work saved in the file!

Remember that the entries in brackets are not just at the beginning of the file! If our program consisted of several different steps, text was added before each step that could stop the movement of our machine's axes. Therefore, you should check the entire file and delete any unnecessary record.

 

We hope this article will help you and allows you to continue working with your machines!


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