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adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

If you were attempting to use the Fusion 360 sheet metal tool to do this, then you would need to create a solid model of the box first. I don't know which method you were attempting to use from the video, but let me know if you want to see the solid model method and I will show you that as well. With either method, creating the cut paths and post processing will be the same. The difference is how you create the flat profile to cut.
David
big496
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Re: Hello

Post by big496 »

I appreciate you going above and beyond like that. I have gotten as far as the manufacturing tab and setting up for the tooling. I was not aware of the simulation and post process you have shown. Thank you for that. I was trying to do that in the sheet metal tab as you mentioned. I'm trying to figure out how to draw parts up and perform the bends so I can see the 3D model of what I am making. I did muddle through and get the desired effect with the flange tool, but that's not really what I was after? I'm going to continue the video series you shared I can actually follow him!

I know this sounds unproductive and wasteful, but when I'm making something with bends, I'll cut it out of some 18-20g material to A: test the file B: check my design/bends etc. I am hoping that using CAD it adds the K factor so when I make the final product on something thicker, things are correct. I'm not afraid of mistakes but with the cost of steel these days, it can get expensive quick. It may not seem like much for you since you know what you are doing, but it's still your time. It's appreciated and I thank you for it.
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acourtjester
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Re: Hello

Post by acourtjester »

Please do not think you are going on an unproductive wasteful path, any time you learn is a plus, :Like mistakes are part of learning too. We all have had our bouts with frustration, so we understand where you are at. David had given his time and shown many of the tools that Fusion 360 had, I have poked the bear a few time but shied away from it because it is very powerful. Like many thing you need to crawl before you walk then run, it does take time. If you like Fusion stick with it there are many great tutorials for you to see, it is better to stick with one and not bounce around. :Yay
Try to find a simpler program to use, later you can graduate to a more powerful one.
AS for drawing a line and it then disappearing some software can be drawn with many layers and only display one at a time as they can be turned on or off (not be seen). They should have a way to see how many layers you may have drawn if more than one other may be turned off.
Yes some YouTube videos can be a bust but that comes along with the great ones, I hate the follow the moving arrow no sound ones myself. :HaHa :HaHa :Sad
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adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

big496 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 8:54 am I'm trying to figure out how to draw parts up and perform the bends so I can see the 3D model of what I am making. I did muddle through and get the desired effect with the flange tool, but that's not really what I was after? I'm going to continue the video series you shared I can actually follow him!

The thing here is that I think you need to draw up the part as a 3D model, and then use the sheet metal tool to convert to the actual layout for cutting and bending up. I don't know of any provision in Fusion 360 to reverse the order such that you first do the layout, then it bends it up for you to see a 3D model. I will take a look later this evening.

On another note, instead of cutting from thin sheet metal first (as proof of concept), you might consider installing a sharpie pen holder to your torch and drawing (instead of cutting) on a piece of thing cardboard or poster board. Then just cut it out with scissors and fold it up to check it out. This will save the cost of the sheet metal and I think provide the same end result for your prototyping.

David
adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

One of the great benefits (and convenience) to using a parametric modeling program like Fusion 360, Solid Works, etc. it the Timeline Function. This allows you to "rewind" back to your original sketch, make changes to dimensions, add features, etc. and then "fast forward" back to implement the changes without having to redo the entire model and repeat all the previous steps (extrude, flange, etc.).

So this makes it easy to create a single box, then quickly edit to change dimensions and produce a new flat pattern - without all the work of creating a complete new model for every different size box. This could be quite useful if you make lots of boxes with your plasma table. Here is an example.
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 1.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 2.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 3.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 4.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 5.jpg
Last edited by adbuch on Sat May 21, 2022 1:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 6.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 7.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 8.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 10.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 9.jpg
adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

The bend lines could be scribed before cutting using the EasyScriber or equivalent.
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 11.jpg
Fusion 360 Sheet Metal Box - 12.jpg
adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

By the way, here is the dxf file containing both sheet metal box flat patterns exported from my Fusion 360 example above.
David
Fusion 360 boxes flat patterns.dxf
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adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

Here is more information on the Fusion 360 Timeline Function.
https://collaborate.canadabay.nsw.gov.a ... fusion-360
Fusion 360 timeline function.jpg
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Re: Hello

Post by djreiswig »

That's a lot of posts. :shock: Looks like everyone else left.
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Re: Hello

Post by big496 »

acourtjester wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 10:38 am Try to find a simpler program to use, later you can graduate to a more powerful one.
That is kind of what I wanted to accomplish. I'm having a hard time with the different keyboard commands from one program to the next. In due time I'll get there I guess.

David, I appreciate everything you are showing me. If you remember the movie "What about Bob?" baby steps, baby steps, baby steps :HaHa

I see the significance of the timeline and why you are showing me. I'm still following the 16 parts series.
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acourtjester
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Re: Hello

Post by acourtjester »

Big that is what I found many programs do the same things, but may call them different names or by a different procedure. Sticking with one make it simpler. After you learn you know what you want to do, you just need to learn how to do it with the newer program. This also helps when you need to use a backup program to convert files. David's tutorials help as you said what you wanted to do and he gave you the steps. Some tutorials on YouTube start by showing you all the commands and how they work. I like the ones that are showing a function I need to learn only, I then can string them together growing in knowledge with each tutorial. Like connecting the dots as I go. :HaHa
Here is something that will help, when I find a useful tutorial I save a shortcut to the tutorial URL address in a folder like Inkscape tutorials. Just go to the folder you want to save it in and right click and it opens up the menu shown below. When I need to refresh that topic I just click on the shortcut and it go to the tutorial, shortcut take much less disc space and I can name them as I please.
tracing images.jpg
shortcut.jpg
shortcut.jpg (46.97 KiB) Viewed 680 times
this brings up a menu to paste the URL the next step you name it and save it where you want. Shown in the next image :Like
shortcut 2.JPG
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
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adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

big496 wrote: Sat May 21, 2022 10:28 am
acourtjester wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 10:38 am Try to find a simpler program to use, later you can graduate to a more powerful one.
That is kind of what I wanted to accomplish. I'm having a hard time with the different keyboard commands from one program to the next. In due time I'll get there I guess.

David, I appreciate everything you are showing me. If you remember the movie "What about Bob?" baby steps, baby steps, baby steps :HaHa

I see the significance of the timeline and why you are showing me. I'm still following the 16 parts series.
Big496 - I know exactly how you feel, as I've been there as well. There are so many different programs available, and it's hard to know which one (or ones) will work best for a particular person and their specific needs and projects. I was super intimidated with Fusion 360 for quite a few years and shied away from it thinking it was just too complicated. I was used to using AutoCad to draw 2D shapes and thought that was all I needed. But as time went on, I would revisit Fusion 360 from time to time trying to learn as I went. They also kept changing the look of the Fusion program and that didn't help either.

Finally I found the Langmuir tutorials and took a look after several friends bought the new Crossfire cnc plasma table when they first came out. The Langmuir tutorials are short and to the point explaining the basics for creating 2D drawings for cnc plasma cutting. I think they are great!

Then I came across Arnold Rowntree's Fusion lessons and found them to be very easy to follow, short and concise, and to the point. His lessons are really more about creating 3D solid models - which is what I wanted to learn to be able to use the 3D printer that was given to me several years ago.

I also take your point about the different programs using different keys and commands to do the same thing. This can get very confusing as well. I often find myself hitting the wrong key - for example I might be in Inkscape and hit a key for zoom (F1) that works with Design Edge but is not the same for Inkscape. So I would say to you to just keep at it - keep chipping away and in time you will make good progress.

I also find it helpful to work examples, and do them over and over using the new techniques as you learn them. Arnold's video lessons are great at doing this as he provides a specific drawing for each short lesson which you can practice on as you learn.

David
adbuch
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Re: Hello

Post by adbuch »

acourtjester wrote: Sat May 21, 2022 2:14 pm Big that is what I found many programs do the same things, but may call them different names or by a different procedure. Sticking with one make it simpler. After you learn you know what you want to do, you just need to learn how to do it with the newer program. This also helps when you need to use a backup program to convert files. David's tutorials help as you said what you wanted to do and he gave you the steps. Some tutorials on YouTube start by showing you all the commands and how they work. I like the ones that are showing a function I need to learn only, I then can string them together growing in knowledge with each tutorial. Like connecting the dots as I go. :HaHa
Here is something that will help, when I find a useful tutorial I save a shortcut to the tutorial URL address in a folder like Inkscape tutorials. Just go to the folder you want to save it in and right click and it opens up the menu shown below. When I need to refresh that topic I just click on the shortcut and it go to the tutorial, shortcut take much less disc space and I can name them as I please.
tracing images.jpg
shortcut.jpg
this brings up a menu to paste the URL the next step you name it and save it where you want. Shown in the next image :Like
shortcut 2.JPG
Tom - I very much agree! Each new command or procedure that you learn is like adding a new tool to your "tool belt". The more tools you have, then the more tasks you can easily accomplish. And like you say, once you know how to use one program - it is much easier to work with a new program as many of the functions do the same things, but they might just have different names and use different command buttons to use.

For example, many of the programs have an auto-trace feature to convert jpeg to dxf (vectorize and image). But the command sequence will be different. And something as simple as drawing a line will have a different keyboard shortcut or a different button to click on the screen. But once you see how these work for one program, then it makes it much easier to learn how to do the same thing with another program.

I like you idea of using a bookmark folder for each different topic. That is a great idea that I always think about every time I bookmark a url. But Tom - you are much more organized than me - I tend to just put them all in the same folder and hunt thru them later when I am trying to find one of them.

David
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