During CAM in Fusion 360, I assumed that the NC code it generates for the Shapeoko would naturally include breaks between operations that use different end mills but this does not seem to be the case. What must I do to make it pause so I can change the end mill?
Even better, since changing the endmill might make me lose my zero, what is the best way to allow me to reset to my zero to ensure alignment after changing bits?
or
I’ve since modified the macro I use to just use a G10L20 instead of a true tool length offset command (G43.1)…fits better with my use. I will update the thread with a new macro when I get to the right machine.
Thanks. Would you by any chance know how I can cut and paste some operations into a new setup so I don’t have to re-do it? Dragging them doesnt seem to work.
You shouldn’t really need multiple setups. You can export each toolpath separately.
That said, dragging should work…drag it on to the setup (the name of the setup), not underneath it.
It sounds like you have already gotten an answer to your question, but in case you are still struggling with this, I can describe my workflow in Fusion 360.
I try to group all of the operations that use the same endmill together in a setup, then you can click on the setup and generate a block of code for all of them at once. However, most times I have a couple of different sized endmills within one setup. So when I get to the post processor step, I select all of the operations with the same endmill and post them together. This works even if they are in different setups, you just hold Ctrl and select the tools paths you want to post together in one g code file.
Hopeful that makes sense, I’m re-reading what I wrote and can’t tell if it is clear or not. Good Luck! Learning how to use Fusion 360 seems like a never ending project, but it can do so much that is seems worth it to me.
What you report is strange because it’s not what happens for me. In Fusion 360, I have a job I run all the time. I have it use a small vbit to trace patterns on the stock. Then I switch to a 1/8 inch straight bit to cut out the outline. When I run the job in grbl-panel, all of the tracing work is done with the vbit and when it is time to do the 1/8 inch bit cutout, the spindle travels to the start of the cutout, raises the Z, stops and waits until I press a key to continue. I didn’t do anything special in CAM. The trace bit and 1/8 inch bit are part of the same setup. Maybe it’s grbl-panel that handles this; I don’t know. But it works the way I think you want.
Yes, it would be. I wasn’t aware grbl-panel handled the tool change. Thanks for sharing
I haven’t actually run it yet, just wanted to make sure how it will behave before running. Won’t there be a risk of losing zero when you change tools, especially Z?
Hi! wait, so I can select operations to input in an NC file. regardless of its Setup location? So Say its like:
SETUP 1
Operation 1
Operation 2
Operation 3
I can select Operation 1 and 3 then post process just this?
Thanks, will try this out.
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