How to import Carbide 3d tool library into fusion 360

Hello,

I was wondering if it was possible to import a ,tools/.json/,hsmlib file that had all of Carbide 3d’s tools. I want to import the library into fusion 360

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I never found any way to import the tool set in Carbide Create. I just had to manually input them into F360.

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So no headway on this?

No, not that I’m aware of — no idea on how one would go about persuading folks to do anything on it.

The industry really should get together an work up an XML definition of tools and feeds / speeds — then, apps could import / export to that XML def.

The only resource I’m aware of is the nascent gathering of MeshCAM .tps files at: https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/MeshCAM#TPS_files

(I’d love to have others pointed out though)

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Even a simple CSV file would work if companies would do it. In the meantime Will, I’ve just incorporated it into my workflow…

  1. Buy a new mill or bit
  2. Tool arrives, I set to work measuring with my calipers
  3. I add it to my Fusion 360 library
  4. I run it through G-Wizard for Pine (the material I work with most so far) so that I get some good Feeds and Speeds saved into my “Pine” library for that tool
  5. If I use it for another material, I re-run G-Wizard for that particular material and tool, then copy the tool over to that material library and update Feeds and Speeds accordingly

Taking the time to set up your personal tool library and your own holder (in my case the bottom of the Makita router and collet) is tremendously time and headache saving. It requires some front end time investment, but it is worth it. Also picking a numbering system for my tools has been helpful.

For example my system:

  • #2xx = All basic end mills including the #201
  • #5xx = V-bits and other unique mills (like my spiral down cut)
  • #1xxx = Micro mills (1000 series helps me remember that these are all mills with diameters of the .xxx" variety)
  • #13xx = Mills for aluminum (Atomic number for Al is 13)

By programming these numbers into the library for Fusion, it pops up on my screen in CM when loading a file. Helping to provide me a mental check that I am using the right number mill.

Now I’m working on an end mill holder with the numbers engraved for ease of access.

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I still have great ambitions to manually move the feeds/speeds that are in (and for some parameters I suspect calculated by) Carbide Create for the standard set of C3D mills into a Fusion 360 tool file (or more likely files) that I can export and share with the community. Been derailed by summer activities but still on the list for some idle time. That should at least give a starting point. I will however point out that some toolpaths operations in F360 (hello 2d facing) still need tweaking even with the CC feeds/speeds.

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Not sure if this will help anyone but I was able to track this down and import this into my Fusion 360 tool library. I had to go to “preferences -> CAM -> Enable Cloud libraries and then I imported the “.json” file into it and was able to finally mill something that needed a .032” endmill.

Heres the link:

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Can you share your library? Fusion tool libraries are sharable.

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@EvanDay Thank you for sharing your system. I have also been building my Fusion 360 tool library but have been wondering about a good numbering system for it. Would love a way to share and make a list accessible to all. I don’t have my tools grouped by material’s feeds and speeds. Seems like a great idea. I have been adjusting numbers during my CAM programming. Will look into this.

I have made a tool block for the tools I have that has tool numbers engraved on it. Willing to share if anyone wants it.

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For MikeP and Pato I will share my library when I get home from work this evening. I also just made a mill holder yesterday and engraved my numbers as part of it. An easy project that took less than an hour from idea to finished product.

Keep in mind though that:

  1. I’m new to this so my tool library may not be completely perfect. Trust but verify.
  2. My library contains my mills, purchased from a variety of manufacturers and sources. They are a baseline, but will need to be modified for your own specific bits.
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@EvanDay Thanks. I’m also willing to share mine but suspect that yours is more complete. Mine has Carbide3D tools and a few others I’ve bought from McMaster Carr. I’m interested in comparing what I have to what you have because I’m not sure I’m organizing things in a coherent manner. I’ve assigned Carbide3D numbers to the tools I’ve bought from them but I’ve assigned numbers to other tools to just make sense to me. I find your tool IDing very interesting and sensible.

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Okay. It took me a minute to figure out how to share my Fusion tool library. I had to upload it to the 360 Cloud drive (because the forum here won’t let you share .json or .tools files). Hopefully this link works; it is to the .json tool file.
http://a360.co/2srKCyO

Here is also a picture of my quick and dirty end mill / collet holder, made out of scrap white pine. I also used it to practice holding things down with a pneumatic finish nailer, to test that out. That is why there are nail holes in it. Also, for the 1/8" shank mills, most of those are just stuck there for now since I have spares. They aren’t necessarily in their final numbered spots.

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The file tools/.json/,hsmlib mentioned in the original post seems to not exist anymore in newer versions of Carbide Create (version >=300). Is there another way to extract the tool definitions and the recommended feeds and speeds for the different materials?

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