@UnionNine I would definitely be interested in a full machine simulation for my machine, now the real question is if I can fool the software in to letting me simulate an IDEX 3D printer.
I can no longer find the original Winston Moy library but it appears this person has helpfully forked it on GitHub
I would offer mine but I’ve messed about with all the settings since downloading it…
1 Like
What I have on Fusion 360 is linked from:
https://wiki.shapeoko.com/index.php/Commercial_Software#3D_CAD
For the machine definitions, my understanding (possibly incorrect) is that they don’t seem to offer any real advantage, but I’ll yield that point to someone who actually uses Fusion such as @wmoy
Well I have now had time to watch that video, and I must say this is tempting, quite a leap from the previous machine configuration feature which was pretty much useless.
The coolness factor alone of previewing the execution of a job and see the virtual Shapeoko move while it cuts makes it worth trying
What I don’t have is a Fusion360 model of the Shapeokos (std/XL/XXL/Pro/4)
For this application it would not have to be detailed, but just representative of the rail sizes and travel distances.
Come on Autodesk, who wants to see a Haas as an example, use a Shapeoko for crying out loud 
Sooo, I guess this is now on my list of cool things to look into…
5 Likes
There are some Fusion 360 models which may serve as a starting point at:
1 Like
And I have a couple that I’ve been using for my SO3 XXL here
2 Likes
In working to answer my own questions I’ve found a few things worth sharing:
- The official post for Carbide3D machines, last updated ~3 months ago as of today: Post for Carbide 3D (Grbl)
- Interestingly, there’s also a GRBL generic post and posts for some 3d printers like Prusa, for example.
- Similarly, at the same site, tooling libraries from a LOT of major vendors. I’ve used Destiny, Helical, and Harvey ones before. Tools for Autodesk Fusion 360 | Autodesk Fusion 360
Hope that helps folks 
1 Like
And I have started using Machine Builder based on Liam’s XXL model. Stay tuned
6 Likes
Following!
Doesn’t Fusion 360 come with those Post by default and update them as they update Fusion?
1 Like
So, that’s where I am
- imported Liam’s Shapeoko XXL model
- activated the Machine Builder features (in the Preferences / Preview features)
- created a custom machine in Machine Builder: it’s still a little buggy, and I could not for the life of me figure out how to use the “offset” fields, but at this point the machine seems to move as expected
- so I proceeded to try it and…got an error machine that the post processor must have MACHINE_SIMULATION_CAPABILITY added to it. Which led me to that page on how to do it, but it’s getting late and that will be for another day (and will most probably involve calling @neilferreri for help)
I’ll try to see this through, because this new feature AND the ability to model fixtures (think clamps) and preview a full job showing the machine moving around and cutting, and automatically detecting collisions, that would (will) be way cool
8 Likes
Nice work! (20 characters of nice!)
@Julien If we could get an updated official “defeatured” model of the Shapeoko to use for full machine simulations from Carbide3D that would be pretty swell. Wink wink, nudge nudge.
it’s likely not going to be “official”, rather community-sourced, but hopefully just as useful for the purpose of simulation.
I lied (to myself) yesterday about it being too late, I did have a go at modifying Neil’s post as instructed by Autodesk and…it still won’t work. I need to try with the reference post processor they provide as an example.
2 Likes
@Julien Well as long as it is an accurate model I suppose the source is less of an issue, though it would be nice too see an official C3D model.
Even if it is sans the features that are not pertinent to the simulation model such as motion system components. I know Haas gives them out as do other industrial CNC manufacturers, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to see it, none the less any updated model so long as it is accurate is better than none.
1 Like
Turns out it was a known bug (this is a preview after all) and the unmodified machine definition was cached/not refreshed hence the error. So I have a modified post that’'s compatible, but now the simulation has the machine in the wrong orientation and it’s moving the whole machine around the piece. My test file is so messy right now that I won’t share it just yet, I need to restart from a clean state and will share then
Moving parts selection is also kinda buggy, I had to add the (~60) individual parts one by one down to the last screw
1 Like
I realized the same. I couldn’t get the XZ assembly to move with the Y.
Did you figure out the “Offset” and “Range” params in the machine configuration ?
I had to use a -xxx for min and +yyy for max to get the axes to move within the Shapeoko model limits, had to use yyy slightly different from xxx, then I tried various values for Offset, with no effect (and offset reset to 0 when re-editing). Sounds like another bug. Or a non-yet-implemented feature. Anyhow I’ll watch the two available videos one more time, just in case I missed something
I was thinking it might be worth losing all the fasteners in that model just to reduce the part count, complexity and how long it takes Fusion to handle things with it.
1 Like
Possibly. But right now Fusion does not seem to struggle with the part count on the machine model (and that’s a good thing considering the example video uses a Haas VF2 model, slightly more complex than a Shapeoko 
)
But I’m not doing it right (yet), and the simulation is an epic fail so far:
First off, the machine is oriented correctly when in machine builder (as illustrated in my previous video), with the X/Y/Z axes as one would expect. But still, when I select the machine for the simulation, it shows up oriented like this (which is how it WAS oriented in the original model, but then I rotated it in machine builder). That’s mystery #1.
Mystery #2 is why the simulation does not move anything on the machine model, and rather moves the stock. I’m sure it’s something I did, and I’ll probably post on the Autodesk forum, just not tonight.
3 Likes