[PhilBa]

So, I've been using F360 and overall it rocks but have been struggling with how to set up for cutting multiple parts with a single job. Or, putting another way, how to cut multiple parts out of a single stock piece. I attached several examples of things I want to do with F360. One with multiple copies of a single design and the other with multiple designs. I see a way to do multiple copies of a single design but on separate stock pieces. I guess I could fake multiple stock pieces but I feel like I'm missing something obvious. This becomes important when I start cutting out one of those T-Rex skeleton puzzles. I'm using sketchucam right now for sheet work and it really is terrible.

I have no problem building the models in F360 but would love suggestions for how to do this in F360 CAM (er, Manufacture).

 

[difalkner]

So you're wanting to draw one piece and cut multiples of that piece, Phil? Am I understanding that correctly?

David

 

[PhilBa]

That's half of it and there is an inelegant way to do that. The harder one is multiple different parts. Especially for the dino skeleton puzzles like this for example. There are 3 more pages like that.

 

[TimPa]

Hi Phil, yes i guess there would be an "array" or "copy" feature for the multiples (vectric user here).

probably a dumb question, can you build a large (enough) drawing "material size", then import and place those images into the drawing? apologize not familiar with f360. i have done it that way, and have done it by saving a new file for the other pieces with a different "home position", and then run that.

great looking project!

 

[PhilBa]

There's a way to do multiples of a single design in F360 though they all are in the same orientation (and have separate stock boxes). So, I could just cram them all together in the CAM module. A variant of that is same parts but different orientations to minimize waste. Not sure how that works in F360 but it's probably possible..

But the multiple designs thing like the dino skeleton above seems to elude me. What I want is like cutting out different cookies from a piece of dough - one setup, many parts. That is fairly easy to do in Sketchucam though that may be the only thing easy (and not buggy as snot) about it. Of course you need the paid version of Sketchup to import DXF or other vectors. Sigh. If it ain't one thing...

The problem I'm having with F360 is getting multiple parts into the same stock box. I'm sure there is a way to do it but have been fighting the SW so must be doing it wrong. I am still not one with F360.

 

[difalkner]

What I usually do is just copy the parts in Design and move them around like I want.

This is a project I'm working on now and I just drew one of each part and copied/pasted, then moved them around until they fit the stock I have picked out for these pieces.

David

 

[PhilBa]

So you don't do it in CAM but Design. Are they each bodies, components or ? I'm still a little fuzzy on the right way to go with that.

I've been "assembling" my models in Design and then try to manipulate them around. The dust boot I recently finished is an example. One component, multiple bodies. Getting them laid out coplanar was a struggle once I had built them together in the final form. Once I took one to CAM (er Manufacture) the rest were hard to add with in the size of the stock - it kept changing my stock size. Almost like I need to design everything flat to start but then getting the fit right means not-flat.

Feel like a total rookie here. I'll get there eventually...

 

[difalkner]

They are each bodies. I copy the sketch and then extrude each at the same time. If I need to do this often then I use patterns but most of the time it's a one-off and it only takes a minute to copy one sketch, past it an inch over, then copy the two and paste, etc.

Then in CAM, er, Manufacture, I can select the bodies I want to fit whatever stock I have for the job. In the case of the arcs I may do 5 at a time, in which case I wouldn't have needed the second set of 5 but again, it only took a few seconds to copy the first 5 and paste them an inch away.

David