CNC Cut Files With Autodesk Product Design Suites, Part 1
CNC Cut Files With Autodesk Product Design Suites, Part 1
CNC Cut Files With Autodesk Product Design Suites, Part 1
Articles
Scott Moyse
scott_moyse1@hotmail.com
Author: Scott Moyse is a Technical Specialist for CADPRO Systems, an Autodesek VAR in
New Zealand. His background is in Motorsport Engineering and CNC programming. Scott has
been using various Autodesk software for the last 12 years. He co-owns and blogs on
DesignandMotion.net. Scott can be reached using Twitter @scottmoyse or
scott@designandmotion.net.
APPEARS IN THESE CATEGORIES
Language
English
Software Products
Inventor
2014
Back
APRIL 18TH, 2014
published here. Some of the information was covered in more or less detail to suit that limited
class format.
Part 1 will begin coverage of the various methods of producing 2D CNC cut files or tool paths
within Autodesk Inventor.
In an upcoming issue, Part 2 will discuss using iPropWiz to configure your Inventor design
environment and benefit you in the long run. We will also introduce the concept of using
Autodesk Vault to manage your design data, and ultimately your manufacturing data, as well as
some methods of presenting that to CAM programmers and staff on the shop floor.
Contents
Introduction
2D CNC Cut Files
Flat Pattern Export
Flat Pattern Export Add-In Example
Export Face
Export Sketch As
Create a Drawing
Setting up a Sketch Text Style
Credits
Figure 3: The result of a flat pattern export automates the assignment of layers for some of the
model features
Pros:
Object recognition: inside and outside, and features on the upper and lower faces.
Semi-automated length, width, and thickness values for BOM and parts lists.
Cons:
The process has to be carried out manually on each part, so its the same repetitive
process over and over again.
Sheet metal thickness wont link through to body extrusion value easily when using
multi-body modeling techniques.
Not easy to fudge quantities, add spares, etc. without modifying assembly.
Cons:
Not easy to override quantities, add spares, etc. without modifying assembly.
Export Face
Figure 8: Export face captures the face outline nicely, but its missing a lot of 'manufacturing'
information
Export Face Pros:
There are some AutoCAD export options for objects and file type.
Zero layer mapping options like there are in the flat pattern tool.
It doesnt capture geometry of the entire part, such as rebates, bevels, and hidden
features, etc.
Export Sketch As
Figure 9: Export Sketch As allows you to capture additional information which can be added to
the sketch
Export Sketch Pros:
The sketch tools allow you to project geometry not included in the Face export.
Zero layer mapping options unlike the flat pattern export tool.
To clarify the engraving text issue, in both situations above you could emboss the text and have it
exported with the face or sketch. However, this results in a text outline instead of a text center
line. This is very inefficient for CNC machines to cut when the number is only there for practical
rather than aesthetic reasons.
Create a Drawing
4. Look at the top face (the one with the sketches on it) and set the view cube view as Front.
This step is optional, but helps placement of the part views later.
5. Rinse and repeat for the other parts.
6. Create a drawing.
7. Start placing views, making sure the views are perfectly normal to the sketch faces.
8. Right click on each view in the browser and select Get Model Sketches.
9. Check that all sketches are visible (sketches containing reference geometry wont be
visible if they contain sketched geometry as well).
10. Turn off the Visible Edges layer (to reduce/remove duplicate geometry).
11. Save as AutoCAD DWG.
12. In AutoCAD use Quick Select to select geometries by color and add to the appropriate
layer.
13. Use the Overkill command to clean up the geometry.
14. Close polylines using the polyline edit command and the multiple option.
15. Check that all the cut files are water tight and open only where intended.
Following that workflow alone would get you there. However, if you use Inventor DWGs as
your companys standard drawing file format, then the following video demonstrating the use of
the EXPORTLAYOUT command in AutoCAD, may result in a few less files for you. Thanks to
Paul Munford for letting me know about this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_embedded&v=igPHBF9zbBE
So you may be thinking what a mission it is creating all this lot, however, you can automate the
process via an add-in or a macro. So I thought I would share a video of one of our cut file macros
at work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6zj33QGWPI8
What really gets me excited about this workflow is its associativity with the base files. You can
do the hard work of creating your CNC cut files while the product is still being designed. Any
subtle changes which occur prior to the design being released for construction are associatively
updated. All, with very little effort and at the click of a button, are exported en masse to a
dxf/dwg for some pre=CAM prep.
Figure 11: Once exported to DXF/DWG, the txt font becomes centerline text
Pros:
Allows you to manage exactly what geometries you want in the cut file.
Export of the txt font text results in center line text in AutoCAD, which is perfect for
CNC machines.
Geometry layers and color settings are maintained on Export which can then be leveraged
efficiently in AutoCAD.
The result is a single file containing multiple cut files which allows for efficient
preparation in AutoCAD prior to CAM import
Cons:
Based on the listed workflow, all geometries are on the same layer.
The result is a single file containing multiple cut files which can mean a lot of work
splitting up the cut files in the CAM software prior to nesting.
Figure 13: Create a new text style with an identical name as the greyed out text style in the text
editor
The next time you create a text box in a sketch, all of your settings will be just so. If youve been
creating a ton of CNC cut files requiring text engraving with Inventor, its at this point you may
weep a little (I certainly did).
Figure 14: Check that out! Perfect settings every time
Thanks to the individual who shared this solution with me a number of years ago via the
Autodesk Discussion Forums.
Credits
Thank you to Gavin Bath for contributing a huge effort towards this article, and also CADPRO
Systems Ltd. for allowing this information to be shared publicly.
Marilyn Law
marilyn.law@comcast.net
APPEARS IN THESE CATEGORIES
Language
English
Software Products
Inventor
Back
2014