fusion 360 is AWESOME!!!

[tklus]

I was about ready to pull the trigger on a seat of bobcad cam and thanks to youtube's suggested videos I ran accross fusion 360. It is free to hobbyists, students and start up companies. It has 2.5 and 3D machining stratagies and is pretty easy to learn. I currently use Autodesk Inventor at work so I can import my files directly to fusion. It also has an amazing similation option built in to the software, no need to output the code and run it through a seperate verifier. it also shows stock removal during simulation. I use MAsterCam x8 at work and switching to fusion 360 at home has been easy.

the package also includes free form modeling, parametric modeling, drawings, and CAM. I am surprised more people are not using this. I think this should be added to the WIKI for CAD and CAM options. There is even a post for GRBL that seems to work well. just make sure you set your G28 aux homeposition. it will output a g28 at the start of the program and at the end. I didn't have this set up to start with and almost crashed the machine

download the free trial and then once it is installed you can choose your license options. for a student you get it for 3 years and as a startup or hobbyist you get it for a year. after the time is up you can renew the license for free. They even offer a subscription price if you are using it as a business.
http://fusion360.autodesk.com/pricing

I don't work for Autodesk but use many of their products at work, I am a big fan

Hope this helps
Tim

[WillAdams]

Listed on the Commercial Software page: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/ ... o_consider

If someone wishes to expand the listing there, they should feel free.

[chomdh]

I've been wanting to try some 3D surface milling. Going to try Fusion 360 right now.

[SmokyRick]

I thought it was pretty cool, too! The only thing is that when I try to save a material with changes, the entire computer locks up, then crashes.

[McOtis]

I've been wanting to try some 3D surface milling. Going to try Fusion 360 right now.

Is the 3D milling available for any of the free options? I thought it was only 2.5D.

[Auarhau]

Yes, the free version is the full featured ultimate version!

[lordmundi]

wow... i didn't realize this was free for hobbyists.

[chrome700]

Do I recall reading somewhere that all of your files are stored in the cloud? Is one able to save them locally or export them somehow?

I'm looking for a good 3D CAD program and Fusion360 is on my list, but I'm a little concerned about workflow and whether or not you can keep your data should the company decide to change its pricing strategy.

[Brian Stone]

Do I recall reading somewhere that all of your files are stored in the cloud?

That's correct. All of your files are stored in the Fusion 360 cloud, and all project management is performed on the Fusion 360 Hub website. It's an annoyingly slow and awkward file system. It can sometimes take a few minutes to open a simple file, and saving files can also cause the software to lock up for a minute or two. Deleting files, moving files, and other simple file tasks are made annoyingly tedious by the poorly designed web interface.

Is one able to save them locally or export them somehow?

There is an Offline mode that you can enable that will cache your project files on your local drive instead of the network. However, the program will require you to log onto the Cloud every two weeks to sync up.

It supports the following file export options:
Fusion 360 Archive
Inventor 2014
IGES
SAT
SMT
STEP
DWG
DXF
STL
FBX

You can also share files through your Hub with other Hub members privately, or you can share files with the public by posting or e-mailing a URL to any project marked as public in your Hub library.

I'm looking for a good 3D CAD program and Fusion360 is on my list, but I'm a little concerned about workflow and whether or not you can keep your data should the company decide to change its pricing strategy.

Fusion 360 is free for hobbyists and startups, so give it a try. It's a very powerful program, but you will run into various bugs and unhelpful error messages, and it will crash occasionally. If you keep at it, you'll learn how to work around most of that.

In terms of workflow, Fusion includes a very good GRBL v0.8 post-processor, so your workflow with Fusion 360 is simply this:
Build your model in the CAD editor -> Switch to CAM mode and construct your toolpaths -> Compile the NC file using the GRBL Post Processor -> Mill with Universal G-Code Sender.

[DasWookie]

I was about ready to pull the trigger on a seat of bobcad cam and thanks to youtube's suggested videos I ran accross fusion 360. It is free to hobbyists, students and start up companies. It has 2.5 and 3D machining stratagies and is pretty easy to learn. I currently use Autodesk Inventor at work so I can import my files directly to fusion. It also has an amazing similation option built in to the software, no need to output the code and run it through a seperate verifier.

Tim,
Thanks for the recommendation! I had been having serious issues with the various CAM packages I had been evaluating, and not terribly happy with any of them. Then I saw your post, and decided to give Fusion 360 a try. While I have to say I'm REALLY not fond of the CAD portion (may it'll grow on me, but my attempts at using it thus far have not gone well) but the CAM part, yeah! I have to say there are a few things I'm not happy about (inability to copy/paste actions from prior models or prior steps) but otherwise I like it. The tutorials are a bit buggy (especially if you are on a PC rather than a Mac), but I managed to wade through it. I suspect they just aren't keeping the tutorials in sync with feature changes/bug fixes/updates, but in one instance (I think it was a bore operation) it just flat ass didn't work at all on two of the four holes and threw up a completely useless error message. Also many of the tools it tells you to pick, just aren't in the standard library (or at least, aren't anymore) for the tutorial lib.

Anyway, I had two models I had been trying, and failing, to generate GCode for to my satisfaction with other CAM packages for a 2.5D milling operation. With fusion 360 tho, I got the first one finished that same day (including installation, tutorial, and muddling through my first model), and the second one, I finished in about an hour the next morning.

I'll continue to do my CAD modeling in a separate package (Autodesk Inventor 2014 in fact), but instead of trying to use the HSM plugin for Inventor (which only does 2D) I'll then save my model out, load up F360, and do my CAM in there!

So again, thank-you for the recommendation. You saved me from the various other CAM packages, as well as having to purchase one that I wasn't happy with but might have gotten me closer to what I did want.