Setting up your CAM

What is CAM?

Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM): The use of software and computer-controlled machinery to automate a manufacturing process.

CAMing in Fusion 360

CAMing in Fusion is located under the Change Workspace menu.

CAMing is located in the Manufacture option

Select the Manufacturing option in the Change Workspace Menu

2. Setting up your CAM

Setup: In order to start a CAM, you need to create a setup: The setup tells the software what you are cutting, along with what you are not cutting.

To create a Setup: Select the Setup tool on the top left of the manufacturing toolbar and a Setup menu will open on the right-hand side

In the righthand Setup Menu, there are 3 tabs at the top. They are labeled Setup, Stock, and Post Process

Setup: This tab option allows you to choose the CNC machine you use and what type of subtractive manufacturing you are using.

Stock: This tab allows you to set the material parameters and constraints

Post Process: This tab allows you to export the file to the CNC

3. Machine Setup

Different options in the Setup Tab

Machine: In Fusion 360 Manufacturing, selecting a CNC machine is crucial for simulating and programming the CNC process.

Click the "Select" button in the Machine section and the Machine Library will open up, allowing you to choose from different CNCs.

It's important to pick the right machine because by doing this, you Import the machine model into the workspace, which helps you see simulated machining processes.

You will most likely have no machines available so select the Fusion Library menu option on the left and type in the search bar (you can copy/paste this): Autodesk generic 3-axis router

There will be 2 Autodesk Generic 3-axis Routers but it is very important you choose the XYZ axis option NOT the YXZ.

It will lead to you a screen asking you to download the model, click Download Model.

After clicking Download Model, it asks to select a location to store the file. Press the arrow on the right side of the Location option. Select the Gusset Tutorial Folder we created in step 10 in the previous section.

It will appear in the folder next to the gusset part studio

Click ok at the bottom of the Setup window to save everything and you will see a model of the CNC appear

*If you notice, this CNC doesn't look exactly like our CNC, this is completely fine, it will not matter as long as you have this specific CNC model*

4. Stock

Next we will setup our stock

Stock is the material that you begin with, which will be cut to create the final product. The stock will always be larger than the final product since we need to create bolt holes to keep the material fastened to the spoiler board.

We will need to edit the stock settings so go back to the gusset document and you should see something similar to this

Double click the Setup document on the file icon because if you click the name then it asks you to rename it but if you click it on the checkmark, it gives you error date (I know its super annoying)

The Stock Setup Tab is the yellow cube icon on the righthand Setup window

When you click the Stock tab, you get this window

Under the Stock Mode dropdown, click Relative Size Box Option since it allows you to set the starting material dimensions

The three options that are the most important are the Stock Size Offset, Stock Top Offset, and Stock Bottom Offset. (I'll show you what they all do below)

Stock Side Offset

The Stock Side Offset allows you to increase the stock size evenly in the X and Y axis. It will essentially expand the side lengths of the object in the shape of a parallelogram as seen below

You can see the final stock length and width under the Stock Dimensions tab.

Stock Top Offset

The Stock Top Offset allows you to increase the stock size upwards on the Z axis. It will essentially extrude the top of the stock starting from the height of the object. (Therefore, since the gusset is 0.125 inches thick, by having a Stock Top Offset of 0, it will keep the stock at the height of 0.125 in rather than 0.)

You can see the final stock height under the Stock Dimensions tab.

Stock Bottom Offset

The Stock Bottom Offset allows you to increase the stock size downwards on the Z axis. It will essentially extrude the bottom of the stock starting from the bottom height of the object. (We usually never use this option but it is here if your part needs it)

You can see the final stock height under the Stock Dimensions tab.

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