[pejaer]

Hi all,

Newbie to Fusion 360, trying to warm up to it. The below might be a show-stopper.

My GT27 lathe, with gang plate, Fagor 8037 controller, has tools on both sides of the gang plate, hence, depending on which tool I use and where it comes from, I need tool paths generated in both +X and -X direction. I have done some basic research here, and I am getting the impression Fusion can't handle the -X direction as all paths are from +X, no matter how your tool is setup in the library. So, I saw one post calling this a simulation issue, but is bigger than this. Basically, I can't generate G code. If I do generate it, I am left with manually adding a "-" sign in all the X moves that need it....ripe for mistakes and crashes.

Can anyone confirm and is there a work-around? I suppose a custom post could be created somehow to say "if you are using tool #3, make all the X values -X values" or something like this. Seems clumsy, but maybe will work. Anyone want to try making a post like this?

Thanks

Paul

[dammachines]

Hi,

Hopefully you've been able to resolve this issue by now. If not, I would recommend that perhaps you try using something like the "Turret" value in the tool library to specify front or back tools?

That would make it easy for the post processor to check and apply a negative conversion factor for the tools you specify.

Dave

[pejaer]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the comment. Yes, I think that is exactly what will need to be done; maybe assign a "1" to left side tools and "2" to right side tools.

I thought I'd post a response so others can take advantage of my work-around, which is somewhat less painful than what I initially thought. What I am doing is manually programming a "mirror X" G-code right before the tool number. If it is coming from the -X direction, in my case, it is G11 (and G10 cancels). So with this quick addition, I do not need to go through and add a "-"sign. Works slick, but still not ideal of course, as it is not incorporated in my post and something I need to do manually each time......should make a post straightforward (with some flag like the Turret #) for someone skilled in post writing. Just to be clear, the Fusion 360 programming I setup so my CS is flipped in the X direction when I use the -X tools, meaning the paths and tools look like actual cuts on my machine, I just need to remember to put the G11 in for the appropriate tools because the post will yield +X values.

Paul

Hi,

Hopefully you've been able to resolve this issue by now. If not, I would recommend that perhaps you try using something like the "Turret" value in the tool library to specify front or back tools?

That would make it easy for the post processor to check and apply a negative conversion factor for the tools you specify.

Dave