Fusion 360 CAM - Selecting Geometry

This video will show different methods for selecting geometry when creating tool paths in Fusion 360. Learn how to chain geometry, select open contours, and a hidden keyboard shortcut.
Want to learn more about Fusion 360? Visit www.nyccnc.com and sign up for one of the training classes offered there that I instruct.

[@martinsmith2948]

how is this man consistently putting out LITERALLY THE BEST CONTENT on the platfrom?

[@basstone18]

Exactly what I needed, had been banging my head against this issue for a few hours.

[@guntersg]

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for... awesome video! Thank you!

[@Mancavedweller1]

Thanks very much. Love your tutorials.

[@hotfuzz1913]

Thank you Sir for the great cam/fusion tutorials

[@BeaulieuTodd]

Incredibly well presented! I’m hooked.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Thank you. Glad you found it useful. There may be a good reason for me to update this video very soon. How is that for a teaser?

[@sigung01]

Yet another brilliant and useful video. Thanks so much!

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Thanks. Look for big changes coming to how this is done coming in the not too distant future. Of course I’ll have video using the updated tools.

[@HamzaDjeloud]

Very helpful and practical information Kevin ! Thank you !!

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Thank you. The methods shown here are now a little out of date, but the old methods are still available in the software.

[@winkworks]

Great video, Kevin! Keep up the great work!

[@mrashad219]

You are awesome! Subscribed.

[@JamesLee-oy6nt]

you saved the day on a project i was about to give up on. thanks

[@bluehandsvideo]

Great vid Kevin! I wish I would have watched this last night! I really could have used that middle technique....where it tries to find the shortes path. I knew about the ALT key method and that's what I used, but some of the selections needed had a dozen segments.....so that other method would have been perfect! I like the first one too! Not sure I've seen that one either. Thanks! Mike

[@DCT_Aaron_Engineering]

Oh I agree Mike. I went to the CAM fast track training session at Vegas AU2017 this year. It was run by Tim Paul, Big Al, Kevin 1 & 2, Marti and the True Creation sensation. These guys really took me school. I felt like a total idiot sitting in their class. Bloody wished I watched Kevin's videos before attending. Cheers, Aaron.

[@guybooth20]

Excellent, thank you

[@cavallaro215]

Thanks for the very helpful video! I'm still having a bit of trouble with selection techniques. If you can do more selection videos with different features it would be so helpful!

[@bluehandsvideo]

Came back again to watch this. I was just working on a model and realized that I was missing a step or two......luckily, I knew where to come find the info. I just shared it on FB....this stuff is too good not to share. :)

[@DCT_Aaron_Engineering]

Fantastic video Kevin. I should've watched this before attending your CAM class at AU2017 in Vegas :-(

[@fxsrider]

Perfect!!

[@TheAvp01]

Looking good haven’t worked on it yet, seen few other tutorials and is quite interesting program. So far worked on Sprut cam7,8, OncCNCXR6,7 Edgcam, and would say looks quite easy to learn.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

It isn’t perfect but it’s my favorite CAM software that I have used. You’ll find lots of tutorials for sure. I’ll also be posting an online live training calendar on my website soon. I think you will find the classes relatively low cost with a ton of value if you would rather go that route.

[@rodneybame]

Great video...

[@StupidRobotFightingLeague]

Freakin epic! Thanks so much. Undoing so many mysteries for me. Subbed! Was wondering why the contours wern't working like they were for you. Turns out the tool orientation was on the wrong axis to it was trying to do everything on the edge. Duh!

[@bostitch001]

VERRY helpfull!!

[@user-ov4ss7zi5w]

Thank you very much)

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by.

[@edraisner9070]

Great to the point tutorial. My question is how do you cut the bottom groove? When I made a sketch with cuts on both sides of the part, the tool path only wanted to come in from the "top" of the sketch. I spent a lot of time trying to reassign the plain, and selecting the correct axis in setup but no matter what I did, the tool path always approached the part from the "top" perspective.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Ed Raisner If I understand your question correctly, you would need to create another setup with the Z pointing the other direction to machine the other side. Let me know if I’m out in left field and not following you.

[@edraisner9070]

That’s correct but when I copied the part I then had two origins. They were opposing one another. I am a beginner.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Ed, if you look at some of my older videos, I show the process of creating setups. Have a look at those and see if it helps. If it doesn’t, shoot me an email to [e-mail] and I help you work through it.

[@homer4889]

Really good tips! But I have a scenario type of question, how about i want to pick an open selection but i don’t want the whole geometry(line or arc) to be picked. Let’s say i want to machine just a portion of a line.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

marco Hey Marco. Glad you liked it. In your scenario, you would either need to create a sketch for the geometry that you wanted to machine or potentially split the part or face where you want things to start or stop. But most likely you would use a sketch.

[@iambicpentameter7177]

Here is a quick beginner question, I designed a part and added a chamfer in the design. You have shown that a chamfer could be added later in CAM. Which is best? I saved my design both ways, just in case. If possible, I would like to use the "Chamfer Tip Offset" command in two corners, does that chance the situation? Thank you in advance!

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

My general rule of thumb is that if the chamfers are just a deburring edgebreak, do them in CAM. If they are cosmetic or needed for parts to properly fit together, do them in CAD. 2D chamfer gives you the benefit of stopping short of vertical walls so the tool doesn't crash into them. You can do chamfers with both 2D chamfer and 2D contour.

[@iambicpentameter7177]

@@MechanicalAdvantage Thank you!

[@tommyharbofriis]

Iam try to do that selection in open selection, BUT in tha parallel mode (2mm ball mill),,, cant select to open, only lock selection, is that becourse it only work in chamfer mode?

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Hi tommyharbofriis. The parallel op is going to make you select a closed boundary. So you can do the slow double click on the geometry selected, but the only option you will get is closed boundary when you do. Hope that helps.

[@tommyharbofriis]

@@MechanicalAdvantage Thx, yes, so in parallel mode only close contour works.

[@jack786]

I am using Fusion 360 for school and as I was trying to take out an icon from the sketch toolbar, but without thinking, I right-clicked on the icon and selected 'remove pane from toolbar'. Suddenly the whole sketch panel had been removed from the tool bar and I can't figure out how to get it back; PLEASE HELP! P.s I am aware now on how to add and remove icons, but not the panels.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Jack Jack Hi Jack. Right click on the toolbar and I think the option you are looking for is restore or reset. That will bring it all back. I’ll hop on the computer and have a look tomorrow to report the exact wording.

[@jack786]

it worked, thanks for helping

[@karvtek]

I thought the alt was going to solve my problem but it ended up cutting them as individual lines instead of one path. I’m using the trace tool path to cut a 3D profile. I can’t find another way to contour the outside of my part along a 3D surface. The model is thick but I only need to profile it .500 deep. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for the tutorials.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Hi Karvtek. I'm sure we can figure out a solution. Any chance you could email the file? [e-mail]

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Also, after you made you selection, did it say one chain or did it list multiple line selections?

[@karvtek]

Mechanical Advantage it listed multiple chains. I can send you the file tomorrow. Thank you.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

OK, sounds good. I think we will get this fixed. I'll be looking for the file.

[@karvtek]

Mechanical Advantage thanks a lot.

[@HardcoreMusik]

Please make a short test: Generate a sketch like you show here, then select only some lines...then you don't see the selection! Is this a bug ?

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Captain DJ Hi captain. Yes, you have found an issue. Things behave differently when sketches are involved. My general recommendation with CAM is to turn sketches off until you need them. And when you are done, turn the sketch back off again.

[@EasyFold007]

This doesn't seem to work with Fusion anymore?

[@scottcameron7403]

How do i do this in the latest version of fusion360?

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Hi Blue. It is still working the same way. Are you finding an issue?

[@FreedomSpirit108]

Green plus button 😂

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

You got me. It used to be a green plug button. Old habits die hard.

[@BoxOfGod]

Why is that so complex? If such a simple task is complicated I wonder what else is later when you go deeper in software. I tried to CAM two parts in trial Fusion and already spent 20 hours figuring out how to select chains, drawing sketches and later couldn't get a toolpath out of it for some reason, and more. This figuring out costed company ~1000$+ already. Also UI is very clutered and hard to read which is exhausting compared to other cam software. I wish it was better but it's 5 years behind in some basic things and i don't have the time to go through that again. Is it worth the money? No. I'm paid making chips and not watching KZbin videos on how to select chains.

[@MechanicalAdvantage]

Well, this is what I would consider the easiest CAM software I have ever used. When I do on site training, it is common for me to run into people that have never used CAD, CAM, or a machine and two hours later they are holding their first machined part in their hand. Do you have a background in a different CAM package? If so, try not to use this one like the one you are used to.