Fusion 360 for CNC - The best guide for beginners

What students have to say about this class :

• "I wish this guy had more classes. Clear, concise, knowledgable, and offers a ton of additional information. I'm more interested in this subject with every lesson I watch. Thank you!"

• "Even though I am experienced in CAM, I've had a career break and needed a refresher course before starting my new job. This course is perfect for my needs and the instructor has a clear idea on what he is teaching which makes it really valuable. Keep up the good work and Thank you!"

• "Clear and concises, I learned what I expected to and can now operate a CNC mill with confidence."

• "So far this course is showin me the things I was wanting to learn, finding in it very intuitive and methodical in the approach"

• "That course is perfect for absolute CAM beginners who want to know how to wisely operate a CNC Router ."

  
  

In this class you'll learn to control your CNC router with the help of Fusion 360. The process of creating toolpaths is what's called CAM (Computer-aided manufacturing).

We will use a real world example which you can follow along and recreate at your own pace. Each section is designed to teach you how to create a specific toolpath while also discussing important concepts that will deepen your understanding of machining

More precisely, here are the chapters and what you can expect to learn :

1. Introduction - we'll go over the project we are tackling and what you can expect.

2. Workflow of CAM, vocabulary and g-code - This lecture is about the general workflow followed in CAM. We get accustomed to the vocabulary and take a look at a g-code to understand what it's all about

3. Previewing the end result and importing a part - We'll learn to import parts and preview the end result of the class (so you know where we're going)

4. Creating your first toolpath - In this first toolpath we keep things simple. We first define our stock and WCS, then we create a tool with the relevant speeds and we go through the steps to create a toolpath.

5. Creating a 2D pocket operation - The main goal is to take a deeper look at the different parameters of a toolpath, especially feeds and speeds.

6. 3D toolpaths - We explore 3D toolpaths and have a discussion about the order of operations

7. Drilling operation - We learn to create a drilling operation and discuss the different speeds associated with drilling

8. Cutting away the shape with 2D contour - We learn to cut away a shape with 2D contour and discuss tabs and tool length

9. Exporting g-codes and discussing tool offsets - We export g-codes, discuss post-processor and how to manage different tool lengths on your CNC

10. Planning tests and creating toolpaths from 2D drawings - We create toolpaths from a 2D drawing and discuss the importance of preliminary tests on your CNC

11. Double sided machining - We discuss the intricacies of double sided machining and provide an easy solution for it

12. Final thoughts - We take a look back at what we've learned and emphasize on the important stuff you should takeaway

13. EXTRA : Tool Selection Guide - This section covers end mills in details, from the geometry to the material in order to help you choose the appropriate end mill.

Do you have a CNC and don’t know how to use it?
Do you feel like you know how to use it but are really just guessing?
Does your local maker space has a CNC and you’re intimidated by it?
Do you already know CAM but want to improve your understanding of it?
Do you want a machine to do all the hard work and make money for you? (Of course you do!)

If you see yourself in any of these statements then this class is for you. I’ve made this class for anyone who wants to learn CAM through Fusion 360. CAM stands for Computer-aided manufacturing so in this class we’ll be creating toolpaths that a CNC can follow to machine different kinds of material and shapes. In other words, we’ll be doing the prep work and the CNC will be doing the heavy and precise lifting for us.

My main motivation with building this class was this : Fusion has made it too easy to create toolpaths for a CNC router. With a few clicks you’ll have a set of instructions for your CNC and as much as this is great, it’s also terrifying. We’re not dealing with a small 3D printer here, we have a spinning tool moving at a rapid pace that is very dangerous if not tamed properly. So for this reason, I wanted to not only show people how to use Fusion, but more importantly provide you with the knowledge you’ll need to make smart decisions and learn to program your CNC safely and efficiently.

With hobbyist CNCs becoming more affordable and accessible (which is great!) I believe that it’s important to educate people as much as possible to the world of CAM. And with Fusion 360 offering a great and free CAM solution, the timing has never been this good for us to dive into this wonderful subject together!

This class covers everything from importing parts to exporting a g-code with everything in between, including 2D and 3D toolpaths, calculating feeds and speeds, running tests, double sided machining and much more.

So I want to welcome you and thank you for joining my class. Feedback is appreciated, and remember to stay safe!