Intro to Fusion 360 for CNC Users

This video is a primer for the Fusion360-curious. It's intended to provide a high-level overview of how to go from CAD to CAM to machine.

Some additional resources for learning are:

Adding a Tool to your Library:

Updating Your Fusion 360 Post Processor to fix Arc Errors:

[michaels]

you absolutely crushed this description for beginners. that is great stuff

[Duraltia]

Can't talk _much_ about the other recommendations but the *Lars Christensen* videos were the ones that got me into Fusion 360 back in 2015 while waiting for my X-Carve to arrive from the US to Switzerland - No regrets going his route.

[chrishenderson]

Thanks. Great video. Simple, clear, to the point. I wish all tutorials were like this.

[NMrick]

I may actually have a very basic understanding of this after watching. Thanks.

[justindooley]

Great job on so concisely compacting so much information in less than 14 minutes! I may wear out the pause button but this video is going to greatly help me in learning to use Fusion 360 with my new Shapeoko XL if I ever get this far!

[brianhong]

Thanks for this Winston. I was able to get my first cut on a Shapeoko 3 (ever) starting immediately in fusion 360 following this workflow. I only had to supplement with a few additional resources for feeds/speeds. This is an incredibly useful resource for first-timers (I am familiar with modeling in fusion, but never used the manufacturing tool before).

[larstofastrud]

As a seasoned AutoCAD and someone that has used Fusion360 for about two years now, this was a really great video! I'm looking to buy a CNC for wooden cabinet related work and the only thing I missed here was how to do the initial setup of a CNC (You might have that in a video I haven't seen yet). Great job!

[onlyychevys]

Thanks Winston! I love your videos. I think Carbide 3D is a good place for you. I wish I could set for a whole day with you to figure out Fusion 360 better. Thumbs up for sure!

[StubbornBishop]

Some really good tips for a beginner. I built my own cnc machine to run with grbl and already cut a few parts, but still learned a bunch.

[Thomllama]

Just getting ready to order a Cnc. More wood based, but going to use fusion as i already use it for 3D printing models. Big help here figuring how to jump to Cam! Thanks

[tornadokat]

Obviously there is a lot that can be learned about Fusion 360 but just one thing I want to mention that applies to this video is regarding the four screw holes. In Fusion you can define one and name it, or I should say rename it if you want since it is given a name automatically, then reference it at the other three corners. This way if you want to tweak the hole or countersink parameters later, you just change one and they all change. Something good to get used to for down the road when designing more sophisticated projects.

[jholmessiedle]

Love the explanations - really clear - just wonder if using 'holes' could speed up your workflow as it can do the recess etc in one move but I know you were doing this as an introduction and there are so many ways to use F360

[onlooker]

Very impressive tutorial well presented. I going to watch this again to help learning fusion360. Thanks for sharing. I hit the subscribe button for more!

[TMCmakes]

can you do a quick follow up (or link to resources) on how to use that adaptive contour? that's a neat trick i never remember to use, and spend a lot of wasted time removing material i don't have to.

[DfntlyNotaDog]

Awesome and helpful video! Thank you!

Did you know you missed chamfering one of the mounting holes?

[nickeybergen]

This seems ridiculous but you just blew my mind that you can change Fusion 360 navigation layout. I use Catia V5 with work then I go home and use Fusion 360 which makes me have to change my way of thinking for navigation. Now it should be a much more fluid change. Thanks.

[hankus]

Winston I've tried Fusion 360 several times. My biggest problem while trying to follow a YouTube video, is the X Y Z alignment. Mine always seems different than the example and I don't understand how to rotate/align the subject to match. Otherwise I follow everything else just fine. It's just this initial step I have problems with. I have watched every video I can find for Fusion 360, but no one every addresses this subject. Is it that simple that it doesn't need explanation?

[automaticprojects]

Great video, Winston, and very practical project.

[triac]

Thanks for the tip. I just got my Shapeoko # and plan on ramping up quickly to cutting patterns for aluminum casting. I have a need for 3D.

[MyersWoodshop]

Winston. Any way you cans so something similar on the shapeoko? Not everyone has a nomad 😉