Flyfisher604 Fusion 360 Post Processor (v1.beta5) is Available

Software / Firmware Fusion360
1

BUGFIX release (v1.beta5) is available for the Flyfisher604 F360 post processor.

This release supersedes the v1.beta4 and includes 1 bugfix.

Release History

----- Github tag: v1.beta5 -----

  • Resolves an issue when comparing safeZ to the F360 Z position. Floating point numbers cause F360 in some cases to return Z values which should match safeZ but do not. For example, F360 would return Z as 1.9999997 when safeZ was 2. This failed to match even though later the PP would format the GCode Z value as 2. The F360 Z value used in the safeZ determination is now being rounded to 3 digits prior to comparing to safeZ.

----- Github tag: v1.beta4 -----

  • Resolves an issue with Z retracts and plunges (no change in XY) and detecting if these are Safe. v1.beta2, which allowed safeZ to be defined as a reference to F360 Heights, did not correctly the check for Z retracts and plunges.

----- Github tag: v1.beta3 -----

  • Coolant channels A and B can now both be enabled at the same time if they match the coolant type requested by the tool. This allows coolant modes like “Flood and Mist” that may need to be implemented with separate Flood and Mist hardware to use two channels for the one coolant type .
  • F360 doesn’t allow a coolant type to be defined for a laser. Now a coolant can be specified during a laser tool operation (for example air to blow smoke away) by using a new laser parameter in the post processor.

----- Github tag: v1.beta2 -----

  • SafeZ for conversion of G1s to G0s can now be set to reference the Heights defined in a tool’s operation. Valid references are Feed, Retract, and Clearance heights. Consult the documentation for defining the field correctly. Now defaults to Retract with a default of 15 if Retract height is not defined.
  • Comment level Debug now shows all F360 parameters.
  • Grbl laser fix: M3/M4 Laser On speed parameter was incorrectly scaled from 0 to 255, now scaled 0 to 1000. All other firmware remains 0 to 255.

----- Github tag: v1.beta1 -----

  • Select the firmware dialect as a property
  • Coolant bug resolved so coolant logic is no longer inverted
  • Coolant properties are unified to control either Marlin and Grbl firmware
  • Warnings if tool’s requested coolant is not configured on a channel
  • Single file reduces the complexity of installation
  • Installs without error via F360 standard Manage->Post Library install interface
  • Properties enabling features are list before feature control properties
  • Properties are listed in GCode for easy reference (more to come)
  • Updated documentation

----- Github tag: v1 -----

  • G0 Rapid move at the beginning of each cut is restored - resolves tool drag when Z is not retracted before horizontal travel occurs (F360 Hobby issue)
  • Recovers G0 Rapids that occur above a safe height or that are vertical only (F360 Hobby issue)
  • Feedrates can be scaled to ensure mpcnc Z axis cut rate is not exceeded. Fusion 360 kinematics do not respect an axes feedrate if different from the machine’s generalized feedrate.

Warning:

  • This code is considered beta and the user must review all GCode produced to ensure it is appropriate for their needs.

Documentation for v1.beta5 may be found here .

Here is a copy of Flyfisher604 v1.beta5
MPCNC.zip (14.8 KB)

Once unzipped, mpcnc.cps can be installed using F360 Manage->Post Library. When running the PP use the Setup button to select Use Personal Post Library (will be remembered - required once).

Please report any issues to flyfisher604/mpcnc_post_processor Issues

3 Likes
2

Aha, so it was just a numeric error. Rounding works for me, and 3 digits is plenty I think.

3

Marlin gets upset if you use too many digits too. So 3 is about the most you want to use. It’s also a bit of a waste of serial data rates.

1 Like
4

The digits were always formatted down to 3 decimal places when output. It is the F360 API that passes floating point numbers so 1.999997 is what 2 is sometimes. An internal issue with comparing values, never a GCode formatting problem. :slight_smile:

2 Likes
5

Newbie question:
I installed the Flyfisher post processor no problem in F360. Doing post processing, it wants to save the gcode as a .tap file. So I did that. It does not seem to be recognized on the SD card by Marlin. What type of file is Marlin expecting?
Perhaps there is a guide on how to go from F360 to actually cutting with the MPCNC? While waiting for my 3D printer to build my MPCNC parts, I am working out software and electronics in the meantime. If I go to the Marlin website, it is all about 3D printing, not cutting with the MPCNC. It would be nice if there were a section there for MPCNC users.

6

Marlin expects .gcode files. In the post processor, in the NC extension field, change the contents to .gcode.

7

OK, .gcode, thanks. BUT:
I am searching MPCNC.cps for “nc” and “extension” and don’t find that.
I do see:
extension = “gcode”; so I am not sure where “.tap” is coming from.

Do you mean something else when you say “in the post processor”?

8

By “In the post processor,” I mean when you bring up the post processor from within Fusion 360.

Extension
Extension603Ă—540 86.6 KB

1 Like
9

P.S. I don’t know where the .tap comes from. When the post processor is first run, the extension field defaults to .nc. Are you sure you’ve selected the Flyfisher post processor from within Fusion 360?

1 Like
10

Progress! I see that the NC extension field in F360 is not editable, but upon quitting and restarting F360, and choosing
MPCNC MIlling/Laser - Marlin 2.0, Grbl 1.1, RepRap / MPCNC as the selected post processor, the NC extension field automatically changes to .gcode.

So the problem was that I didn’t restart F360 after messing with the personal posts library.

11

Glad you got this resolved. I thought I had messed something up. :slight_smile:

1 Like