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anyone know how one can extract a guide to cut the holes for the camera lenses based on the 3d model.

Ideally print out a paper guide to wrap around the body tube to use as a guide to cut the holes. one side will have a panel allow access to the cameras.

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found a solution, created solid the shape of the cutout, cut the tube using that shape. Then converted the tube to sheet metal, cut a slot on the tube and was able to get a flat pattern. Exported the pattern as a DXF then used a DXF viewer to print it as PDF. From that PDF then i can scale that outline to match the size i need. Will work a great rough cutting guide to use as starting point for cutting the lens holes.
 
Not very family with all that fusion 360 can do

How do these changes impact ability to use the free license to use plugins, export to STL and svg files formats?

Started to look at freecad, it's another learning curve
 
found a solution, created solid the shape of the cutout, cut the tube using that shape. Then converted the tube to sheet metal, cut a slot on the tube and was able to get a flat pattern. Exported the pattern as a DXF then used a DXF viewer to print it as PDF. From that PDF then i can scale that outline to match the size i need. Will work a great rough cutting guide to use as starting point for cutting the lens holes.
Using the sheet metal tool to create 2D layouts of 3D parts is a great idea. I saw it used to create patterns for a tip-to-tip carbon fiber layup. I use OpenSCAD which does not have that ability, but I also have SolidEdge, which does. May be time to start working with SolidEdge again.


Tony
 
I use Alibre. It is very easy to learn. It's also very powerful with a lot of functions that make's drawing even the most complex model a breeze.
I used Alibre perhaps 15 years ago and liked it, but the $200 version appears to be pretty limited.

I bought version 10, and had to pay for an upgrade to v12, but had good results. I tried 360, but wasn't getting it.

https://www.punchcad.com/punch-viacad-2d-3d-v12
Maybe they offer a free trial?
I don't see a trial, but the list of features for $200 look pretty good.
 
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With the new changes you can still export .stl files, but that's about it.

I did the tip to tip layup in this thread with the sheet metal tool and exported it as a DXF and a PDF. That ability will go away. It had occurred to me during that process that I was circumventing an expensive plugin that they probably want me to buy.

I may look into Solidedge. I may just pay for a Fusion 360 subscription, but I hate subscription software.
 
With the new changes you can still export .stl files, but that's about it.

I did the tip to tip layup in this thread with the sheet metal tool and exported it as a DXF and a PDF. That ability will go away. It had occurred to me during that process that I was circumventing an expensive plugin that they probably want me to buy.

I may look into Solidedge. I may just pay for a Fusion 360 subscription, but I hate subscription software.
Your thread was the one I was thinking of in my post. I've shown that to a fair number of folks who really like the concept.

So far I've been able to do everything I want with OpenSCAD. It's very easy to make parametric models that can be easily customized using the Customizer interface. Once you learn how to use the Hull command it really opens up a lot of shapes. I know a lot of folks don't like the 'programming' aspect of OpenSCAD, but that's why it appeals to me. Setting everything up as variables makes it so easy to modify a design, and modules can be moved between protects very easily. And it really not programming as much as it is descriptive.


Tony
 
If you have a bunch of Fusion360 files you need to retrieve them NOW.

Just finished exporting all my Fusion360 files to STEP for import to OnShape, on the assumption that I won't be using F360 anymore. Looking for a decent hobbyist level CAM package at a reasonable price; so far not much luck. Contacted SprutCAM and Mecsoft (VisualCAMc for OnShape) in hopes that they'll respond to Autodesk's abdication. I did find one low-feature package called ElsiCAM from a guy in Germany for under 50 Euros perpetual that some people says is OK.

I'm kinda happy to be dumping F360, it's extremely slow on Mac and the CAM is dangerously buggy. It has generated paths that go right through a feature designated "fixture", which would have crashed my mill had I not previewed the G-code before running it.
 
Looking for a decent hobbyist level CAM package at a reasonable price; so far not much luck. Contacted SprutCAM and Mecsoft (VisualCAMc for OnShape) in hopes that they'll respond to Autodesk's abdication. I did find one low-feature package called ElsiCAM from a guy in Germany for under 50 Euros perpetual that some people says is OK.

I started my CAM journey with Cambam and have had decent luck with it. Not as full-featured as F360 but does most of what I've needed. Currently priced at $150 US.

https://www.cambam.info/
 
A few months back I was talking about ordering the Solidworks veterans/educational version, which is only $20. Well, the time came, I sent in a copy of my DD214, and... nuthin'. A few weeks later I sent in the application again, still nuthin'. And again. And finally, about six weeks later I sent it in several hundred times, and opened multiple help requests. Finally, they responded with the form to buy it.... and I didn't. I don't mind using the educational license, but it expires and must be repurchased every year (like sometime in the future I won't be a veteran anymore). And there's the problem. If the veteran's program goes away, or even if it takes weeks to repurchase the license, I'm stuck, at their mercy. And I certainly can't pay the commercial price, so no good.

Just yesterday I got a sales call from OnShape (browser-based on-line CAD). Told them no thanks, not gonna work at the whim of some change-at-any-time on-line CAD system (see F360). I gave the salesperson the very real example that just happened: A client wanted a very simple modification to a design I'd done about four years ago. The design was done in an old ECAD system, PCAD, that I've used extensively for many years. But I was surprised to realize that I apparently haven't touched it in a couple of years, and it wasn't even loaded on my current PC. The company had ended support for PCAD many years ago. But, no problem. It was on an older PC, and I have several copies of it elsewhere. Five minutes to install it, and the client's changes were made an hour later. I have the license; I have the software. There was never a moment's question about having the software available. I'm old, I don't think I'll ever settle for less. (BTW for ECAD now, I'm using KiCAD, free open-source and very capable.)

So forget Solidworks, OnShape, Fusion 360, Autodesk anything. Maybe FreeCAD, Alibre, or PunchCAD. Downloading FreeCAD now, but I expect it'll be less than I want. I know there's a free trial for Alibre, that's next. $200 for Alibre or PunchCAD is within my budget.
 
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