Marti Deans
Elevate your design and manufacturing processes with Autodesk Fusion
Edit Your Post Processor In Seconds
If that secondary title made your clickbait sensors go off, I understand. Editing post processors is usually hard, expensive, and anxiety inducing. But I’m not talking about a full overhaul or even opening the configuration file. Fusion 360 allows you to make edits from the post processor dialog to make small changes to the output code using simple checkboxes and inputs.
These options will vary from post to post, so you might not see the same options for Mazak as you will for FANUC as you will for Haas. For example, in the Haas post, there is a property to enable G187, which controls the smoothness level and maximum corner rounding. However in the Heidenhain post, this option is missing. But there are options that the Haas post doesn’t have, like Tilt Preference. See this in action below.
Post properties enable you to make changes to your output code quickly and easily. No need to edit the configuration file; it’s as simple as checking (or unchecking) a box.
Other Post Resources
Post properties are sweet, but they likely aren’t the only post resource you’ll ever need. Luckily, they are just one of many resources for post support with Fusion 360. In addition to the 100+ post processors included with Fusion, we also offer an extensive online post library. The online post library includes machine specific posts to unlock more capabilities. View sample code and download an unlimited number of posts – for free.
If you choose to edit your own post, more power to you! We recommend Visual Studio with the Autodesk Fusion 360 Post Processor Utility. This plug-in colors and autofills to make your life easier. I think I’ll get in trouble with legal if I don’t note that you are liable for any edits you make to the post, and you do so at your own risk.
From the online post library, you can navigate to a few additional resources when you need extra support. One is the Post Processor Forum where HSM and Fusion 360 users (and even Autodesk employees!) can ask and answer questions. This is often the first place I go, and the first thing I do is search for the post processor, machine, or issue to see if someone has asked or answered that question already. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been pleasantly surprised with a solution.
The second support resource is this list of partners and resellers who support HSM and Fusion 360. They offer post processor editing and customization, but for a fee. If the small adjustments from the above approaches aren’t getting you the results you want, this would be the next step I recommend.
If you know of any additional post processing resources that I missed above, please share! The more posting tips and tricks, the merrier.