How to set up a 4/5 axis machine configuration in Fusion, Inventor CAM and HSMWorks

Autodesk Support

Jul 17, 2024

Products and versions covered

Issue:

How to set up a machine configuration to output a 4/5 axis program from Fusion, Inventor CAM and HSMWorks.

Causes:

Most generic post processors in the Post Library are set up to output multi-axis code (with the 4th/5th axis disabled by default). A Machine Configuration, or modification to the post processor, is necessary to produce the desired multi-axis program.

Solution:

  • You can either use a machine configuration in Fusion to set up 4/5 axis, or you can define the machine within the post processor.
  • When a post processor with a hardcoded machine configuration is used together with a machine configuration in Fusion, a warning/error will be generated and the hardcoded configuration will take precedence.

Set up a 4/5 axis in the Machine Configuration:

  • Most generic milling post processors support Machine Configurations. This allows you specify the machine configuration, kinematics, home positions, axes limits and more within the Machine Definitions.
  • Most predefined machines in the machine library support machine configurations, machine simulation, and include full simulation models.
  • See: How to edit a Machine Configuration to modify these settings in Fusion. 

Machine definition dialog box

Note:
  • You cannot import latest machine configurations into Inventor CAM and HSMWorks directly.
  • For post processing purposes, you can use the machine configurations by downloading a packaged post from the online Machine Library.
    1. Go to the Machine Library and find the machine you'd like to use.
    2. Click Download and select For Inventor/HSMWorks.

Download machine dialog box

  1. Select the post processor from the Control/post dropdown that you want to use with the machine configuration.
  2. Click download to download a *.CPSZ file. (This is a package that contains both the post processor specified and the machine configuration file. This file can be selected directly in the post processing dialog.)

 

Set up a 4/5 axis in the Post Processor script:

  1. If you don't already have a post processor to edit, download the post for your machine from the Autodesk Post Processor Library.
  2. Post Processors for Fusion and HSM CAM products are Javascript text files with a CPS text extension. Open the CPS file in any text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, Brackets, Notepad++...) to perform edits.
  3. Refer to chapter 7.1.3 Creating a Hardcoded Multi-Axis Machine Configuration in the Post Processor Training Guide for editing instructions. To enable the 4th and 5th axis code, set the right machine configuration on the ABC axis for the specific machine being used.
  4. After a CPS file/post processor has been edited, it will need to be saved and added into the CAM program using the installation resources:
For more information, visit this forum thread.
 
 

Products:

Autodesk HSM; Fusion; Inventor CAM;

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