Simple Alternative to Fusion360

Valveman

I've completely overhauled/updated my hobby cnc router. Heretofore, I always had my son process my original drawings with Fusion, then send it to the Duet/DWC. But I need an alternative, as I just can't handle the complexity of Fusion. LightBurn [easy to understand] hasn't released their MillMage ware as of yet. So I'm still trying find something for me to get my projects done. Any ideas?

Valveman

Valveman
Sep 25, 2024, 4:03 AM

I've completely overhauled/updated my hobby cnc router. Heretofore, I always had my son process my original drawings with Fusion, then send it to the Duet/DWC. But I need an alternative, as I just can't handle the complexity of Fusion. LightBurn [easy to understand] hasn't released their MillMage ware as of yet. So I'm still trying find something for me to get my projects done. Any ideas?

oliof

@Valveman you can have a look at Ondsel, a free but cimmercialky supported variant of FreeCAD. Youd need to export your drawings as step files from Fusion to import them into FreeCAD.

Kubunter

Hello Valveman,

personally I tried it first with FreeCAD, but in my opinion this is really complicated.
After a couple of Youtube Videos about Fusion, it started out that it is way more "simpler" then FreeCAD.

So in my opinion after a couple of youtube videos Fusion is useable for drawing parts.
Sure, I need to practice for complicated parts, but easier geometries are absolutely no issue.

For the start it is also good to maybe mod some existing files.

Regards Kubunter

droftarts

@Valveman I used to use Cambam, which I found relatively intuitive, but it's not free: https://cambamcnc.com/
You can also use Inkscape to generate Gcode (google it), and there's plenty of other CAM software around, for example see the lists here: https://www.cncsourced.com/software/best-free-cnc-software-control-cad-cam/ or https://all3dp.com/2/best-free-cam-software/

Ian

droftarts

@Valveman Also, I've merged your two thread on the same question together. Please keep to one to thread per question!

Ian

Valveman

Sorry about the duplicate entry. Appreciate everyone's advice. Actually, I've been the past year awaiting the release of MillMage. I was using LightBurn to layout my panel designs, as it was by trial and error that I stumbled on to it, and found it to be very organized and easy for me to learn. I then give those files to my son, who uses Fusion to recreate my drawings into code for the Duet.
Just heard from my son that I should look at Easel. My understanding is, the free version is simpler than Fusion, yet adequate for my engraving aluminum panels with text.
Will give it a whirl this weekend.
It's hell getting old.LOL
Ron

o_lampe

@Valveman For engraving front plates I'd use openScad. Very old school, I know.
I came from SolidWorks and Fusion, but the free license of fusion was getting harder to extend and the functionality got limitted.
Then used FreeCad, but found it too complicated. (didn't try to find tutorials, tho)

OpenScad is like a programming language and that's where I feel comfortable with. (IT background)
Plenty of libraries exist, e.g. fonts, threading and screw libraries.

Usually I export .dxf files and refine them in inkscape for my CO2-laser, but it has a CNC output module for sure.

Either way you'll have a long learning curve ahead of you, might as well wait for lightburn to come up with their CNC version.