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For an example of how to use the Upload tab, see Using the Cycle Time Estimator. |
The ‘Upload’ tab contains the following sections that can be collapsed or expanded:
About CAM Assist - shows the version number.
Selecting files - enables you to specify/upload up to 10 Fusion part files.
The Cycle Time Estimator uses these part files to calculate an estimation; it will also create a toolpath strategy (within Fusion) for each part.
Options - contains drop-down boxes that enable you to specify the machining environment.
For more information on the Selecting files and Options sections, see below.
After you have uploaded/selected the files and configured the options, click Run to create the cycle time estimates; this will populate the Cycle Times Estimates, Report, and Export tabs with the results.
Tooltips
Tooltips contain useful information on the purpose and use of features within the ‘Upload' tab. To see a tooltip, just hover over a feature.
‘Selecting Files’ section
The ‘Selecting files’ section enables you to upload/select up to 10 Fusion part files.
When the Cycle Time Estimator is opened there are no files listed under ‘Selecting files’, as shown in the screenshot to the right.
Files are added to the list via the Click here to select files button, which then shows a Fusion ‘Select parts for which you want to estimate cycle times' dialog.
The screenshot to the right shows four files that have been added to the list of selected files.
The following table details all of the features of the ‘Selecting files' section.
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Feature
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Description
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Maximum number of files
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The maximum number of files that you can upload/select.
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Select
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The Click here to select button may be used to upload/select up to the maximum number of files.
On clicking Run, cycle time estimates and toolpath strategies are computed for each of the files in the ‘Selecting files’ batch.
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Uploaded/Selected files
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On the righthand side of each file, is a black circle featuring a white cross, 
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Click the cross to remove the associated file from the list.
‘Options’ section
The ‘Options’ section enables you to specify the environment for which the cycle time estimation and toolpath strategy computation will take place.
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The following table details all of the features of the ‘Options' section.
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Feature
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Description
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Tool library
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The Fusion tool library that will be used to calculate the estimated cycle time and a toolpath strategy for each of the uploaded files, listed under ‘Selecting files’.
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Stock material
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CAM Assist will select tools, machining strategies, and cutting data presets based on the selected material.
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Choose machine
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Contains two categories of machine:
[Generic] - a range of CA Assist generic machines offering a combination of speed, power, and torque.
[Local] - Fusion machines that are contained within the ‘Local’ folder of Fusion’s ‘Machine Library’
See Autodesk’s article How to add a custom machine tool to the Machine Library in Fusion.
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Edit machine properties
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Enables you to specify a set of machine properties that are used to compute a toolpath strategy for each the uploaded files, listed under Selecting files.
For step-by-step instructions on using this button, see How to Edit Machine Properties.
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Machining mode
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Machining mode - the Cycle Time Estimator provides two machining modes:
3-Axis - if a file does not contain a setup then the approach direction is +Z, otherwise the approach direction is as configured in each file.
3+2 Axis - uses the ‘Aligned to X, Y, Z axes’ Machining direction that features in the CAM Assist UI.
The tool orientation that the Cycle Time Estimator uses to create the toolpath strategy covers all axes, including -Z.