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u/National_Fun_8912

r/Fusion360 r/cade r/CNC r/nxcad r/CNCmachining
I built a free Fusion 360 CAM plugin that summarizes all tools used in your CAM program
▲ 0 r/CNCmachining+1 crossposts

I built a free Fusion 360 CAM plugin that summarizes all tools used in your CAM program

Hi everyone,

I've been working on a free Fusion 360 CAM add-in called CutterPanel.

One thing that always bothered me was having to expand dozens of operations just to answer simple questions like:

  • Which tools are used?
  • Which operations use a particular tool?
  • Which setup does an operation belong to?

So I built a panel that summarizes everything in one place.

Current Features

• Total unique tools

• Tool → Operation mapping

• Operation → Setup mapping

• Local/OEM Tool Library identification

• Cycle Time summary (currently under development)

The goal isn't to replace Fusion's operation tree—it's to make reviewing CAM programs much faster.

I'm planning to launch it in the next few days.

If you'd like to try the beta before release, send me an email:

📩 kambojsumit987@gmail.com

I'd really appreciate honest feedback.

Question for experienced CAM programmers:

If you could add one feature to a Tool Summary panel, what would it be?

u/National_Fun_8912 — 4 days ago
▲ 2 r/nxcad+2 crossposts

Built a Fusion 360 prototype called SurfPick and would love feedback from CAD/CAM users.

The idea came from working with imported STEP models where feature history is unavailable. In these models, selecting all faces belonging to a hole, pocket, slot, or protrusion often requires a lot of manual clicking.

SurfPick attempts to solve that problem by:

• Analyzing model topology using AI-assisted feature recognition
• Identifying feature groups from imported geometry
• Allowing users to select a single face and automatically highlight related faces belonging to the same feature
• Supporting bulk feature highlighting across the model

Current prototype supports:

• Open Features
• Closed Features
• Protrusions
• Unknown Features

Future roadmap:

• Holes
• Closed Pockets
• Open Pockets
• Individual Faces
• Additional manufacturing features

Demo video attached.

I'd really appreciate feedback from CAM programmers, CNC programmers, manufacturing engineers, and Fusion 360 users:

  1. Would a tool like this save time in your workflow?
  2. What would prevent you from using a tool like this?

Looking for honest feedback — including reasons why this may not be useful.

u/National_Fun_8912 — 13 days ago
▲ 2 r/Fusion360

CAM programmers: how painful is tool selection really? Trying to understand if this is a solved problem or not

Background: I'm a developer with some manufacturing knowledge doing research before potentially building a tool. I want honest opinions, not validation.

The specific problem I keep hearing about:

When a programmer gets a new part, they pick an operation, then have to find the right tool from their shop's library. If the right tool isn't there, they go hunting through OEM catalogs (Sandvik, Kennametal, etc.). They pick a tool, generate the toolpath, simulate it, find a problem, go back and try a different tool. Repeat until it works.

My questions for people who actually do this:

- Is this loop actually as slow and frustrating as it sounds, or do experienced programmers just know from the start which tool to use?

- How big are your shop tool libraries? Is searching them easy or a mess?

- Would you use a plugin that looked at your selected operation and automatically searched your library + OEM catalogs and gave you a ranked list of best tools with reasons?

- What would make you NOT trust such a tool?

Looking for real feedback including "that's a dumb idea because X". That's more useful to me right now than encouragement.

Thanks

reddit.com
u/National_Fun_8912 — 23 days ago
▲ 0 r/CNCmachining+1 crossposts

CAM programmers: how painful is tool selection really? Trying to understand if this is a solved problem or not

Background: I'm a developer with some manufacturing knowledge doing research before potentially building a tool. I want honest opinions, not validation.

The specific problem I keep hearing about:

When a programmer gets a new part, they pick an operation, then have to find the right tool from their shop's library. If the right tool isn't there, they go hunting through OEM catalogs (Sandvik, Kennametal, etc.). They pick a tool, generate the toolpath, simulate it, find a problem, go back and try a different tool. Repeat until it works.

My questions for people who actually do this:

- Is this loop actually as slow and frustrating as it sounds, or do experienced programmers just know from the start which tool to use?

- How big are your shop tool libraries? Is searching them easy or a mess?

- Would you use a plugin that looked at your selected operation and automatically searched your library + OEM catalogs and gave you a ranked list of best tools with reasons?

- What would make you NOT trust such a tool?

Looking for real feedback including "that's a dumb idea because X". That's more useful to me right now than encouragement.

Thanks

reddit.com
u/National_Fun_8912 — 23 days ago
▲ 4 r/cade+1 crossposts

Quick question for CAM programmers — how painful is selecting faces on imported STEP files?

Hey all, I'm building a small Fusion 360 plugin and want to make sure I'm solving a real problem before I go deep.

When you import a STEP/IGES file and need to select all faces of holes, pockets, or bosses for a toolpath, how do you do it today? Do you click each face manually, or is there a trick I'm missing?

Three quick questions:

  1. How often do you work with imported (featureless) geometry vs native Fusion parts?
  2. Roughly how much time per part goes into face selection?
  3. Would a "click one face → auto-select the whole feature" tool actually save you time, or is it not a big deal?

Honest answers welcome, including "this isn't a real problem." Thanks!

reddit.com
u/National_Fun_8912 — 1 month ago