Could really use an expert's input on a Fusion 360 question? 😄

[jbpa]

@Hirudin

Another option someone might elect to take is to add the slots to the X Side Sketch and then pattern them within the sketch

The problem with this is that if you ever change the number of slots, which @Jules was trying to do, you may not get the results you expect. If you increase the number of slots you want, or increase the number of pocket rows–which will result in more slot groups–they will not be automatically cut, even though they will appear in the sketch.

[Hirudin]

[wrong!]The slots would not have to be selected with the method I suggested, therefor changing the number is immaterial.[/wrong]

@Hirudin

do all this between step 2 and step 3

[jbpa]

@Secret_Sauce

I do have a few other ideas on how to make your file work more efficiently

I’m all for learning how to do these things more efficiently. This method is what I have been using over the last month or two as I have painfully learned how to anticipate the way that F360 will recalculate models when parameters are changed.

[Jules]

That would be excellent, I’d love to see some more alternatives. (I know it’s probably like Illustrator and there are a dozen ways to approach it…Did you want to look at the original file too? I can PM it to you. )

[Jules]

@Hirudin, I’ll also send it to you to pick apart and improve on. The more minds on it the merrier.

[Hirudin]

Thanks, but that’s OK. The method jbpa outlined is probably the best method. Adding features to the timeline can be an advantage too.

[jbpa]

Then maybe I’m not understanding what you’re saying. A screenshot would be helpful, if you can mock one up.

If I add the slots directly to the sketch created in Step 2, then when the number of slots change, they are not necessarily extruded correctly in Step 3. This is what @jules was trying to start with.

[Hirudin]

Ope, I’m sorry. You’re right, it doesn’t work the way I thought. What I suggested was exactly what @Jules was doing already. (… I think…)

[jbpa]

Well now I’m disappointed . I’m still hoping to find an easier, yet still reliable way to build these types of patterns. Let’s hope @secret_sauce has some undisclosed tricks to share.

[Jules]

Actually, I now see what you did with it after reading through the explanation - you just created another sketch to distribute the decorative slots along the actual extruded face, instead of trying to extrude the body around them.

Roughly correct? I just hadn’t taken it far enough yet? (Hope I understand what you did there correctly.)

[jbpa]

Correct. You could still do it with 1 sketch, but I like to split them up so that it’s clear which is which, and it keeps more complicated sketches from getting completely out of hand.

[Jules]

Awesome-sauce! I actually understand!

Excuse me while I squeeeeeeee!

[jbpa]

Is this the part where I pat myself on the back because I taught the infamous @jules something

[Jules]

Oh no, that’s entirely too easy to do!

[jbpa]

@Jules

It appears to me that anything new added to the sketch is being captured for extrusion by default, when the object in this case is to just extrude the items originally selected? The sketch is correctly populated, and it can be used to export to DXF for laser cutting, but it precludes using any of the face capturing plug-ins, which can be handy if you want to apply a kerf adjustment on one or more individual parts, but not the whole thing.

By the way, I really recommend using the CAM workspace and functions for kerf adjustment, instead of building kerf parameters into your model. It makes calculations so much easier, and less error prone.

[Jules]

I didn’t build any KA into this file, and I’ve noticed that using the Save DXF function to adjust it on export does really bad things to the slot sizes when you have them sized to exact material thickness, so usually if I want to just adjust some finger tabs, I’ll only adjust those when I export one of the faces. (Leaving everything else alone.)

Seems to work a lot better.

[jbpa]

I don’t use the Save DXF function. I use the AutoCAD DXF post processor in the CAM workspace. You can adjust for kerf on each individual piece of your model very easily; although not on individual slots or features of the model. I haven’t had any problems with slot sizes using this method. Of course, I also like it because it’s very easy to export all of the faces of the model into a single DXF which can easily be imported into Illustrator.

[Jules]

Think in terms of your next tutorial, I haven’t even touched the CAM side yet and it’s Greek.

[jbpa]

Another area that I’ve learned through pain; although mostly with my CNC machines in that space.

[markevans36301]

@Jules

I haven’t even touched the CAM side yet

There live dragons! I’ll do an entire design in F360 but hand off to something else for toolpathing. I mean I totaly respect those who can walk among the dragons and not get eaten but for me it is SO much easier to toolpath in Vcarve.