Fusion 360 - Text For Plasma Cutting

[Brad93]

I'm trying to do some stencil text in fusion. I've done bits before with mixed results due to the tool following the exploded text path, basically ending up cutting along the thin text twice. I've tried downloading stencil fonts but they don't work correctly in fusion it just defaults to Arial.

So I've written the text in photoshop, saved as a PSD and used an online converter to convert to SVG - a format Fusion likes.

Ive now tried importing the SVG file but its still taking too long changing all the stencil bits to a decent width so the plate isn't too flimsy.

What it is, is my angling club want about 12 little signs, around a foot wide by 5-6" high, for swim names.

Something like this. But faster, this has taken me far too long to draw.

Any tips? @Hood

 

[Brad93]

I mean Snake isnt a particularly hard one, but BREAM, FACTORY and WOODS CORNER all need dropout stencil bits whatever you call the little bits that stay behind.

 

[Brad93]

This is the only stencil text that seems to work, i think its the standard one.

 

[mtt.tr]

I would just use font and do the links manually then negative extrude it.

 

[Hitch]

I used to do text in 2d autocad, any font you like, just explode it, tidy it manually. Eventually end up with a full alphabet.

 

[Agroshield]

If you search for 'stencil alphabet dxf' or a variation on this 'stencil letters dxf', etc., there are some useful results.

 

[Hood]

I have only done one thing with any text in it so far with Fusion, that was the gate pictured below. I just used one of the standard fonts then just added a section in where required. Probably not the best option if there is going to be a lot of text getting done but it works so..

I didn't capture the design history, it is something I need to get into the habit of enabling when using one of my old drawings and importing to fusion. But basically I just drew a shape and extruded with a join rather than a cut.

 

[Agroshield]

Have a look at:-

https://www.cadkas.com/stencil-fonts.php Converts any Truetype font to dxf stencil letters

Lots of stuff on https://3axis.co (needs registration on site to download stuff)

https://www.cadkas.com/downengcad4font2dxf.php More feature rich version of first link

Another one: https://dxf-laser-cutting-fonts.en.softonic.com/

 

[Dr.Al]

Try using a different method of making the SVG - that might make it easier/quicker.

Download Inkscape (it's free and uses SVG as the native format).

• Use the text tool ("A" on the toolbar) to write the text, setting the font to suit.
• Use the cursor tool to select the text
• Hit the little padlock icon on the top toolbar (to lock the aspect ratio) and then use the W: and H: to set the size in millimetres to suit what you want.
• At the bottom of the screen is a row of colours and a cross (for no colour) - right-click on black and hit "set stroke", right-click on the cross and hit "set fill" - that will give you just the outline of the text.
• Go to the Path menu at the top and hit "Object-to-Path" - that will convert the outline of the text into a path.
• Save it as an SVG and import it into whatever you want.

Inkscape should make it quite easy to tweak if you want to remove certain lines - use the "Edit paths by nodes" tool, second in the toolbar. Click on a node (corner of the text), then use the top toolbar and hit ""Break path at selected node", followed by "delete selected node" to remove individual lines.

 

[julianf]

As Hitch says, explode, and its no longer text, but just vectors, like any other.

Graphics apps call it something like "export to paths" or something - again, changing the text to a vector set.

I dont know how fusion handles this, but it sounds like youre trying to import text and fusion isnt finding the right font in its set. If you have another application that can find the font, and will allow exploding to vectors, then that would be a work arround.

 

[Dr.Al]

Here's an Inkscape-generated "Woods Corner" - took me about 30 seconds to make. See if it works for you and if does, get Inkscape!

 

[julianf]

Inkscape is a good application - it generally seems to work better than things like the "industry standard" illustrator.


(illustrator dxf / plt exports are shockingly bad)

 

[Brad93]

Here's an Inkscape-generated "Woods Corner" - took me about 30 seconds to make. See if it works for you and if does, get Inkscape!

Thanks mate I will try this later

 

[Brad93]

Right, another file that you guys may be able to help me with. I've been sent an .odt file from a member. Its some text with a line drawing. I've converted the drawing from .odt to PDF. Using inkscape i can open the pdf and pick up the text, convert to path as described by @Dr.Al but i cant seem to convert the line drawing to a path.

Any ideas?

 

[Brad93]

here is the file in PDF form.

 

[Shox Dr]

Can you not convert to .dxf

 

[Dr.Al]

Right, another file that you guys may be able to help me with. I've been sent an .odt file from a member. Its some text with a line drawing. I've converted the drawing from .odt to PDF. Using inkscape i can open the pdf and pick up the text, convert to path as described by @Dr.Al but i cant seem to convert the line drawing to a path.

Any ideas?

I think your problem is the PDF conversion. I doubt inkscape imports any lines from PDF as lines - it probably imports it as an image, which is a pain to get back into line form.

Can you share the ODT? In the meantime I'll have a play in CorelDRAW, which has some other tricks up its sleeve...

 

[Hood]

What do you want it as? Here is a dxf, should work.

 

[Hood]

Fusion file you can subtract from material to get the cuts.

 

[Brad93]

Thanks @Dr.Al and @Hood.

@Hood how did you do it in fusion if you don't mind my asking?