MapBoards Pro Description
This doumentation is based on the latest version.
The MapBoards Pro (MBP) toolbar icon
will show a download indicator
when an update to your currently installed version is available. Updates will be
downloaded and installed when MBP is run and will require a Fusion restart to activate.
Installs can be downloaded from the Autodesk App Store. App Store
View version history here.
New user?: Quickstart
Latest new features and improvements:- Added support for Automatic Grain Alignment to compliment Fusion's new Grain Control (Version 2.745) See Automatic Grain Alignment
- Added support to create scrap lumber lists of various sizes to be used during mapping (Version 2.744)
- New Rotate Boards option for report printing (Version 2.742)
- Option for Fractional labeling on Map and all exports including Report when units are in inches (Version 2.64)
- Print option for Report export to hardcopy or PDF (Version 2.63)
Map Output Type
By default, when the option Map Output Type is Component Bodies, a map with copies of the bodies in the model are arranged on one or more boards. The entire arrangement will be created under a component named "map" in the brower tree.
There are a number of alternative output types including SVG File, DXF File or Report which can be created directly without providing a map of Component Bodies or you can create these alternate outputs using tasks on the created map object. See Post-Mapping Tasks
When MBP starts the length, width, thickness and material type are determined for each component body in the model. The list of all material and thickness pairings are presented allow the targeted board dimensions to be specified. The initial default dimensions filled in will be a size large enough to fit one component, the largest component for each material type. You will needs to updated these dimensions before you run MBP the first time on a model to match the standard material size available to you as sheet goods, board lumber, etc. in the material and thickness found in your model. MBP will create as many boards of this size needed to map all components of this type in your model.
If you have remnants of this material, or scraps, of various sizes you can optionally
create a list of these scraps and include them to be filled when creating a map.
The included scraps will be filled first and when the list is exausted mapping will resume
using the standard material size you had entered. The scrap lists that you create are
available to all other designs that contain the same material type (material and thickness)
you just need to select the edit icon
next to the material type and select which scraps you want included in the resulting scap list
table displayed. These scrap lists can be viewed as inventory and modified as scraps
are added and/or used up.
The standard material sizes and included scraps you entered for a model will persist and be included the next time you run MBP on the model.
In this example the dimensions for materials Walnut and Mahogany are large enough to contain all components of their material type. Also note that no scraps have been used since the scrap counts are zero next to each material type.

By default all component bodies are included in the created map. Alternatively you can select which component bodies that you want included in the map. By selecting a component occurrence or a component body from the browser tree or a body in the design view a second selection table is displayed. The selected component bodies are displayed in this table. This example shows two components selected of type Walnut allowing their quantities and grain direction to be changed while still allowing the entire model to be included in the created map.

- Include Entire Model - Include all components in model with the modifications made to the selected items.
- Quantity - The selected item's number of copies can be increased from the default of one.
- Grain Direction - When creating the map each component's
longest dimension, its length, is placed horizontally matching the targeted
board length. This is an attempt to match wood grain direction.
This default is changed by toggling the double-arrowed icon on the selected item, horizontal
or vertical
.
A flat pattern of the created map can be exported as a DXF or SVG file with a number of options including kerf thickness. The DXF file exported is layered as viewed from the top and will include perimeter, cutouts, insets, and labels. Inset layer names will describe either a depth or depth range. The same view is created with an SVG file export with layers represented as lines with selectable colors and adjustable thicknesses.
You can perform the export as part of the map creation in one step or produce a map first then export the flat pattern with tasks from the map object context menu in the browser tree. Since you can manually rearrange the components on the resulting map you may prefer the stepwise process of creating the map, rearrange the map then export the flat pattern.
Advantages of exporting or labeling after the creation of a map:- allows components to be manually rearranged before export
- fine tune export parameters such as kerf before exporting
- relabel to fine tune font, font size or units after rearranging map
- can elect to label or export one board at a time, useful on large models
MBP has no restrictions or limitations when your model contains derived components, bodies or assemblies. This would be the preferred method if you wish to combine assemblies when you run MBP in order to determine material requirements and layout.
Models which include linked components and assemblies are supported. There are some potentially known limitations which can be corrected following best practices below. A better alternative, if MBP encounters an error, is to derive a shadow model then run MBP on that derived model. It's quick and easy and if you choose to save that derived model all changes in the source model will be reflected in the derived model allowing you to rerun MBP with the changes. See Creating derived model
Best practices when using linked components and assemblies with MBP in order to avoid errors.- Name all component and do NOT use Fusion's automatically created component names, i.e. ComponentX. Instead provide your own unique names.
- Always ensure that you have removed MBP created maps from the assembled models you plan to link into another model. Clear the map by invoking MBP and pressing Cancel.
- Remember to save any updates you make to the assembly and refresh the model where linked.
For you larger models you may need to perform a few extra step. You will find suggestions here for Large models.
There are a number of options available in the options tab. Trying the different arrangement types, the Can Rotate setting and boards dimensions will result in varied results. All options and dimensions will persist and be includes the next time you run MBP on this model. You can save your option selections as default by pressing Save as Default in the Option tab.
View all available options here. Option Descriptions
