Quickstart

Select a simple design at first with only a few components to become familar with the options available. When you launch MBP it will evaluate your model and display a list of material types (material type and thickness). The first time a material type is encountered it will provide the minimum Width and Length which will fit the largest part of that type. You can provide default dimensions you prefer and it will remember and use those dimesions the next time this material type is encountered.

Creating a map with bodies results in a single entry in the UnDo list, UnDo MapBoards Pro.  This enables you to run MBP multiple times creating maps with different options and roll back-and-forth through the different maps by doing an UnDo (Cmd-Z), ReDo (Shift Cmd-Z), ...

You can display all parts found for a material type with their dimensions by selecting a material type in the list. See Selection Support for details.

The demensions you enter represent the default boards size that will be used when mapping. Once you become familar with creating maps you may want to use Material Management to create and manage a list of board sizes available for each material type which can be shared across multiple design projects.

Don't worry, MBP will not modify your model. The map created is a separate component named map found in the browser tree at the root which is cleared with each run of MBP or removed by pressing cancel when running MBP.

Experiment with the following option to get the results you desire.

• Arrange method -  Arrangement Type
• Allow rotation -  Can Rotate
• Select components to rotate or duplicate -  Selection Support

There are several alternative Map Output Type options that will export the created map in one step finishing without leaving the map in the model. This include DXF file, SVG files or Report Output. You may however wish to keep the map in order to use it in the Fusion's manufacturing workspace to create toolpaths to produce your model. The same exports can be done after the map has been created.  This allow the model to be rearranged if desired before an export is performed.

There are a number of post-mapping tasks that can be performed on the created map object. It is more efficient and recomended to create the map first then execute tasks on that map.  The tasks available include labeling, exports of SVG, DXF, Cutlist and Report.  A description of the tasks can be found here.  Post-Mapping Tasks  Be sure to try the Report task will create an html file that includes a view of the map, cut-list, required materials and the MBP options selected to create the map. Report also provides an output type Print which allows the report to be saved as a PDF or even rotate boards for better viewing.

There are a number of options available in the Options tab. See Options

Notes:

• The arrangements accounts for the amount of component spacing and trim on board specified in options. Minimizing their size for tighter arrangements.
• You can move components within or between boards in the resulting arranged map.  Rearrange Map

If you plan to use the Fusion additive manufacturing workspace to complete the cutting with a CNC Router the following steps are suggested for a starting point. I would also suggest to always try the default options for toolpaths with simulation first.

• Create a map with MBP with the Create boards and As Glass option turned off
• Switch to the manufacture workspace
• Select New Setup from the Setup dropdown
• Select your preferred Work Coordinate System, use default if you don't know
• Under Model select one or more Board bodies along with at least one component on the board to provide thickness. The default shows "Nothing".
• Under the Stock tab select Relative size for the Mode and No additional stock for Stock Offset Mode
• Select OK to complete the setup creation.
• Create one or more toolpaths then simulate to validate

Note: For simple body cutouts the 2D Contour toolpath is a good choice.