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), ...

One or more maps are created under the component maps. In order to save a map you just need to hide it by turning of the visibility icon.  See Creating Multiple Maps.

If you are using or plan to include linked components and assemblies in your model than see Linked Components and Assemblies.

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. You can remove the map by pressing Cmd-Z (UnDo MapBoards Pro) or rerun MBP and pressing ESC then OK to delete.

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, Report and the recently added Manufacturing Model.  A description of the tasks can be found here.  Post-Mapping Tasks  Be sure to try the Report task which 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. Minimize their size for tighter arrangements.
• You can move components within or between boards in the resulting arranged map.  Rearrange Map
• Rearranged maps can be relabeled or exported with the Post-Mapping tasks

Using Fusion 360's additive manufacuring is now made easy with the addition of the post-mapping task Manufacturing Model. This task will create or switch to an existing manufacuring model (MM) with setup. Using a MM provides the convenience of shadowing any changes made to a mapped board in the design workspace.

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 a Map Output Type of Component Bodies and the option Create boards As Glass turned off
• Right-click on the map object in the browser tree and execute the Manufacturing Model task
• Check the Create Setup and an WCS Origin that matches you CNC machine setup then press OK
• Create one or more toolpaths then simulate to validate

Note: For simple body cutouts the 2D Contour toolpath is a good choice.  See Manufacturing Model Support  which shows how to create this toolpath using the default setup created by the Manufacturing Model task.