From Fusion 360 to a Nested Cut List
Fusion 360 has no cut list command of its own. The usual route is the free, open-source Export Cutlist add-in by Billy Keyes, which groups your bodies by size and material and saves them as CSV. EZNESTING recognizes that CSV: drop it on the CSV/Excel import and the count, size, thickness, material and names columns are mapped for you, with the unit in each column title (in, mm, cm) applied.
Here are the steps, what to watch for, and a sample Export Cutlist CSV to try first.
Step 1: Install the Export Cutlist add-in
- Download the latest release from the add-in's GitHub page (github.com/bluekeyes/Fusion360-ExportCutlist) and unzip it.
- In Fusion, open Scripts and Add-Ins (Shift+S).
- Click the + and choose Script or add-in from device, then pick the unzipped folder.
- Switch the add-in to Run (or restart Fusion).
The add-in is MIT-licensed and isn't made by EZNESTING. Check its README for any installation changes.
Step 2: Export the cut list as CSV
- Go to the Utilities tab. Export Cutlist is in the Make panel.
- Select the bodies or components to include. Selecting a component includes the bodies inside it.
- Under Format, set Output format to CSV. The Cutlist Optimizer option also imports.
- Set Output units to the unit you want, or leave it on auto (your document's unit). Tick Include material details if your bodies have physical materials assigned.
- Click OK, then choose where to save the file.
The add-in names each part's dimensions by size: length is the longest side, width the next, and height the thickness. Parts with matching boxes and materials are grouped into one row with a count.
Step 3: Import and nest in EZNESTING
- Open the nesting optimizer in sheet mode.
- Click CSV/Excel under Optimize and drop the CSV. The dialog shows Recognized: Fusion 360 Export Cutlist add-in.
- Check the preview and import. Units come from the column titles, so a `length (cm)` export is converted to millimetres and isn't read as mm by mistake.
- Add your sheet size and kerf, then click Optimize.
If you exported material details, each part keeps its Fusion material name (for example `Plywood, Finish`). Give your stock sheet the same material, or turn on Ignore material column in Settings.
From the sample, the 3/4" plywood parts (two 30 × 23 sides, a 34 1/2 × 23 bottom, two 34 1/2 × 4 stretchers and two 33 7/8 × 21 1/2 shelves) fit on one 4 × 8 sheet at 1/8" kerf. You can open them in the optimizer to see the layout.
Limits worth knowing
- Bounding boxes: the add-in measures each body's box. A shaped part (curved apron, angled leg) is listed by the rectangle it's cut from, which is what you nest anyway.
- Rectangles only: EZNESTING lays out rectangular parts with guillotine (edge-to-edge) cuts. For true-shape nesting of curved parts, export DXF from Fusion and use a CAM nester.
- Names: with several bodies grouped into one row, their names are joined with commas. Tick Use short names or Use component names in the add-in for cleaner labels.
- Grain: grain isn't exported. Set it on the parts that need it after importing.
Prefer outlines to a list? Flat parts drawn in a sketch can be saved as DXF and brought in with the DXF import instead.