MapBoards
Descripción
Note: This is the Mac OS release of MapBoards. For the Windows release, click Win64 near the top of the page (under our logo, where it says OS).
MapBoards is a utility to arrange the cut layout and a lite version of DXF output for laser, CNC cutting, and conventional woodworking projects using Autodesk® Fusion®.
It will perform the following steps.
- Arrange copies of model components on a cut layout of the specified dimensions minimizing waste
- Create a flat panel sketch from the cut layout (optional)
- Export the sketch as a multi-layered DXF file (optional) - This is a lite version for simple cutouts. MapBoards Pro has the full support of Export to DXF for menu commands and the context menu of the map component in the Browser.
- The model can include linked components or assemblies
The sketch and DXF file will be adjusted for the specified kerf of the laser cutter.
See a full product description here. MapBoards
See App Store Installs for help with new or updated installs.
You may prefer the Pro version which has many additional features to enhance your workflow. Selection support and a number of additional output types, post-mapping tasks and more.
Note: MapBoards can be launched using the toolbar icon or from the Create dropdown menu of the design workspace.
This does exactly what it says it will do, and it's done so with zero problems whatsoever.
I remember a few years back when I reached out to Icarus for small things that i noticed and he worked his way to fix the problem right away and provided a solution. Very quick and I still see updates right now. This is a great app for those that do laser cutting or any file that requires DXF format or SVG. For the times I have needed it, it has never failed me and has saved me time. I don't know what other file formats are available but I use it mainly for laser cutting (Glowforge) and works great. I bought all the apps that Icarus has because it has been great.
I love this extension and I'm concerned that after Oct 1st, we will no longer beable to use it.
From what I can tell, Autodesk is about to pull the rug out from a lot of us who purchased this extension. Will Autodesk allow users who purchased extensions to continue to use it after the new personal/hobby plan?
The add-in is very useful, albeit pricey for a hobbyist, a lot of the more advanced features are only in the pro version. If you will use this on more intricate models I would recommend to skip this version and just get the Pro as it is already a bit pricey and the extra $10 for Pro would be worth it.
Thank you for releasing this update! It made MapBoards work the way I've always envisioned it too.
Great job sir!
Did exactly what I wanted it to do after about 2 minutes of tinkering to get the settings right. Major time saver for CNC layouts!
Fantastic app for all you woodworkers out there running sheet goods and a CNC. Saves me a ton of time nesting panels.
This app pays for itself in the first use.
For a hobbyist woodworker like me, this plug in is fantastic, and definitely worth US$9.99 even with the current exchange rate to AUD$.
I think it's about time we get word spread around the various maker channels about this fantastic product and support this developer so that the updates can keep on flowing!
I would love to see one thing added with future development, the ability to add in multiple sheet dimensions for the same type of lumber so that I can use up some of my older offcuts. The only way I can think of doing that would be to make micro differences to material thicknesses, or use different materials for various components, neither of which would be as quick as defining multiple sheet dimensions for a single material type.
Well done Bill!
You can change the material thickness by making a new setup for each sheet in your panel layout - at least that's what I did when I figured it out lol
No joke. This plugin is incredible. Been wanting this for years.
If you design boxes-and-stuff to be laser cut... you NEED this add-in! Its only flaw is its name; I believe it makes it harder to find than it should!
This just saved me DAYS of flattening mold box panels and projecting dxf's on a large scale concrete casting project. Love the labeling feature as well as it's so easy to lose track of parts when working on complex jobs. Had some issues installing on my machine but got it sorted quickly thanks to some great customer service.
Worth well more than the price!
Bravo.
Same here! I know this post is 1 year old, but I am just now getting into using this plugin and I am absolutely amazed with how much time it has cut off of my workflow - we are talking days of saved time!
Works perfectly almost every time. I have seen a few objects overlap and or extend out of the sheet size area but is always easily corrected.
It would be nice if component links were not broken when nested.
But overall possibly the most usefull $1.99 I have ever spent.
This plugin really makes Fusion a powerful tool for furniture designers, except it would be great to have extrusions which are only cut partly in to components or bodies also be recognised by the sketch output to DXF option. This is key for me to be able to output DXF files as part of a CNC process. Components or bodies that are extruded completely through show up on a cut layer but part extrusions do not. Would this be something you could add in to your software?
Everything works smoothly, very happy with the result.
Wow. Paid the $2 based on the other reviews, figuring that it won't matter a lot if I was disappointed. I am not disappointed.
This add-in is going to save me hours of work when setting up designs for laser cutting. I'm also looking forward to seeing how well it works setting up for a CNC router later as well.
Feature request: option to generate a DXF only (no body in the Fusion file). With that said, only having one thing to delete is still a massive improvement!
Works great for rectangular pieces - excellent time saver for very little money.
Is there a way to "nest" odd shapes for optimized CNC cutting?
I was struggling to find a tool that would break down my cabinet designs into plywood cutting plans and this did it perfectly on the first try. I'm with the other commenters when I say this tool is way less expensive than it should be. I'd happily pay $20 as a hobbyist and a pro would likely pay much more. So great!
I know nothing of coding plugins, but optimize the handling a bit, so it processes large sheets faster and you have a very very nice tool. Also, raise price to something like 15 dollars. For businesses, this tool could be worth a couple of hundred, easily..
Awesome work!
Does exactly what I need to layout panels for my CNC machine.
I will literally pay more for this if some extra features could be added.
Underpriced.
I'm new to Fusion360, want to do my own kitchen cabinets, and was stuggling trying to figure out how to do this. At two dollars I almost didn't go for it, because it had to be a toy at that price, right? I'm very pleased, I may have to go back and fix a couple newbie mistakes on my end but this add on is just flat out awesome.
My only comment for those wondering if they should buy it, is to check out a video on youtube. Being a nube at Fusion 360 and plugins, I needed youtube to get started, and then was promptly blown away.
Way too cheap for what this is. :) Thank you.
Very nice. Makes the workflow a lot easier. One improvement I still have. You could link the parts with jionts in a way that they keep the distance even if the size of the parts change. I know that can wreak havok, if it't not fitting on the plate any more or start overlapping in the second row.
I just can't understand why this was necessary and not integrated in fusion in the first place. But there a lot of QoL features that inventor has that fusion would need. But we are not getting them.
ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME? i have been doing it a hard way all along...
i make complex furniture using 20 sheets and dozens ( if not hundreds ) of pieces
THIS APP IS SIMPLY AMAZING!!!!
OUTSTANDING!!!!
THANK YOU!!!
I am totally happy with this plug in, really a useful timesaver for me! For further development I would suggest to automatically group all the items generated with the plug in so it would all take only 1 position on a timeline. Then the user could expand the group only if needed. Not really a functional matter, but helps the timeline keeping clean and tidy:-) In previous version I also could not save default values but it seems to be fixed for now. Keep up the great work and thank you!
Jan, great suggestion. I'll include the creating of a timeline group for MapBoards in next weeks update.
Sometimes it works fine, but sometimes it positions parts with collisions. Using version 1.4. This app has a great potential and when it's finished it will worth much more than 2$. So now I consider it ok for the educational purposes, as for production, well, 80%.
It perfectly suits my needs. Very convenient in use. The developer is very helpfull. (no affiliation, besides that fact that it's a polite and helpfull guy) It would be helpfull if you could save some standard sheet-sizes to select from. (it saves the values you used, but it would be handy if you could do it with 1 selection instead of 2) Highly recommended. Updating works flawless, installation works like a charm too.
I just bought this in the pff chance that it would work well. I, until this moment, have been using a program called sketchlist for s few years now. it is cumbersome to design in and the cost is not $2.
I installed the plugin and ran it. It worked, perfectly, the first time. I forgot that I made my cabinets in mm and had to convert the stock dimensions. I know it is working with the document measurements, but having the abililty to use whatever measurement would make it a little faster. That is just a little thing though.
Thank you for making this plugin, I can finally stop using that sketchlist program and combine all of my design workflow into 1 program.
Michael, so glad you fine MapBoards useful. On the input units you can basically type in any unit you prefer including formulas and/or user defined parameters, fractions, etc. Say for example your design is created in mm, which you prefer, and the default units is in inches you can enter a Width and Length in mm by adding the units like this: Width 100 mm Length 200 mm. An updated version, 1.04, will be available today with some bug fixes which you are entitled to download at no cost.
Again, went to use this and now I am seeing so many more enhancements. I still cannot believe the price for the functionality. This is a must have for CNC users. It is the only plugin I have been 100% happy with. The OBJ exporter is $50 and it does not even do it right. Well, not all of the time at least. But this one works as I expect every time. Thanks again for making this!