SHOP FLOOR MANUFACTURING MANUAL

AutoCAD DXF CAM & CNC Router Shop-Floor Guide

Standard operating procedures for importing GearBox Studio's AutoCAD R12/2000 ASCII DXF flat patterns into Vectric VCarve, Fusion 360, woodWOP, Biesse bSolid, and panel saw optimizers.

AutoCAD® is a registered trademark of Autodesk Inc. GearBox Studio produces industry-standard ASCII DXF files compatible with Autodesk AutoCAD and third-party CNC software.

1. Universal Layer Segregation Standards

Every DXF flat pattern exported from GearBox Studio is segregated into discrete color-coded layers. You can configure automatic layer-based toolpath templates in your CAM software so that machining operations apply in 1 click:

Layer Name	Color Code	Machining Operation	Typical Depth	Toolpath Notes
OUTER_CUT	White (#FFFFFF)	Full Depth Perimeter Cut	18.5 mm into spoilboard	Continuous closed polyline. Always assigned outside toolpath vector offset with lead-in.
DADO_POCKET	Cyan (#00FFFF)	Blind Grooving & Rebates	6.0 mm deep	Mating dado for 6mm backboard or 18mm fixed shelf interlock. Pocket toolpath clearing.
DRILL_32MM	Green (#00FF00)	5.0 mm Boring Drill	13.0 mm blind	European System 32 line boring for shelf pins and drawer runner mounting plates.
HINGE_CUP_35MM	Yellow (#FFFF00)	35.0 mm Forstner / Endmill	12.5 mm blind	Concealed cup hinge boring for standard Blum / Grass 35mm hinge hardware.
FOLD_CREASE	Red (#FF0000)	Creasing Wheel / Scored Line	0.4 mm crease	Utilized in Packaging Studio mode for corrugated cardboard folding kinematics.
ENGRAVE_LABEL	Magenta (#FF00FF)	Engraving V-Bit (60° / 90°)	0.5 mm scratch	Part numbers, edge-band indicators, and assembly orientation arrows for bench joiners.

2. Sheet Stock Setup: 2440 × 1220 mm & 3050 × 1525 mm

When setting up raw stock on your CNC vacuum bed or beam saw:

Standard 8×4 ft Stock

• Nominal: 2440 × 1220 mm

• Squaring Trim: 10 mm perimeter trim

• Effective Usable: 2420 × 1200 mm

Oversized 10×5 ft Stock

• Nominal: 3050 × 1525 mm

• Squaring Trim: 15 mm perimeter trim

• Effective Usable: 3020 × 1495 mm

3. Tool Diameter Offsets & Kerf Compensation

In your CAM software (e.g., Vectric VCarve or Fusion 360), ensure your toolpaths use the correct vector alignment:

1. OUTER_CUT:Select Profile Toolpath → Machine Vectors OUTSIDE. Enable tool radius compensation (G41 / G42 or CAM internal offset). For 18mm board, cut in 2 passes (e.g. 9.5mm pass depth) with a final 0.2mm onion skin to prevent small parts from shifting under vacuum.

2. DADO_POCKET:Select Pocket Toolpath → Machine Vectors INSIDE. Step-over 40–50% of cutter diameter.

3. DRILL_32MM:Select Drilling Toolpath → Peck Drilling (Q=4mm) to clear chips effectively in melamine and MDF.

4. Step-by-Step CAM Software Integration

Vectric VCarve Pro & Aspire

1. File → Open → Select exported .DXF file.
2. Set Material Size to 2440 × 1220 mm and Z Zero to Spoilboard (or Material Surface).
3. Go to Toolpath Templates → Apply "Cabinetry Layer Template". All toolpaths will calculate automatically.

Autodesk Fusion 360 (Manufacture Workspace)

1. Insert → Insert DXF → Select XY Plane.
2. Switch to Manufacture Workspace → Setup 2D Profile → Filter contour selections by Layer name.
3. Post-Process to your machine controller (Syntec, Mach3, GRBL, Biesse CNI).

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