# Fusion 360 import Contour Path Z-axis wrong/ inconsistent **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [December 15, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182 "2020-12-15T01:13:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MarianoRSastre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MarianoRSastre](https://community.inventables.com/u/MarianoRSastre)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/1 "2020-12-15T01:13:19Z")
Just got the x-carve and seem to be having some issues with importing “Contour paths” g-code from fusion 360. The z-axis is cutting my spoil-board on all “contour paths” except when I tried to run a test… Here is the first project where this happened. ![Screenshot (9)](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/a/a/aa9f5195c896218be6575fad88bc85b8427eec8b.jpeg) ![Screenshot (8)](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/8/d/8d6a09a0251d7173f8c2cfe1cae645399de1aaf5.jpeg) Below is the g-code from Fusion and an Easel export, they looked the same to me. [Countour Easle.nc](https://community.inventables.com/uploads/short-url/fZlU4vge0sbLFVKy5kDj5sKvVOw.nc) (85.2 KB) [Countour.nc](https://community.inventables.com/uploads/short-url/mcYbTni7Cgdc4peNvESRCRtq79j.nc) (91.3 KB) I ran the following test. Had Easel and fusion, cut a 1 in circle w/ tabs at full depth. Easel it did not cut all the way through the material… (unsure about the reason for this but not worried about it) Both fusion runs (one with the added code from easel and one without) cut perfectly through with no spoil board damage. no issue. I then Ran a the following and had the worst spoil board damage yet! ![Screenshot (13)](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/c/5/c54c08024c20cd13ca9353a1b869aa9a304506c8.jpeg) ![Screenshot (12)](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/7/0/705706677b471991aded52fbebbb0537cc82b616.jpeg) Below is are 2 photos of the spoil board and the damage I am getting, ![PXL_20201215_010624176](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/1/2/121d6efc23958b14649764c6df0f033c6a641322.jpeg) ![PXL_20201215_010616746](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/6/c/6ccecdaff0a0f7908d3c5f2ede839d42de7e4731.jpeg) It is also curious that the spoil board damage is not all at equal heights and seems to vary. I am confident my stock thickness is accurate. Any help would be great. ---
**Author:** ![NeilFerreri1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/neilferreri1/32/84403_2.png) [@NeilFerreri1](https://community.inventables.com/u/NeilFerreri1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/2 "2020-12-15T02:58:57Z")
> [@MarianoRSastre](#): > > It is also curious that the spoil board damage is not all at equal heights and seems to vary Your wasteboard is not flat. Can you share the Fusion file (s)? And/Or get a screenshot of the stock tab in the setup and the heights tab for the contour? It’s possible that Z steps were lost with the Easel toolpaths. ---
**Author:** ![HaldorLonningdal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/haldorlonningdal/32/72377_2.png) [@HaldorLonningdal](https://community.inventables.com/u/HaldorLonningdal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 7:58am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/3 "2020-12-15T07:58:39Z")
> [@NeilFerreri1](#): > > Your wasteboard is not flat. I concur. Another F360 detail worth noting here is **Stock offset** under your CAM Setup-tab where 1mm is default. If you are unaware of this and Z-zero on the top of the material the carve wil start (and finish) 1mm below your intended target. ---
**Author:** ![MarianoRSastre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MarianoRSastre](https://community.inventables.com/u/MarianoRSastre)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/4 "2020-12-15T13:48:16Z")
Is it normal for a wasteboard to be uneven? Here are two files. Screen caps, cut way deep in the wasteboard and .12 test was great. [.12 test5 v3.f3d](https://community.inventables.com/uploads/short-url/iA68PpxhVaiYI4fEpEXs4niCjnD.f3d) (141.9 KB) [Speaker Caps v3.f3d](https://community.inventables.com/uploads/short-url/aksq9zX2otD4EzrYvVkjDwGKSJj.f3d) (320.0 KB) > [@HaldorLonningdal](#): > > Another F360 detail worth noting here is **Stock offset** under your CAM Setup-tab where 1mm is default. If you are unaware of this and Z-zero on the top of the material the carve wil start (and finish) 1mm below your intended target. I have the “Machine WCS Offset” set to 0 is that what your referring to. I did notice I seem to have different values in “Bottom Height” of the 'heights" tab in the contour set up. If this a positive number (.02) will **add**.02 to the stock, and cut at .02 deeper then the contour? or is this offset a subtraction. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![NeilFerreri1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/neilferreri1/32/84403_2.png) [@NeilFerreri1](https://community.inventables.com/u/NeilFerreri1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/5 "2020-12-15T14:15:39Z")
> [@MarianoRSastre](#): > > Is it normal for a wasteboard to be uneven? It’s made of unsupported MDF, yes. > [@MarianoRSastre](#): > > I have the “Machine WCS Offset” set to 0 is that what your referring to. No, you modeled your stock, so it is 12.7mm thick as modeled. > [@MarianoRSastre](#): > > If this a positive number (.02) will **add**.02 to the stock, and cut at .02 deeper then the contour? or is this offset a subtraction. It lifts the lower limit of your toolpaths. A positive number means it will not cut as deep. Both files are cutting to a depth of -12.7mm. Did you surface your stock? How did you set Z-zero? If you want to keep your wasteboard pretty, use the wasteboard as your reference. You can also use a thin, supplementary wasteboard under your stock. ---
**Author:** ![HaldorLonningdal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/haldorlonningdal/32/72377_2.png) [@HaldorLonningdal](https://community.inventables.com/u/HaldorLonningdal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/6 "2020-12-15T14:18:34Z")
> [@MarianoRSastre](#): > > Is it normal for a wasteboard to be uneven? Yes. It’s virtually impossible to achieve a perfect wasteboard from the get-go. If height-critical machining is desired a skim cut need to be done. Simply run a larger bit with shallow passes, with greater stepover over the wasteboard, “skimming” it down to uniform distance relative to Z. ---
**Author:** ![MarianoRSastre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MarianoRSastre](https://community.inventables.com/u/MarianoRSastre)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/7 "2020-12-15T15:26:55Z")
> [@NeilFerreri1](#): > > Did you surface your stock? Not on the x-carve, surface planed at 6/8 in > [@NeilFerreri1](#): > > How did you set Z-zero? I am using the Z-zero probe. ---
**Author:** ![NeilFerreri1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/neilferreri1/32/84403_2.png) [@NeilFerreri1](https://community.inventables.com/u/NeilFerreri1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/8 "2020-12-15T15:56:15Z")
For most through-cut toolpaths, I use my wasteboard as a reference. I almost always use CA glue and tape for workholding, so I would set the surface of my bottom layer of tape as -12.7mm. That ensures my toolpath would only go down to that. There is something satisfying with cutting through a part and not cutting through the tape. That said, the wasteboard is a consumable. If you want to preserve it, use another on top of it. ---
**Author:** ![MarianoRSastre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MarianoRSastre](https://community.inventables.com/u/MarianoRSastre)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/9 "2020-12-15T16:51:20Z")
Then you say “reference”, are you Z-zero on the wasteboard or are you setting your stock point as the bottom of the stock and adding the thickness of the tape for safety. ---
**Author:** ![NeilFerreri1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/neilferreri1/32/84403_2.png) [@NeilFerreri1](https://community.inventables.com/u/NeilFerreri1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/10 "2020-12-15T17:09:27Z")
I set my wasteboard+tape as Z-12.7 It’s effectively the same as setting my origin at the wasteboard without having to change setups or having issues with depth on operations that reference the top. I, in many cases, export my full-depth contour operations separately from the other toolpaths so I can do that. ---
**Author:** ![MarianoRSastre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MarianoRSastre](https://community.inventables.com/u/MarianoRSastre)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/fusion-360-import-contour-path-z-axis-wrong-inconsistent/107182/11 "2020-12-15T18:29:24Z")
Got it, Thanks so much for the help! I adjusted the z offsets and had a good run.