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AutoDesk Fusion 360 Review

Charles
AutoDesk Fusion 360 Review

Autodesk Fusion 360 is a 3D modeling, design and calculation software that combines CAD, CAM and CAE systems.

The program is convenient for hobby use, thanks to an individual license option, and for professional use, thanks to the affordable commercial license offered.

Autodesk Fusion 360 has many advantages over other CAD software for 3D printing. Continue reading to fine out more.

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AutoDesk Fusion 360 Review: Origin & Features

Fusion 360 was curved out of Inventor, a user-friendly design and simulation software by Autodesk that could be used to create models and assemblies. Autodesk then released an even more successful and modern program; the Fusion 360.

Fusion 360 is a CAD software that works mainly in the cloud, enabling teamwork and cloud file storage. This innovative solution was created based on user feedback and feedback.

CAD Solution

One of the key features of Fusion 360 is the ability to fully create a part, from a prototype to a finished solution.

Cloud Storage

The program not only allows users to save their projects on the cloud, but also a cloud render. With cloud render, users with weak computers can use for credits. The “credits” are a kind of internal currency of the program, which is earned by using the program.

Teamwork

Teamwork is another feature that makes Autodesk Fusion 360 stand out. Through teamwork features, you can set access settings of the files you are working on. There is also a separate folder where all the files that you have been given access to are stored, file versioning, as in programming, is just a part of what is available.

Scripting

Fusion also has scripts. However, these are not just scripts in the usual form as are found in Solidworks or Inventor, where you can use the parametricity of the model and parameters related to assemblies and parts of the assembly and its animation. Instead, these are entire utilities that Autodesk has put out in a separate section on the site. Anyone can download the scrips to use for new projects or speed up existing ones.


The features of Autodesk Fusion 360 are lightweight and work online. The installation file, compared to other Autodesk programs, takes up minimum space, and installation takes about five minutes.

If you do not like software that require you to be online for them to work (perhaps due to fear of file leaks or the inability to work offline), you can use the software in offline mode. In this case, any changes can be made on your files on the PC even without an Internet connection.

Yes, you can’t work offline all the time. You need to connect to the internet periodically to upload files to the cloud, synchronize changes in the system and update the program.

Main Functionality

Fusion 360 is a versatile program that can be used to create:

All these and many more are found in Fusion 360. The availability of features, especially those mentioned in the last paragraphs, depends on the type of license you have.

License Types

The lowest tier license – Customer, or Hobbyist User – contains almost everything, except generative design. Check the official Autodesk website for updated details of the different types of licenses available.

The Education license of the software is popular among many makers. This is a free license meant for students, which is issued through an educational institution. You just need to indicate the educational institution and attach the relevant documents to get the license.

Creating Files

The file creation feature is available at the very top of the menu, on the left.

In addition to creating a model (New Design), you can:

There are also standard Undo and Redo buttons (undo the action and redo the change). The change history is displayed at the bottom of the file.

The change history has start and rewind buttons. Therefore, you might mistakenly think that this is an animation line.

Only 3D modeling transformations are shown in the history. You can also rollback actions in the sketch, but you will not see them in the history below.

The construction tree is also available through the menu.

Everything here is simple and concise, laid out in folders – bodies, surfaces, sketches, the main starting geometry – all these can be moved.

In a folder with bodies, you can create subfolders, combining them according to some attribute. However, unfortunately, this is not possible in sketches. For orientation in sketches, you can simply click on the body or object so that the sketch with which this body is created.

Sketching

To sketch, you need to go to the Solid tab and click on the Sketch button. When you hover over each menu button, an interactive hint appears. The hint is helpful for new users or those who have not used the program for a long time.

After clicking, a Sketch tab opens.

Everything is intuitive .Even without knowing the names of the commands and their descriptions – everything is clear from the command icons. If you have experience with Inventor or AutoCAD, you will easily understand the sketch icons.

Fusion 360 allows you to create a sketch through different ways;

The main sketching tools are as follows:

Create 3D Sketches

Fusion 360 also allows you to create a 3D sketch through the Include 3D Geometry button.

Adding volume to a 2D sketch to get a 3D sketch is important for advanced users looking to manipulate the path or create surfaces by snapping to 3D objects.

After sketching, you can close the sketch. To do this, press the right mouse button for a context menu to appear. Next, click the checkmark there; or click the big green checkmark on the top right of the program window.


Objects and Surfaces

To convert the 2D sketch into 3D, you can use either the Solid menu or the Surface menu, depending on what kind of part you have.

The Solid menu is divided by functionality. On the left are tools for creating models. On the right are tools for manipulating existing models. The most commonly used functions for creating models are described below.

Everything related to the Surface menu is almost the same as in Solid, but with one exception – we are no longer operating with solid bodies. Instead, we are working with surfaces for which the same laws of geometry work as for a solid body. But the surface has no thickness. Therefore, instead of Thicken, we have the Offset command that allows you to copy the surface parallel to the selected one.

Changes in the solid and surface are presented in the form of Boolean operations that are easy to understand. Fillets and chamfers are also added by dividing the body into separate parts using planes and moving individual parts of the body.

For surfaces, the change looks almost the same. However, it is called a little differently.

Instead of the usual extrusion or Boolean subtraction, we have a “trim” of the surface (Trim). Also, the surface, as a complex object that lacks thickness, has the concept of a normal, or, more simply, the front surface. Where the face is, and where the back is, you can specify using the change of normals (Reverse normal).

Another noteworthy mode is the mode of creating a parametric form (Create form).

This is something similar to polygonal modeling, but closer to T-Spline, i.e., it is possible to influence the model with parameters.

This is a handy mode for modeling organic parts, or surfaces that are not amenable to conventional surface modeling.

Polygon Meshes, mesh

The next tab is responsible for iteration of the object with mesh (polygonal models), which are increasingly required in the engineering fields, especially for engineers involved in 3D scanning.

Polygonal models are obtained after scanning. Most often, the scans need to be converted to a solid body. This, in part, can help Fusion 360, but only for the simplest parts that allow you to position yourself and make a section directly on the mesh. This is enough to convert the mesh into a solid body that you can already fully work with.

Watch the video below for more details:

Some polygonal models containing a large number of polygons should not be loaded into the program. However, models with details of up to 1 million polygons open quickly enough.

A little more about this menu.

The first button is responsible for importing the mesh. Then, in the pop-up menu, a function appears that allows you to make the section necessary to build a solid body.

Next is the section responsible for splitting the mesh into separate sections. This method is used in more professional programs for reverse modeling. There is also the Repair, which is handy when repairing the mesh. If the mesh has holes, and a few polygons, this command will cope with the “repair”.

Next, are the functions for changing the mesh. The commands here help with remodeling the mesh (Remesh), cutting or cutting the mesh (Plane Cut), and the change of normals already familiar to us.

This is only a small part of the functionality that is available for working with a mesh. To cover all funtions, one more article would be needed for this section alone.

Sheetmetal

On the next tab, we get the functions for working with sheet metal. This tab is aptly named Sheet metal.

In this section, you can create a sheet assembly from ordinary sheets created from a solid body, which can be put into production.

Plastic

The last section we’ll look at in this article is the relatively new Plastic section.

This section also deserves a separate article as there are so many new things about it. In the section, we find hooks for assembling products from 3D printed parts, and patterns for cooling holes. There is also a separate command for positioning fasteners.


A separate team for the analysis of the strait of the model during casting.

That is all. Everything needed for casting and 3D printing are combined here. You can enable them in your personal account of the program.

System and Hardware Requirements

There are several options for installing Fusion 360. The most common one is installing on a single user system. With tyhis option, the Fusion 360 client will always up to date and compatible with the web services that the program uses on the server.

Some tasks may not be feasible if a singe Fusion 360 instance is installed in multiple machines. Check the links below for installation of the software either for individual PCs or managed PCs.

System Requirements for Fusion 360

Formats

Imported formats

You can import files made standard CAD formats: .stp, .step, .iges, etc. into Fusion 360.

Own Format

Fusion 360’s native format is the .f3d file. This format stores all history and changes.

Exported formats

You can export files from Fusion 360 into different formats for working with 3D.

Conclusions

Fusion 360 is a great program that has a lot of features that will help you realize your plans, from prototype to finished product.

Let’s look at its pros and cons.

Pros

Cons

We recommend using Autodesk Fusion 360 for the design of mechanical parts, critical assemblies, hull and frame products in mechanical engineering, auto and motorcycle industry, aircraft industry and many other areas. The software will prove handy wherever you may need a convenient and accurate design software tool.

Do you have any questions? Contact us and get professional advice.

 

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