Improving CAD Designs with Autodesk Fusion 360

Improving CAD Designs with Autodesk Fusion 360

by Kevin Michael Land
Released September 2023
Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
ISBN: 9781800564497

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Book description

Work through multiple design projects in this part-color guide to understand how Autodesk Fusion 360 helps improve efficiency and drafting

Key Features

  • Understand the project workflow of Autodesk Fusion 360
  • Design and redesign projects while learning to fix errors
  • Gain a better insight into repurposing real-world items into Fusion 360 for custom designs
  • Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

Autodesk Fusion 360 has become an indispensable tool for designers, tinkerers, and engineers worldwide thanks to its versatility that allows for large-scale assemblies and smaller, quick 3D prints. If you’ve faced challenges with learning Fusion 360, this book will help you overcome them and build the confidence to design your own projects, explaining step-by-step instructions and the purpose of each tool.

In this book, you’ll dive into the design workspace and learn sketching fundamentals such as setting up a component, recognizing when a sketch is fully constrained, and parametrically flexing models. Through trial and error, you’ll work on multiple easy-to-build projects to create simple, useful items that can be quickly 3D printed for use around the house and then advance to much bigger projects that require joint connectivity and large assemblies.

By the end of this book, you’ll be able to sketch fully parametric designs, translate them into 3D models, and create your own unique designs.

What you will learn

  • Gain proficiency in Fusion 360 user interface, navigation, and functionality
  • Create and transform simple 2D sketches into 3D models
  • Manipulate and control parametric 2D sketches using dimensions
  • Become familiar with drafting on paper and taking measurements with calipers
  • Create a bicycle assembly part with Fusion 360
  • Use the form environment to create organic shapes
  • Render a 3D model and understand how to apply materials and lighting
  • Generate 2D assembly model drawings for documentation purposes

Who this book is for

Beginner or intermediate designers who prefer hands-on learning will find this book useful, especially designers, woodworkers, 3D printing enthusiasts, and hobbyists who enjoy creating things, rather than experienced machinists. The basic projects are accessible without prior CAD skills, although some fundamental CAD understanding is beneficial for those interested in going further. It is highly recommended that you use a 3-button mouse for all projects to fully utilize floating pop-up menus.

Table of contents

  1. Improving CAD Designs with Autodesk Fusion 360
  2. Contributors
  3. About the author
  4. About the reviewer
  5. Preface
    1. Who this book is for
    2. What this book covers
    3. To get the most out of this book
    4. Download the example code files
    5. Get in touch
    6. Share Your Thoughts
    7. Download a free PDF copy of this book
  6. Part 1: Simple, Fun Projects for Around the Home
  7. Chapter 1: Working within the Design Workspace
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Basics of the UI
      1. The help menu
      2. Preferences
      3. The data panel
      4. Workspaces
      5. Toolbar
    3. Exploring the various design approaches
      1. The top-down design method
      2. The bottom-up design method
    4. Various subscription options
      1. The free hobbyist version
      2. The paid version
      3. Extensions
    5. Summary
  8. Chapter 2: Planes, Sketches, Constraints, and Parametric Dimensions
    1. Technical requirements
    2. What are planes?
      1. Offset Plane
      2. The Plane at Angle tool
      3. Midplane
    3. What are sketches?
      1. The SKETCH tab
      2. 3D sketches
    4. What are constraints?
      1. Placing constraints nonautomatically
      2. Removing and adjusting constraints
    5. What are parametric dimensions?
      1. Adjusting the size of the dimensions
    6. Summary
  9. Chapter 3: Project Building Basics
    1. Technical requirements
    2. How to determine design intent
    3. What Rule #1 is
      1. What components are
      2. What bodies are
      3. The difference between a component and body
    4. Saving to the cloud
      1. How do I download models from Fusion 360?
      2. How do I upload models to Fusion 360?
      3. How do I share my project with others?
    5. Summary
  10. Chapter 4: Creating a Customizable S-Hook
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Project setup in Fusion 360
    3. Creating an S-Hook using the Pipe and Line tools
      1. Conducting the first experiment
      2. Editing the sketch
      3. Adding constraints
      4. Adding dimensions
      5. Adding fillets to the 3D model
      6. Adding fillets to the sketch
      7. Rebuilding the model
    4. Creating an S-Hook using the Arc and Sweep tools
      1. Adding dimensions
      2. Using the Sweep tool to create a 3D model
    5. Summary
  11. Chapter 5: Designing Decorative Doorknobs
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Creating a model by adding material using the Revolve tool
      1. Creating a sketch profile
      2. Adjusting the sketch size using the Sketch Scale tool
      3. Finalizing the model with the Revolve tool
      4. Modifying the sketch
    3. Creating a model by removing material using the Revolve tool
      1. Creating the reverse sketch
      2. Revolve using the cut profile
      3. Adding fillets
      4. Modifying the sketch
    4. Creating a model by stacking with the Extrude tool
      1. Creating the doorknob component
      2. Completing the doorknob with the Mirror tool
    5. Summary
  12. Part 2: Bicycle Water Bottle Holder Project
  13. Chapter 6: Designing a Simple Bottle Holder
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Planning out the design
    3. Drawing out ideas
      1. Version A
      2. Version B
      3. Version C
    4. Taking measurements with calipers
      1. What are calipers?
      2. Using calipers to take measurements
    5. Summary
  14. Chapter 7: Creating a Bike Reference Model
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Planning the design intent
    3. Setting up the project
    4. Creating a reference model using primitives
    5. Creating a reference model using parametric designs
      1. Using the Loft tool to create a taper angle
      2. Adding the handlepost clamp
      3. Creating the bicycle handlebars
    6. Summary
  15. Chapter 8: Creating the Bottle Reference Model
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Measuring the dimensions of a water bottle
    3. Creating a 2D parametric reference model
      1. Starting a new project
      2. The Change Parameters manager
    4. Creating a 3D reference model
    5. Referencing the bicycle handlebars and water bottle models together
    6. Summary
  16. Chapter 9: Building the Bottle Holder
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Designing and drawing out the model
    3. Creating the bottle holder body
      1. Creating multiple components
      2. Creating the Holder 01 component
    4. Creating the grip attachment
    5. Creating the slider body
      1. Cutting a void space
    6. Adding in a joint
    7. Summary
  17. Chapter 10: Improving the Bottle Holder Design
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Making design changes
      1. Adding tolerances
      2. Removing material with the Shell tool
    3. Adding parts from McMaster-Carr
      1. Adding a nut and bolt from McMaster-Carr
      2. Using joints to place a McMaster-Carr part
      3. Fixing the hole size
      4. Bringing in a hex nut from McMaster-Carr
      5. Adding a slider joint for Holder 01 and Holder 2
    4. Creating a part drawing
      1. Creating a BOM
      2. Creating a sheet for Holder 2
      3. Adding dimensions
      4. Making an adjustment to the 3D model
    5. Summary
  18. Part 3: FORM Modeling Techniques
  19. Chapter 11: The FORM Environment
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Overview of the FORM environment
      1. Working with form models
      2. Filling in a hole in the FORM environment
    3. The CREATE and MODIFY tools
      1. Selecting features on an object
      2. Filling holes
    4. The Edit Form tool
      1. Fixing a broken mesh body
    5. Surface tools
    6. Summary
  20. Chapter 12: Modeling a Scary Tealight Ghost
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Using surfaces to create the tealight
    3. Creating the ghost
    4. Rendering the ghost
      1. Changing the material
      2. Change the scene settings
      3. Render settings
    5. Summary
  21. Chapter 13: Using Form and Solid Modeling to Create a Cushioned Chair
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Creating a chair in the form environment
      1. Shape the chair with the Edit Form tool
      2. Adding a material to faces
    3. Creating the inner frame
      1. Head and arm support
    4. Improving the design
      1. Changing the selected sketch plane
    5. Summary
  22. Part 4: Working with 2D and 3D Scanned Images
  23. Chapter 14: Using a Scanned Image to Create a 3D Model
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Inserting a scanned image into Fusion 360
      1. Calibrate the image to size
    3. Adding sketch lines and dimensions
    4. Creating a 3D model
      1. The sword model
      2. The guard and hilt
      3. The handle
      4. The finishing touches
    5. Summary
  24. Chapter 15: Modeling a Bottle Topper
    1. Technical requirements
    2. Importing a mesh model to Fusion 360
      1. Scaling the mesh body
    3. Fixing the mesh body
      1. Converting a surface to a mesh body
      2. Adding a base bottle cap
    4. Getting ready for 3D printing
      1. The Manufacture environment
      2. Adding supports
    5. Summary
  25. Index
    1. Why subscribe?
  26. Other Books You May Enjoy
    1. Packt is searching for authors like you
    2. Download a free PDF copy of this book

Product information

  • Title: Improving CAD Designs with Autodesk Fusion 360
  • Author(s): Kevin Michael Land
  • Release date: September 2023
  • Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781800564497