In a parametric design, we all have created independent copies of a component using the Copy/Paste New command sequence. Later on, in the design, you realize you would like to modify the original component and have all the edits and additions, made to the original, propagate to "all" of the independent copies. This could potentially save you a tremendous amount of time and it will also add a whole new method to designing. If this workflow interest you, take a look at this video for the process.
From time to time, I have read, on the Fusion 360 Forums, a question on how to reverse the rotation of an assembly Revolve joint. In this short video I will show you my method which involves editing your Revolve joint and adding a Joint Origin.
There are times when you have a rectangular or circular pattern and you need to add some features to one of the components of the pattern but not all. This video will explain the process of breaking the link of one or more components from the pattern. This process will also work on any component that was copied and pasted, instead of using paste new, in the assembly. Please take a look at a very short video explaining the process.
Many CAD applications allow for the creation of multiple User Coordinate Systems (UCS) but Fusion 360 does not. In my short video I demonstrate how to make multiple UCS and how to use and modify them. The great feature about a UCS is that any components that were created on a UCS will follow it when it is moved or rotated. Another great feature is that when sketching, on a user defined UCS, all sketch entities and dimensions relate to standard aligned axis and planes of the UCS making sketching easy when created angled components.
Special motion joints require the ability to apply multiple joints to the system. This is where the use of hidden components can make the job a snap. You use these hidden components, which I call "Dummy" components, to carry joints that cannot be applied to the same component but must be available to acquire the motion you need. In the video, I use three examples where this technique works very well. I only do one planetary gear of the system shown below but by repeating the steps you can build the complete system.
You have created a file with sheet metal bodies, everything is finished but then you realize that you need to convert these bodies into sheet metal components. Maybe you need to create a flat pattern for each body, or you need to use the bodies in an assembly with joints.
You right click on the sheet metal body in the Browser and select Create Component from Bodies command but quickly you find out that this command will not work on sheet metal bodies. Do you have to start over, no, in this short video I show you a workaround for this process saving you a lot of time. You will do better next time.
The Fusion 360 Nesting Utility did a nice job of arranging sheet metal flat patterns for cutting in the manufacturing environment. When the Nesting Utility became a paid extension some wanted to use the Arrange command to accomplish the same task but quickly found out that the Arrange command would not recognize flat patterns. This video will show a method of creating sheet metal flat patterns for use with the Arrange command. This process can be used on both sheet metal bodies and components.
NOTE: The Arrange command is not available in Autodesk Fusion 360 with a Personal license.
When you are thinking about moving components around in an assembly and you start to select the Move/Copy tool, select the Align tool instead, you will be pleasantly surprised. The Align tool can be used on a variety of entities from sketches, faces and edges to construction features such as work planes and axis. You can use it to place components without picking up your calculator. In this video I go over a few of the many uses of the Align tool.
Note: This process only works if you are using Team Storage instead of Single-User Storage.
Anyone that has worked with Autodesk Fusion 360 probably has a growing list of files that you want to delete but the application either tells you that the file is in use, and it is not, or it is referenced by some assembly that does not exist. You try every trick in the book to delete it but it refuses. In this very short video I will show you a very simple method of removing these stubborn files from your Fusion Data Panel.
Autodesk Fusion 360 does not have a Bend command but with the help of a couple of sheet metal tools you can quickly bend most solid bodies. The process is basically the same for flat and round bodies with one added step for round bodies to hide the sheet metal flange used in bending. In the video I cover the process for both flat and round bodies.
