What is and how to use Fusion 360 software?

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Fusion 360 is the most popular 3D design software in the creative environment thanks to its functionality, ease of learning and free version for students.

What is Fusion 360 for?

 The Autodesk Fusion 360 application is used to design and manufacture products in 3D modeling in an intuitive way.

 It allows you to design any object, optimize its shapes to adapt them to 3D printing, prepare the files and send them to the 3D printer for manufacturing.

 Fusion is a 360 tool because it is designed as a comprehensive platform that brings together mechanical and industrial CAD, CAM and CAE design functions.

  1. CAD: Computer Aided Design of 2D or 3D geometries. Fusion 360 allows parametric modeling of surfaces, meshes and assemblies.
  2. CAM: Computer-aided manufacturing of parts or complete models. In the case of motion maker, it is done using new-generation 3D printers.
  3. CAE: Computer Aided Engineering by performing motion simulations to validate that the created product meets the design requirements to be functional.

 The magic of Fusion 360 is that it allows anyone to have their design jump from paper to the 3D, being able to create parts, tools and any object they imagine. From your mind to your hands thanks to 3D design.

 Fusion 360 advantages

 These are some of the advantages of Fusion 360:  

  1.  Professional software very intuitive to use.
  2.  It combines design, engineering and manufacturing in a single tool, thus shortening the overall product development time.
  3.  Allows you to use a full range of shapes available in its library or create your own models from scratch.
  4. It has an easy learning curve, affordable even for teenagers.
  5. Large amount of documentation and tutorials generated by Autodesk and user makers.
  6. Free license for students and educational institutions.
  7. Cloud-based tool that facilitates collaborative work.
  8. Accessible online through any computer, tablet or smartphone.
  9. It is able to work with Inventor and AutoCAD at a high level.
  10. Part of the PDM collection.

 For all these reasons, Fusion 360 is the ideal tool for those starting in the 3D product design or manufacturing or even for the more experienced.

10 reasons to use Fusion 360

  1. A comprehensive product development tool: Starting from design to design concept. Then, it moves to production engineering by easily using the conceptual design. Finally, you prepare the design for manufacturing using integrated 2-axis and 3-axis CAM or using the 3D printing utility for additive manufacturing.
  2. Bringing design and engineering together: Connects data between design and production in the engineering departments. This makes it possible to create complex surfaces that are truly machinable and digestible in the engineering and manufacturing process.
  3. Flexible modeling environment: Fusion 360 includes direct and flexible real time modeling as well as feature-based parametric modeling. Fusion 360 includes: Sub-D polygonal modeling, T-Splines modeling, NURBS surface modeling, Bezier curve surface modeling, CSG primitive modeling.
  4. Translation, import and export files: Import and export design files with a full set of CAD data translators. Fusion 360 supports translation of over 50 different file types including.OBJ,.DXF, .DWG, .SLDPRT, etc. causing data from the current CAD package to automatically display in Fusion 360.
  5. Generative design and advanced simulation: Allows you to generate high quickly-performance design alternatives from a single idea. You can analyze the design under different conditions using different materials, loads and constraints. In addition, thermal and nonlinear stress studies can be performed.
  6. Integrated data management: Fusion 360 will automatically create and manage versions that allow you to revise and revert to a previous state with ease. Easily find integrated components in complex designs and simplify design reuse with the integrated search engine. All this without implementation and maintenance costs.
  7. The key is Collaboration: Work alone or with others on the same central project, which means you can maintain control of who has access to view, comment and edit projects. In addition, design reviews can be made instantaneous with the ability to view project data through a web browser allowing collaborators to review in real time if they do not have Fusion 360.
  8. Manufacturing: Integrated CAM with 2.5 and 3 axis machining. Proven HSM core included to quickly generate toolpaths, reduce machine wear and create high quality parts.
  9. Works with existing hardware: Fusion 360 can be used on either Mac or PC, allowing you to use the user’s preferred operating system or both at no additional cost.
  10. 3D rendering and visualization: Communicate design intentions internally, to clients or create photo-realistic marketing materials directly from the model. Fusion 360 eliminates the drudgery of rendering from the computer by pre-rendering designs in the cloud. If more granular control of the rendering is desired, you can dynamically adjust environments, depth of field, effects, ray-tracing settings and visual styles directly in Fusion 360 with simple drag-and-drop functionality, then render locally.