Cline - Make: Fusion 360 for makers: design your own digital models for 3D printing and CNC fabrication

Copyright 2018 Lydia Sloan Cline. All rights reserved.

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May 2018: First Edition

Revision History for the First Edition

2018-05-15 First Release

See oreilly.com/catalog/errata.csp?isbn=9781680453553 for release details.

Make:, Maker Shed, and Maker Faire are registered trademarks of Maker Media, Inc. The Maker Media logo is a trademark of Maker Media, Inc. Fusion 360 for Makers and related trade dress are trademarks of Maker Media, Inc. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Maker Media, Inc. was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in caps or initial caps. While the publisher and the author have used good faith efforts to ensure that the information and instructions contained in this work are accurate, the publisher and the author disclaim all responsibility for errors or omissions, including without limitation responsibility for damages resulting from the use of or reliance on this work. Use of the information and instructions contained in this work is at your own risk. If any code samples or other technology this work contains or describes is subject to open source licenses or the intellectual property rights of others, it is your responsibility to ensure that your use thereof complies with such licenses and/or rights.

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Maker Media unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. Maker Media celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any Technology to your will. The Maker Media audience continues to be a growing culture and community that believes in bettering ourselves, our environment, our educational systemour entire world. This is much more than an audience, its a worldwide movement that Maker Media is leading. We call it the Maker Movement.

To learn more about Make: visit us at makezine.com. You can learn more about the company at the following websites:

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Maker Share: makershare.com

S o you have a 3D printer and want to join the new Industrial Revolution! You want to make original designs and maybe even customize those designs to specific people. That means you cant just download and print other peoples filesyou need to rock that software yourself. Well, if you are just learning how to do that or have outgrown the starter apps, youve come to the right place! With this book youll soon be making your own designs with Autodesks Fusion 360 software. So pour your favorite beverage, pull up a computer for playing along, and read on.

Fusion 360 is a 3D design program (). Its CAM capabilities let you generate NC code for CNC cutting machinesup to five axesso you can cut, carve, and do rotary work. Its CAE capabilities let you analyze the model for optimal performance. Fusion 360 is not a building information modeling (BIM) program, but you can export its models in a format that will import into a BIM program.

Fusion 360

A mug holder in the Fusion 360 gallery

Fusion 360 can animate (make videos), render (add lifelike colors and textures), and display the model as a set of scaled, 2D drawings. It lets you arrange the models parts into an assembly. Many proprietary file types can be imported into it. You can also collaborate on your projects using A360, an online Autodesk workspace integrated with Fusion.

Fusion 360 is a robust program, and it can be complicated, but it is still suitable for all levels of user. Whether youre new to modeling, a hobbyist, or an experienced engineer, youll find this software useful. Browse the Fusion 360 gallery to see designs created by users like you (gallery.autodesk.com/fusion360). Many are downloadable.

Fusion operates online, and all your files are saved online. This means youll never lose them and always have access to them. However, you download the program onto your PC, Mac, or mobile device. Working online offers the most functionality, but if your Internet isnt working, or if Autodesks servers are down, you can work offline. You can also store your files offline.

Modeling is 3D drawing. Fusion lets you model three ways: freeform, solid, and surface.

Freeform Modeling This makes hollow models composed of polygons (). You sculpt the models surface by pushing and pulling the polygons to make curved, flowing shapes.

Polygons are flat planes that have at least three straight sides.

There are different kinds of freeform modeling, such as polygonal, NURBS, and T-splines. Fusions freeform modeling uses T-splines, a system that combines the best of polygonal and NURBS. It lets you add detail only where needed, create nonrectangular polygons, and easily edit complex freeform models (). T-spline surfaces can contain areas with differing levels of detail, and control (editing) points can be added only where needed. They can be converted to a NURBS surface if you want to export your model into another program. You can also convert it to a solid model.