5 Tricks Every Fusion 360 Noob Needs to Learn

In the article titled “5 Tricks Every Fusion 360 Noob Needs to Learn,” presented by 3D Printer Academy, the author shares five essential tricks to help beginners enhance their 3D printing skills using Fusion 360 software. The article begins by emphasizing the importance of learning these tricks to graduate from being a “noob” and elevate one’s proficiency in 3D printing. The author also mentions the upcoming launch of the Fusion 360 Masterclass 2024, with details on how to secure an early bird discount. The article then dives into the first trick, which involves utilizing the Utilities section and Add-ins to easily create perfect spur gears. Additional tricks explained in the article include simulating motion, efficient object positioning, and quick hiding of objects. The article concludes by mentioning that more tutorials are available on the 3D Printer Academy Tutorials Channel, and encourages readers to check out the Fusion 360 masterclass for a more comprehensive learning experience.

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Trick 1: Creating Perfect Spur Gears

Using Utilities and Add-ins

In Fusion 360, manually creating gears can be a time-consuming and tedious task. However, with the use of utilities and add-ins, you can easily generate perfect spur gears. To access these features, navigate to the Utilities tab and scroll down to find the spur gear option. By selecting this option and running it, you can set the desired parameters for your gear.

Setting the Module and Number of Teeth

When creating spur gears, it is essential to specify the module and number of teeth. The module refers to the size of the gear teeth and affects the overall size of the gear. The number of teeth determines the ratio and rotational speed of the gears. By adjusting these settings, you can customize the gears to fit your specific needs.

Adjusting Root Fillet Radius and Thickness

To ensure optimal performance and durability, it is important to adjust the root fillet radius and thickness of the gears. The root fillet radius refers to the curvature at the base of the gear tooth, while the thickness determines the overall strength of the gear. By fine-tuning these parameters, you can create gears that are both efficient and resilient.

Adding Extra Diameter for Rotation

To allow for smooth rotation along a shaft, it is recommended to add an extra diameter to the gear. This additional diameter provides clearance for the gear to freely rotate without any obstructions. By including this feature, you can ensure that your gears function properly and efficiently.

Trick 2: Meshing Spur Gears

Creating a Copy of the Spur Gear

To mesh two spur gears together, you must create a copy of the original gear. By using the move copy function, you can duplicate the gear and position it appropriately for meshing.

Determining the Perfect Distance for Meshing

To achieve optimal performance and reduce overlapping teeth, it is crucial to determine the perfect distance between the gears. By multiplying the module by 24, you can calculate the ideal distance for meshing. Additionally, it is recommended to add an extra tolerance of 4mm to account for 3D printing requirements.

Adding Additional Tolerance for 3D Printing

When designing gears for 3D printing, it is important to consider the tolerance needed for successful printing. By adding a tolerance of 4mm to the gear dimensions, you can ensure that the printed gears fit together properly without any interference.

Preventing Overlapping Teeth

To prevent the teeth of the meshed gears from overlapping, it is necessary to rotate one of the gears by a specific angle. Calculate this angle by dividing 360 degrees by the number of teeth on each gear and multiplying it by 2. By applying this rotation, you can achieve perfectly meshed gears with no overlapping teeth.

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Trick 3: Simulating Mechanical Part Motion

Creating Components from Bodies

To simulate the motion of a mechanical part in Fusion 360, you need to create components from the bodies in the scene. By right-clicking on the gear bracket and selecting the “Create Components from Bodies” option, you can convert all objects into individual components.

Using Joints for Object Movement

To simulate the movement of objects, joints are used in Fusion 360. By creating a joint and selecting the first and second objects, you can establish the connection between them.

Setting Revolute Joint Type for Rotating Objects

For objects that require rotation, such as gears, it is important to set the joint type to “revolute.” This ensures that the objects rotate around a specified axis, simulating real-world motion accurately.

Grounding the Gear Bracket for Proper Motion

To ensure the gears rotate properly and in the desired manner, it is necessary to ground the gear bracket. This restricts the movement of the bracket and provides a fixed reference point for the rotating gears.

Trick 4: Efficiently Enabling Contact in Simulations

Using the ‘Enable All Contact’ Feature

Enabling contact between parts in a simulation can be beneficial in certain scenarios. The “Enable All Contact” feature in Fusion 360 allows you to specify contact between objects and observe their behavior during the simulation.

Disabling Contact for Better Performance

While contact can provide valuable insights, it can also impact simulation performance. Disabling contact for certain parts or simplifying the contact interactions can lead to faster and more efficient simulations.

Utilizing Motion Link to Create Meshed Gears

Creating meshed gears in simulations can be achieved through the Motion Link feature in Fusion 360. By selecting the appropriate joints and using the Motion Link tool, you can ensure that the gears mesh accurately and function properly in the simulation.

Trick 5: Precise Object Positioning

Using the Move and Copy Function

To precisely position objects in Fusion 360, you can utilize the Move and Copy function. By selecting an object, you can move or copy it to the desired location with ease. This feature allows for precise control over the placement of objects.

Switching to Point-to-Point Move Type for Axle Placement

When positioning objects on an axle, it is recommended to switch to the Point-to-Point move type. This enables you to select the specific points on the object and the axle where you want them to align, ensuring accurate positioning.

Fine-Tuning Object Positioning with Free Move

After aligning an object to an axle, you can further fine-tune its position using the Free Move function. This provides greater control over the object’s placement and allows for precise adjustment.

Trick 6: Quick Object Visibility Toggle

Hiding Objects using Click and Drag

To quickly hide objects in Fusion 360, you can utilize a simple click and drag technique. By selecting multiple objects and dragging them to the left, you can hide them from view. This feature is particularly useful when working with complex designs that may have overlapping components.

Rapidly Toggle Visibility with Keyboard Shortcut

Another efficient way to toggle object visibility is by using a keyboard shortcut. Pressing the “V” key on your keyboard will quickly toggle the visibility of selected objects, making it faster and more convenient than navigating through the object tree.

Trick 7: Selecting Faces Behind Objects

Using Click and Hold Technique

To select faces that are hidden behind other objects in Fusion 360, you can use a click and hold technique. By clicking and holding on a visible face and dragging the cursor downwards, you can select hidden faces that are obscured by other objects.

Dragging Down to Select Hidden Faces

When applying the click and hold technique, it is important to drag the cursor downwards to select the desired hidden faces. This allows you to accurately choose the faces that would otherwise be inaccessible due to obstruction.

Trick 8: Creating Organic Shapes with Sweeps

Using Sketches to Create Guide Rail

To create organic shapes in Fusion 360, you can utilize sketches and guide rails. By sketching a guide rail that follows the desired shape, you can manipulate the spline handles to create the custom shape.

Manipulating Spline Handles for Custom Shapes

To achieve the desired curvature and shape for organic objects, you can manipulate the spline handles in the sketch. By adjusting the position and angle of the handles, you can customize the shape of the object.

Performing a Sweep with Path and Guide Rail

After creating the guide rail and manipulating the spline handles, you can perform a sweep using both the path and guide rail. This process allows you to generate complex and custom organic shapes with precision and ease.

Trick 9: Accessing Free Tutorials for 3D Printing

Exploring 3D Printer Academy Tutorials Channel

For additional guidance and learning resources, you can explore the 3D Printer Academy Tutorials Channel. This channel offers free tutorials on various topics related to 3D printing and Fusion 360, providing further opportunities for skill development and exploration.

Conclusion

Recapping the 5 Essential Tricks for Fusion 360 Noobs

In conclusion, these 5 tricks are essential for beginners in Fusion 360 who want to improve their 3D printing skills. By using utilities and add-ins, adjusting gear parameters, meshing gears properly, simulating mechanical part motion, enabling contact efficiently, positioning objects precisely, toggling object visibility quickly, selecting hidden faces, creating organic shapes, and accessing free tutorials, beginners can level up their Fusion 360 skills and enhance their 3D printing capabilities.

Encouraging Further Learning and Exploration

To continue improving their skills in Fusion 360, learners are encouraged to explore additional resources, such as the Fusion 360 Masterclass by 3D Printer Academy. Ongoing learning and experimentation are crucial for growth and mastery in this field. By staying curious, practicing regularly, and embracing new challenges, beginners can become experts in Fusion 360 and take their 3D printing skills to new heights.

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