Getting started: Fusion 360 - a beginners guide for modelling things & printing them

Uncle Manuel

New member
Getting started: Fusion 360 - a beginners guide for modelling things & printing them

Hi!

I have the feeling a dedicated thread for CAD beginners is missing. I wanna share my experiences and encourage others to share their practical knowledge in building parts or whole planes with Fusion 360 / CAD and set up the slicer software for printing. Because 2 days ago I actually had no clue how to use CAD software... ;)

Things got kickstarted by localfiend and his amazing thread of his 3D printed Hughes Devastator: http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?38420-3D-Printed-Hughes-P21-J-Devastator
He actually uses Fusion 360 and I gave it a try yesterday. Of course with the help of YouTube so that I'm not totally lost. Luckily I stumbled upon the amazing beginners series from Lars Christensen and I've learned the handling and tons of little tricks. It's so amazing that I wanna share this with you! :cool:





This is what I've finished today. From zero knowledge to this in just to days. And yes, I went a bit crazy with the fillets... :D

Fusion360_01.jpg


This is why this box from Lars Christensen is so good to learn how to use the tools and why. Extrusion offsets and when to set the faces as reference point. F.e. with the second smaller extrusion when you want to create the hole. And interferences of a plain extrusion with curved faces. Or how to create the lid from the footprint of the box. Or how to create holes with threads. A bit of everything... ;)
(this is the section analysis btw)

Fusion360_02.jpg


The animation tab can also create an exploded view.

Fusion360_03.jpg



As you can surely tell by now I'm simply amazed how quick you can learn how to create things! Feel free to share your experiences with constructing parts, wings, fuselages or even whole planes in Fusion 360. What works and what not. Also the settings for slicing & printing the parts and practical experiences with material thickness and strength are interesting to know. Thanks! :cool:
 

Uncle Manuel

New member
Hi!

So I've fooled around for a few days and actually sketched an original design and my take on the XT60/XT90 caps. I went the hard way and first sketched blades for my ceiling fan - it's wing shaped, aerodynamic and I've learned a lot on tools and how to use them. :cool:

And that's how you create a basic wing shape: you'll sketch two shapes and connect them with the Loft tool (Create --> Loft). This tool is creating a solid between these two shapes. The kicker is that you can define rails (outside lines) which to a certain extend the shape will follow. Afterwards you can edit the sketch and manipulate the shape if you have f.e. sketched the line as Splines.

Deckenventilator-Blatt_01.jpg

Deckenventilator-Blatt_02.jpg


And here comes the part where I spent the most time scratching my head and doing several versions: winglets. There are multiple ways to sketch them but if you want an organic shape there's only one practical way. Instead of connecting an offset plane it is easier to sketch the tip shape of the winglet in the same horizontal plane, sketch your Spline lines, draw out with the Loft tool and then Move the winglet tip to the desired height. Then you'll only have to adjust (Move) the Spline points in the 3D space around to create the organic shape. Takes a bit of practice and depending on the shape sometimes the Loft tool is not able to connect with the rails. But when everything is good the results are amazing! :cool:
Btw: with two points per Spline line you'll have more control over the shape.

Deckenventilator-Blatt_07.jpg

Deckenventilator-Blatt_V3_03.jpg

Deckenventilator-Blatt_V3_04.jpg

Deckenventilator-Blatt_V3_05.jpg



Next up: holes. You'll simply sketch circles (C) and draw them out with Press Pull (Q). I found it to be easier to pull them symmetrical, you can change that in the tool options under Direction. If you pull a distance greater than the surface of the object the tool will automatically switch to Cut mode. In a solid this creates a clean hole. In an open structure you'll have to sketch another circle with a greater diameter and Press Pull it out with Join mode - this will create a tube which supports the hole.
For precision you'll then have to use the Dimension tool (D).

Deckenventilator-Blatt_V3_01.jpg



And that's what the fuzz is all about: it's a ceiling fan! ;)

Deckenventilator-Blatt_V3_07.jpg

Deckenventilator-Blatt_V3_08.jpg
________________________________________________________________________________________

The next design should have been my first but what do you know? That's how you learn things: get frustrated and overcome obstacles... :p
Anyway, thanks to this thread I took on a design of the XT60/XT90 caps. After some quick measurements I simply drew two rectangles (1mm wall thickness) and pulled them out (Q). Then I sketched another rectangle atop for a ridge that you can grab with your fingers. With the fillets (F) corners got rounded. Then I placed the text and drew it out (Q). The letters on top are 0.5 mm deep, these on the side walls are sunk in 0.2 mm.

XT60-caps_01.jpg

XT60-caps_02.jpg

XT60-caps_03.jpg

XT90-caps_01.jpg


That's it for now. I will make this designs public when my 3D printer arrives finally - because I'll have to check fitment and design practicality. This is taking ages! The shipment is on its ways since 09.02.2018 from China and UPS is playing Ping Pong with the two packets (one was a full 5 days on "rescheduled date"). That's the price of 45 kg (38 kg net weight) of goodness... ;)
 
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LawnDarts

New member
Hi!

I have the feeling a dedicated thread for CAD beginners is missing. I wanna share my experiences and encourage others to share their practical knowledge in building parts or whole planes with Fusion 360 / CAD and set up the slicer software for printing. Because 2 days ago I actually had no clue how to use CAD software... ;)

Things got kickstarted by localfiend and his amazing thread of his 3D printed Hughes Devastator: http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?38420-3D-Printed-Hughes-P21-J-Devastator
He actually uses Fusion 360 and I gave it a try yesterday. Of course with the help of YouTube so that I'm not totally lost. Luckily I stumbled upon the amazing beginners series from Lars Christensen and I've learned the handling and tons of little tricks. It's so amazing that I wanna share this with you! :cool:




As you can surely tell by now I'm simply amazed how quick you can learn how to create things! Feel free to share your experiences with constructing parts, wings, fuselages or even whole planes in Fusion 360. What works and what not. Also the settings for slicing & printing the parts and practical experiences with material thickness and strength are interesting to know. Thanks! :cool:

I also found Lars recently. Amazing stuff. I also went a little nuts with the fillets

Untitled.jpg
 
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Uncle Manuel

New member
Yeah, he has a good way to explain things in an understandable manner. Such channels are important when you want to learn new stuff... :cool:

And I forgot the Loft tool tutorial video on my previous post, here comes Lars: ;)

 

LawnDarts

New member
FILLET ALL THE THINGS!!! I am offended that you didn't fillet at least the outer lid's corners too.

My drafting instructor would have blown a gasket if I did that in class.. lol. But next project I will fillet the fillet just for you :cool: