BobW Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Hi folks. I'm preparing a beginners guide to using Fusion 360 for those of us who want to make items on their 3D printers but as yet don't have the CAD skills to do it. I'm not making any claims to be an expert on this but I have managed to use the programme to do all my drawings for my printer. If you spot any mistakes I may have deliberately (ahem) made please shout up. If you have ideas for simple or not so simple projects we can all use let me know and I'll try to build some in as we go. Bare with me this a work in progress so there may be delays in getting files on here initially. I want to start right at the beginning for those with limited CAD knowledge and after an initial introduction to the programme I'm going to work through some simple projects to show how we can use it. I'm preparing downloadable pdfs to cover various topics and projects. Click on the links to get the pdf Step 1 Setting up Fusion 360 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwk7qiWpxkUHb01iZFlxTHM2UGM/view?usp=sharing Step 2 Designing a pushrod exit guide (To follow soon) Step 3 Designing a saddle clamp (To follow soon) Step 4 ... ? Any questions you want to ask please do so, I can't guarantee I know the answer but I'll try and if I don't maybe someone else does. Edited By BobW on 10/03/2017 19:41:07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Count me in. I would like to learn a little CAD before committing to purchasing a printer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcaddict Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 is itt fusion 360 that you need min windows 8 to run - thats me out !!, I'll have to stick with my old autocad on XP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Good Man Bob. I've just read your first pdf, it's excellent, well done. A lot of us are going beneifit from this. OG Fusion 360 can be traced back to AutoCAD but I don't know whether it still carries any similarities, I suspect not. Is there anyone that can run a similar thread for AutoCAD I wonder? Edited By Ian Jones on 10/03/2017 21:56:18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Just had a quick check and Fusion 360 minimum requirement is Windows 7 upwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcaddict Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 hi Bib yes i see that, but window7 64 bit - guess what my other PC is ---32 bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trebor Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I'll watch if that's ok ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Great idea, I need all the help I can get! - I've been struggling through with it for ages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Burton Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I'm interested in Fusion so will keep an eye on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles33 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Hi Bob Thanks for doing this - I shall watch this thread and download your PDF's with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 Well I've got step 2 finished. That took a bit more time than I thought and for some reason I can't edit my original post to add it there!!!! If you're reading this Ian, any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 Hi folks. Here's the next stage for a beginners guide to using Fusion 360 for those of us who want to make items on their 3D printers but as yet don't have the CAD skills to do it. I'm not making any claims to be an expert on this but I have managed to use the programme to do all my drawings for my printer. If you spot any mistakes I may have deliberately (ahem) made please shout up. If you have ideas for simple or not so simple projects we can all use let me know and I'll try to build some in as we go. Bare with me this a work in progress, some parts may take longer than others to get on here. I want to start right at the beginning for those with limited CAD knowledge and after an initial introduction to the programme I'm going to work through some simple projects to show how we can use it. I'm preparing downloadable pdfs to cover various topics and projects. Click on the links to get the pdf Setting up Fusion 360 **LINK** Designing a pushrod exit guide **LINK** Step 3 Designing a saddle clamp (To follow soon) Step 4 ... ? Any questions you want to ask please do so, I can't guarantee I know the answer but I'll try and if I don't maybe someone else does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Excellent Bob, easy to follow and saveable for reference 👏 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy48 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 That's an excellent piece of documentation, beautifully presented. Really impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 Woops, spotted my first mistake, I've changed Step 2 to a new version without the mismatch in sizes. Hi folks. Here's the next stage for a beginners guide to using Fusion 360 for those of us who want to make items on their 3D printers but as yet don't have the CAD skills to do it. I'm not making any claims to be an expert on this but I have managed to use the programme to do all my drawings for my printer. If you spot any mistakes I may have deliberately (ahem) made please shout up. If you have ideas for simple or not so simple projects we can all use let me know and I'll try to build some in as we go. Bare with me this a work in progress, some parts may take longer than others to get on here. I want to start right at the beginning for those with limited CAD knowledge and after an initial introduction to the programme I'm going to work through some simple projects to show how we can use it. I'm preparing downloadable pdfs to cover various topics and projects. Click on the links to get the pdf Setting up Fusion 360 **LINK** Designing a pushrod exit guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwk7qiWpxkUHek8tQURrZU9rNFU/view?usp=sharing Step 3 Designing a saddle clamp (To follow soon) Step 4 ... ? Any questions you want to ask please do so, I can't guarantee I know the answer but I'll try and if I don't maybe someone else does. Edited By BobW on 13/03/2017 07:25:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 That is really, really good work in words and at a speed I can follow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Bobw - Thank you for all your instruction so far. Each day I run through it trying to commit it to my old brain. Looking forward to the next instalment. I have had a look at some of the tutorials available through the help menu. It seems there are at least 2 ways of design. 1. Working with solids as you did in your exercise 1. 2. Working in 2d with sketch and using lot of modifiers, then converting to 3d using extrusion. I did start look at these tutorials but found it very complicated so I left it. Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 Hi Graham. I've worked from a sketch upwards and its fine for certain things but I'm finding starting with a solid is easier for the parts I'm designing. I've used the sketch approach when I made 3D printed wing ribs for my indoor model. I used a number of progs to arrive there. I used Profili2 to get a wing section and took that to a 2D design prog I have used to add parts to it. Then exported that as a .dxf and imported that as a sketch into Fusion 360. It work but I think there's better ways of doing it. The wing ribs worked well but the whole wing printed was a bit of a floppy mess. Worth a go but there's better ways of making a wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Hi Bob. That's the problem trailblazing with new technologies, slow and cumbersome to start with. Getting new people interested will help to find definitive methods of achieving results using the tools we have on the shortest learning curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Hi folks, back again. Here's the 3rd Guide to Fusion 360 for modellers with the previous guides now updated to fix a few problems. All the links on my previous posts won't work now and these here are the most current (Just wish I could edit my previous posts and the problem would be solved but there you go) I need ideas for future guides, some more simple ones like these and maybe some a bit more challenging. What would be good to be able to print for your models? What would be useful? Any ideas, please let me know or I'll end up bumbling along on my own. Bare with me this a work in progress, some parts may take longer than others to get on here. Guide 1 - Setting up Fusion 360 **LINK** Guide 2 - Designing a pushrod exit guide **LINK** Guide 3 - Designing a saddle clamp **LINK** Guide 4 - Designing wheels?? (To follow in a while unless I get a better suggestion) Any questions you want to ask please do so, I can't guarantee I know the answer but I'll try and if I don't maybe someone else does. Edited By BobW on 15/03/2017 11:18:21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Hi Bob, Have enjoyed working through your 1st 2 designs. I've been wondering how does the printer cope with the small overhang when printing the groove on the bottom of the saddle clamp? A couple of designs worth looking at - Servo wing frames A receiver holder with external mounting lugs and arial guides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hi Graham. I've not had a problem with the printer and overhangs like that. So long as it's been a curve that's part of a full circle it's been ok up to maybe 10mm dia. I've tried it at around 30mm dia but the top underside has been a bit raggy, not unusable but not as it should be. I think you'd have to build some sort of central support in it that could be cut away after printing but then you would have the problem of cleaning it up so you're probably no better off. The same would apply with putting holes in vertical parts. In some of the things I've done I've put a recess to hold a nut for a bolt to go in and the same there so long as the nut corner is at the top rather than a flat. Servo wing frames - what size servos? I suppose it doesn't matter as the sizes can be adjusted for whatever you've got and I suppose the same with a receiver holder. I'll give those some thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hi Bob, it's good to know what things to look out for when in the design process. At present I don't have a printer to experiment with. Thought it better to get to grips with a CAD program first. It doesn't, matter what servo it is. It's the development and tools that we are trying to learn to use. Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Like Graham I don't own a printer yet and am trying to get my head around the modeling bit first - challenging for an average age modeler What about a dummy cylinder? I guess you would have to print halves to build the fins vertically and then somehow curved sections between for the barrel, a square base and honeycomb center to reduce filament/weight? Getting way ahead of myself now. Appreciate the effort BW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobW Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hi, I've done dummy cylinders in two ways. I decided to do some for my Flair Baronette triplane, I reckoned I could get 3 dangling below the part cowl so made them as you thought by drawing out the full cylinder and splitting it vertically, printing two halves and gluing them together, also added the valve gear on the top along with the weirdly curved inlet manifold (a pig to draw). I got 3 all made then spent half a day kicking myself as I couldn't fit them cos the engine silencer was in the way!!! Ah well. Also done it the other way by printing individual fin disks and stacking them on top of the other engine parts and each other, a much better result. See my pic of the Mills 0.75 electric in the Show us your 3d prints thread. But yes a dummy cylinders might also be another good project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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