Fusion 360

From the moment you sketch the first line to the last pass of the cutter, work in one environment. Start a project, name your design, and sketch core profiles with constraints so dimensions drive every change. Turn sketches into solids, set parameters for wall thickness, hole spacing, and clearances, and build assemblies by grounding the base and adding joints. Use sheet metal tools to define bends and reliefs, or surface modeling for complex curvature, then thicken to solids. Save versions as you explore options; branch and merge when stakeholders request alternatives. Generate drawings and a quick BOM directly from the model to align teams before you cut any material.

Switch to the Electronics workspace to draft the schematic, select parts from managed libraries, and enforce net classes and spacing rules. Push to PCB, place components with 3D package previews, and autoroute or hand-route critical nets with length tuning. Sync the board to the mechanical model with one action; the enclosure shows mounting holes, keepouts, and connector cutouts in context. Run 3D clearance checks to catch collisions and iterate rapidly: adjust the board outline, move standoffs, reposition connectors, or resize the housing without breaking the electro‑mechanical link. Export Gerbers and drill files alongside a 3D board for supplier review.

Validate performance before build. Apply materials, loads, and constraints, then run static, modal, or thermal studies to spot weak ribs, chatter risks, or hot regions. Explore weight reduction with generative options or by removing features and re‑checking safety factors. When ready to manufacture, open the Manufacture workspace, pick your machine and post, define stock, and program toolpaths—adaptive clearing for roughing, rest machining for pockets, contouring for walls, drilling cycles for patterns, and probing for setup. Simulate tool motion, verify gouges and collisions, and output NC code. For printed parts, orient the model, add custom supports, and export STL/3MF to your printer or service.

Keep teams aligned without email chains. Share a web link so reviewers comment on specific faces and timeline steps in a browser. Control access by role, lock releases with change orders, and compare geometry across versions to document what changed and why. Use templates for setups, rule‑based naming, and scripts to batch‑export STEP, DXF, and Gerbers every night. Package everything for suppliers—drawings, NC files, setup sheets, tool lists, and the 3D board—in a single cloud folder so purchasing, fabrication, and assembly stay in sync from quote to delivery.