Rapid prototyping in a world of delays

Prototyping is rarely linear. Teams must iterate between 3D modelling, simulation and electronics tools to achieve the best design. What if one solution did that and more?

Prototype and fabricate quickly without sacrificing quality.

Whether you’re a team of one or one person in a team of many, prototyping and fabricating ideas require speed, agility and exploration. They’re certainly not linear processes, but seamless collaboration from the start sets the stage for a successful product development process. Investigate as many design options as possible, easily ship ideas to fabricators, and keep lines of communication strong internally and externally with the robust capabilities of Fusion 360.

Where output makes the most impact

Increase product development agility

Increase manufacturing throughput with automation, collaboration and software interoperability to reduce non-value add processes from design inception through production.

 

Enrich collaboration

Connect your design and engineering team with internal or external fabricators to ensure production goals are met and minimise design versioning confusion. 

 

Improve product quality

Iterate, simulate and prototype easily with automated, connected workflows to improve product quality and reliability in the early stages of product development.

 

Stimulate innovation

A faster, digital prototyping process makes space for more ideas, giving you more chances to get your end product just right.

 

Improve time to market

Optimise your prototyping and fabrication processes to increase productivity while reducing material costs, engineering costs and fixed overhead costs.

 

Reduce part defects

Leverage digital prototyping, simulation, data management and quality management tools to lessen chances of costly defects.

 

Everything you need to drive your prototyping and fabrication with ease

Simplified collaboration

Seamlessly collaborate with contractors or clients directly in an assembly using Assembly Concurrency. Web browser access enables easy job site access for those who need to reference the 3D models on the fly.

 

Enhanced design iteration

Explore new design opportunities fast using Automated Modelling, or take it a step further with Generative Design to incorporate considerations such as manufacturing methods or costs. 

 

Simulate part performance

Predict the impact design changes have on product performance and manufacturability with finite element analysis (FEA) and injection moulding simulation.

 

Post-processing insights

Identify design improvements before manufacturing based on in-canvas rendering, design for manufacturability with Injection Moulding simulation and more. 

 

Intuitive drawing creation

Publish your product’s manufacturing and fabrication plans with detailed model and assembly drawings to efficiently add clarity to stakeholders.

 

Sheet metal fabrication

Prepare for fabrication with sheet metal part sketching and modelling, bending and relief rules, seam gaps, weld callouts and integral nesting capabilities.

 

Integrated ECAD and MCAD

Quickly design circuits, visualise your electronic product’s 3D model aspects and test how the PCB fits within the design assembly with ECAD and MCAD integration.

 

Additive and CAM

Generate toolpaths for 2 & 3-axis, 3+2, 4 & 5-axis milling and more with support for additive, subtractive and hybrid manufacturing. Predict potential failures before running the machine. 

 

Plans and pricing for every business

Flexible purchasing options to meet your current and future needs.

All plans and pricing

THE ESSENTIALS

Fusion 360

Integrated cloud-based CAD and CAM software with 2D to 3+2 CAM, 3D printing in plastics and cloud collaboration. 

 

 

 

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EXPAND YOUR CAPABILITIES

Fusion 360 Manufacturing Extension

Create optimised and associative multi-sheet layouts for cutting on CNC machines.

 

 

 

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EXPAND YOUR CAPABILITIES

Fusion 360 Simulation Extension

Predict part quality and performance using a wide selection of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) capabilities. 

 

 

 

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EXPAND YOUR CAPABILITIES

Fusion 360 Signal Integrity Extension

Powered by Ansys. See how your PCB will perform in real life before fabrication with advanced high-speed board simulation.

 

 

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KEY FEATURES

Fusion 360

A subscription to Fusion 360 includes:

 

CAM

  • 2D and 2.5D machining
  • 3-axis machining
  • Multi-axis positional
  • Turning
  • Turn-mill
  • Workpiece co-ordinate probing
  • Toolpath simulation
  • Machine animation

Additive (plastics)

  • Create toolpaths for fused filament fabrication
  • Associative programming
  • Part orientation
  • Library of 3D print hardware, including Ultimaker, EOS and Renishaw
  • Manual part orientation
  • Standard and customised print parameters
  • Infill patterns for hollow parts
  • Toolpath and build simulation
  • NC code export

CAD

  • Sketching
  • Direct modelling
  • Surface modelling
  • Parametric modelling
  • Mesh modelling
  • Freeform modelling
  • Rendering
  • PCB design integration
  • Sheet metal design
  • Assembly modelling

Simulation

  • Static stress
  • Modal frequency
  • Thermal and thermal stress
  • Buckling
  • Non-linear stress

Data management and collaboration

  • User management
  • Administrative tools
  • File export
  • Version control
  • Cloud storage
  • AnyCAD 3rd party file open
  • Public/private sharing
  • Commenting and redlining

 

KEY FEATURES

Fusion 360 Manufacturing Extension

All features in Fusion 360 plus:

 

Nesting

  • Multi-sheet nesting
  • Setups/toolpaths and NC code creation
  • Customisable reports
  • Automatic detection of material, thickness and part quantity
  • Optimised stock/material usage
  • Cost, material usage and stack size insights
  • Toolpath creation with fully integrated and easy-to-use CAM

 

KEY FEATURES

Fusion 360 Simulation Extension

All features in Fusion 360 plus:

 

Simulation

  • Plastic injection moulding simulation
  • Non-linear static stress
  • Electronics cooling
  • Quasi-static event simulation
  • Dynamic event simulation
  • Modal frequencies
  • Shape optimisation
  • Structural buckling
  • Thermal (steady state)
  • Thermal stress

 

KEY FEATURES

Fusion 360 Signal Integrity Extension

All features in Fusion 360 plus:

 

Signal Integrity

  • Simple input parameters and configuration
  • PCB Impedance matching
  • Predict signal delays, trace length, impedance and coupling
  • Visual violation flagging with colour-coded overlay on your 2D PCB design

 

FAQs: Make just about anything with Fusion 360

What is prototyping?

Prototyping is the first stage of the product development process. It’s a quick, experimental, rapid stage for ideation and conception. The goal is to come up with as many viable product ideas as possible. 

What is fabrication?

Fabrication is the process of exploring how your prototype will be made for production. You can either fabricate your design in-house or send your design to an external fabricator.

What tools does Fusion 360 have to support the prototyping process?

Fusion 360 and its Extensions offer a wide variety of tools to support teams during prototyping, including 3D modelling, latticing, electronics design, additive manufacturing, simulation, automated modelling, generative design, rendering and more.

Assembly concurrency and public model sharing enable teams to seamlessly collaborate as they move through the prototyping stage. Flexible pay as you go options empower teams to adjust to changing needs during the product development cycle. 

How do I optimise my Fusion model for efficient prototyping and fabrication?

Leveraging the tools available in Fusion 360, teams can generate virtual prototypes to minimise or even eliminate the need (and costs) of physical prototyping. You can quickly discover potential risks, iterate various solutions and communicate changes to internal and external stakeholders – all within Fusion 360. 

Manufacturing/Fabricating is simplified with Fusion 360 by taking your models and assemblies the next step with designing for manufacturability. Generate toolpaths for CAM and additive productions, design how your sheet metal needs to bend and be cut, optimise your part arrangements on stock material or in the build space, and even get insights on plastic injection mouldability. 

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