06:

Working with Assemblies

Assemblies
Fusion 360 supports several ways of designing assemblies. This module takes a look at a
few common workflows.
Joints
Joints control the position and motion between components. Joints are similar to
assembly constraints in traditional parametric modelers in that they both are used to
control the position of components in an assembly. Joints are different because they
indicate the allowable motion between components. Assembly constraints remove
degrees of freedom instead of allowing motion.
Fusion 360 has two types of joint commands. Use the As-built Joint command when
components are already in position and you need to join them. As-built Joint is often
used with top-down design. Use the Joint command when components are out of
position. Joint is typically used with distributed designs.
Top-down design
Top-down design is a design method where you create your components in the same
assembly design. Top-down design makes it easy to create and manage relationships
between parts.
Distributed design
Distributed design or bottom-up modeling is a design method where components are
created individually then added to an assembly. Using distributed design allows you to
reuse components and maintain the relationship back to the original component. Use
distributed design when you use the same part in multiple assembly designs.

 Lesson 1: Top-down Design

Learning Objectives
1. Create components in an assembly.
2. Modify components using the driving sketch.
3. Use as-built joints to position the components.

Datasets
This lesson uses a new design for the exercise.


 Step-by-step Guides

Step 1: Lets start with creating a new design.

We are going to create an assembly in this
design.

1. Launch Fusion 360.

2. Click File > New Design to start a new
design.

Step 2: Start the Create Sketch command.

1. Select Model > Sketch > Create

Sketch.

Step 3: Select the sketch plane.

1. You are prompted to select the plane

you want to sketch on.
2. Select the bottom plane (XZ) plane.

Step 4: Create sketch curves.

1. Draw a rectangle that starts at the

origin and is 50 mm x 120 mm.
2. Draw a vertical line that is
approximately 50 mm from the left
edge of the rectangle.
3. Draw a circle with a center point near
the vertical line and a diameter
approximately 40 mm.
4. Click Stop Sketch.

Step 5: Create the first component.

1. Click Modify > Press Pull.

2. Select the sketch profile on the right.
3. Enter 20 mm for the Distance.
4. Select New Component for the
Operation.

NOTE: Notice that a new component is added

to the browser.

Step 6: Create a cylinder component.

1. Expand the Sketches node in the

browser then click the light bulb next
to Sketch1 to turn on the visibility.
2. Click Modify > Press Pull.
3. Select the two sketch profiles that
make a circle.
4. Set the Direction to Symmetric.
5. Enter 30 mm for the Distance.
6. Select New Component for the
Operation.

7. Click OK.
8. Click Inspect > Component Color
Cycling Toggle.

Note: Another component is added to the

browser and you should see the two
components displayed as different colors.
Step 7: Create the last component.

1. Click Modify > Press Pull.

2. Select the sketch profile on the left.
3. Set the Direction to Two Side.
4. Enter 5 mm for the first Distance.
5. Enter 10 mm for the second Distance.
6. Select New Component for the
Operation.

Note: You now have three components in the

browser.

Step 8: Shell the components.

1. Click Modify > Shell.

2. Select the top face of the component
on the left.
3. Hold ctrl (Windows) or command
(Mac) then select the top faces of the
other two components.
4. Enter 2 mm for the Thickness.

Step 9: Modify the sketch to update the

components.

1. Drag the edge of the sketch circle to

change the diameter. Once you
release the mouse button the
components adjust to the change.
2. Drag the center point of the circle.
Once you release the mouse button
the components update again.

Note: The components update with sketch

changes because all three components were
created from the same sketch. This is top-
down design.
Step 10: Move components.

1. Drag the box on the right to move it.

Notice a Position panel is displayed at
the end of the toolbar.
2. Click Position > Revert to move the
box back.

Note: All three objects are free to move
because they are individual components.

Step 11: Fix the first component in space.

1. In the Browser, right-click on

Component1 then click Ground.
2. In the canvas, click and drag the box
on the right (Component1). Now it
cannot move because it is grounded.

Step 12: Use joints to control the position the

other box.

1. Click Assemble > As-built Joint.

2. Set the Type to Rigid.
3. Select the two boxes.
4. Click OK.
5. Click and drag the box on the left. It
cannot move because it is rigidly
joined to the other box.


 Step 13: Use joints to control the position of
the cylinder.

1. Click Assemble > As-build Joint.

2. Set the type to Revolute.
3. Select the cylinder and the box on the
right.
4. Select the top edge of the cylinder for
the Position.
5. Click OK.
6. Click and drag the cylinder. Notice the
symbol rotates indicating that the
cylinder can move.


Lesson 2: Create Joints

Learning Objectives
1. Create basic animations
2. Introduction to the animation timeline

Datasets
In the Samples section of your Data Panel, browse to:
Basic Training > 06 - Assemblies > 06_tripod
Open the design and follow the step-by-step guide below to get started with the
lesson.
 Step-by-step Guides
Step 1: Move components to test degrees of
freedom.

1. Drag some of the components to see

that they are free to move. A Position
panel is displayed in the in toolbar
after you drag components. You can
use Snapshot to keep the position or
Revert to put the components back.
2. Click Position > Revert to return the
components to their original position.

Note: This design was created in another CAD
system and uploaded to Fusion. All the
geometry is imported in position but there are
no joints to keep them in position.

Step 2: Move components to see components

behind them.

1. Drag the red stand and grey camera

mount to the side.
2. Click Position > Snapshot to maintain
this position.

Step 3: Lock the stand bracket in position.

1. In the Browser, expand stand.

2. Right-click on Component25 then
select Ground.

Note: Grounding a component locks it in the

current position. Typically you will ground at
least one component in an assembly.

Step 4: Add a joint to the cylindrical legs.

1. Click Assemble > As-built Joint. Make

sure it is the As-built Joint command
and not the Joint command.
2. Change the Type to Slider.
3. Select the two cylinders that make up
one of the legs.
4. For the Position, select the lower
circular edge of the white cylinder.
You will see a preview of the motion
set up by the joint.


Note: The legs are three instances of the same
subassembly. Applying a joint to one instance
adds that joint to all three instances.

Step 5: Add a joint to the bottom end cap.

1. Click Assemble > As-built Joint.

2. Change the Type to Rigid.
3. Select one of the bottom end caps and
the grey leg attached to it.

Note: The end cap is also part of the leg

subassembly so applying a joint to one end cap
adds the same rigid joint to all three end caps.

Step 6: Add a joint to the top end cap.

1. Click Assemble > As-built Joint.

2. Select one of the top end caps and the
white cylinder attached to it.

Step 7: Add a joint to the leg connector.

1. Click Assemble > As-built Joint.

2. Select one of the top end caps and the
connector attached to it. The
connector is the tombstone shaped
component that connects the legs to
the stand bracket.

Step 8: Add joints to connect the legs to the

bracket.

1. Click Assemble > As-built Joint.

2. Change the Type to Revolute.
3. Select the connector you used in the
previous joint and the bracket
attached to it.
4. For the Position, select the edge of the
hole in the bracket.

Note: This is a joint between one of the leg

subassemblies and a component in the main
assembly so it is only applied to the selected
subassembly. Next well repeat this process to
join the other two legs.

Step 9: Join the other two legs.

1. Use the As-built Joint command to

join the other two legs to the bracket.
2. Drag the legs to see how the cylinders
can move inside each other and how
the legs rotate around the bracket.
3. Click Position > Revert to return the
legs to their original position.


Step 10: Use the Joint command to join the
red stand to the bracket.

1. Click Assemble > Joint. Make sure you

use the Joint command and not the
As-built Joint we have been using.
2. Change the Type to Rigid.
3. Move the cursor over the bottom face
of the red stand. Click when the joint
glyph is displayed in the center of the
hole in the stand.
4. Move the cursor over the top face of
the bracket. Hold command (Mac) or
ctrl (Windows) to lock on that face
then click on the hole in the center.

Step 11: Use the Joint command to join the

stand and the camera mount.

1. Click Assemble > Joint.

2. Change the Type to Ball.
3. Select the ball on the bottom of the
camera mount.
4. Select the ball cavity on the inside of
the red stand.




Step 12: Test the motion of the camera

mount.

1. Drag the mount to see the available

motion.
2. Click Position > Revert to return the
mount to the original position.

Note: Fusion does not detect material

interference unless you are set up contact
sets.