Day 1 of Learn Fusion 360 in 30 Days for Complete Beginners! - 2023 EDITION

Introduction

This tutorial is designed to guide complete beginners through the essential features of Autodesk Fusion 360 as introduced in the first day of the 30-day learning series. By the end of this guide, you will have a solid understanding of the user interface, basic settings, and fundamental functions to start creating your designs.

Step 1: Restore Default Settings

• Open Fusion 360.
• Navigate to the application menu in the top left corner.
• Select "Preferences."
• In the Preferences panel, choose "Restore Default Settings" to reset the software to its factory settings. This can help avoid confusion if you have altered settings previously.

Step 2: Set Document Units

• Go to the "Document Settings" in the browser panel on the left.
• Click on the “Units” option.
• Choose your preferred measurement system (e.g., millimeters, inches).
• Confirm your selection to ensure all future designs are in the correct units.

Step 3: Create a New Component

• In the toolbar, click on "Create" and select "New Component."
• Name your component in the dialog box that appears.
• Click "OK" to add the component to your project. This will help organize your design elements.

Step 4: How to Sketch

• Select the "Sketch" option from the toolbar.
• Choose a plane to sketch on (e.g., XY, XZ, YZ).
• Use the sketch tools (line, rectangle, circle) to create your desired shapes.
• Remember to utilize constraints for precision, like dimensions and relationships between lines.

Step 5: Create 3D Objects

• After finishing your sketch, click on "Create" in the toolbar.
• Select "Extrude" to convert your 2D sketch into a 3D object.
• Specify the thickness and direction of the extrusion, then click "OK."

Step 6: Saving Your Work

• To save your design, click on "File" in the toolbar.
• Select "Save" or use the shortcut Ctrl + S (Cmd + S on Mac).
• Give your file a descriptive name and choose a location to save it.

Step 7: Using Rectangular Patterns

• Select the object you want to pattern.
• Click on "Create" and then choose "Pattern" followed by "Rectangular Pattern."
• Specify the direction and number of instances for your pattern, then click "OK."

Step 8: Hollowing a Body

• Select the 3D body you want to hollow.
• Click on "Modify" and choose "Shell."
• Define the wall thickness for the hollowed area and confirm your selection.

Step 9: Rounding Edges with Fillet

• Click on "Modify" and select "Fillet."
• Choose the edges you want to round.
• Specify the radius for the fillet and click "OK" to apply the changes.

Step 10: Saving Versions of Your File

• To save versions, go to "File" and select "Save As."
• Provide a new name or version number to differentiate it from previous saves.
• This practice helps track changes and iterations in your design process.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we've covered foundational skills in Fusion 360, including restoring settings, setting document units, creating components, sketching, and manipulating 3D objects. As you continue learning, practice these skills regularly and explore more advanced features in the following days of the course. For further resources, consider checking out the links provided in the video description. Happy designing!