How to have the Drawing Parts List show different quantities in Fusion

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Creating professional manufacturing drawings in Fusion means getting the details right. A common challenge is showing a detailed view of just one part while still listing the correct total quantity needed for the build. This blog post will walk you through the simple steps to solve this. You will learn how to use visibility controls instead of suppression. You will also see how to customize your parts list table for clearer, more informative drawings.

The Core Problem: Quantity vs. Visibility

Imagine you are detailing a bookcase assembly. The main drawing shows the full assembly with a parts list. One part, like a shelf, has a quantity of four. You now need a new drawing sheet to provide detailed dimensions for manufacturing that single shelf.

If you simply suppress the other three shelves, your parts list on the new sheet will show a quantity of one. This is wrong for manufacturing. They need to know to make four total.

The solution is not to suppress the extra parts. Instead, you turn off their visibility on that specific sheet. This keeps all instances active in the model but hides them from the view. Your parts list will then correctly show the total quantity of four, while your drawing only displays one part for clear dimensioning.

Step-by-Step Guide to Correct Quantities

Here is how to set this up in your Fusion drawing.

First, create your detailed view. Start a new sheet in your drawing. Use the Base View command to place a view of your assembly. Set your preferred scale.

You will see all instances of the part in the view. For our example, all four shelves appear. To isolate one, right-click on the specific component you want to detail in the Drawing Browser. In the menu that appears, select Suppress All Except Selected.

This command turns off all other components in the assembly for this view. You are left with a clean front view of the single shelf. You can then create projected views as needed.

Now, add your parts list. Go to the Tables menu and select Smart Table and place it on your sheet.

At first, the parts list will show a quantity of one. This is because the other three instances are suppressed. The trick is to turn the visibility back on for the suppressed parts.

Find the component browser for your drawing view. Locate the other shelf instances (Shelf 2, Shelf 3, Shelf 4). Check the box to unsuppress them. Then, click the eyeball icon next to each one to make them not visible on the sheet.

You will see the quantity in your parts list update to the correct total, which is four. However, the drawing view will still only show the single shelf you selected. The others are present in the model but not visible on the sheet. This gives you the correct manufacturing count with an uncluttered detail view.

Customizing Your Parts List for Better Drawings

Fusion's parts list tables are highly customizable. You can change what information they show and how they look. This makes your drawings more useful for your team or manufacturer.

Adjusting Default Column Sizes

Sometimes the default table is too small. You can change the default column widths before you place the table.

Go to your Document Settings. Click the gear icon to edit these settings. Navigate to the Table tab. Scroll to the bottom to find the Parts List Defaults.

Here you can set the starting width for each column. For example, you might make the Part Number column 4 inches wide. You can make the Item and Quantity columns 1.25 inches wide. Click OK.

Now, when you create a new parts list, it will use your custom sizes. This saves time and keeps your drawings consistent.

Adding More Information to the List

Your parts list can show more than just item number and quantity. Double-click on an existing parts list to edit it. A dialog box opens with many available columns.

You can add columns like:

• Part Name

• Description

• Mass

• Designer

• Estimated Cost

Check the boxes for the columns you want. They will appear in your table. You can then drag the column edges to resize them on the sheet.

To fill this data, you edit the component properties in the main model. Go back to your assembly in the Model workspace. Select a part and open its properties.

In the properties, you can add a description, name the designer, and enter an estimated cost. When you return to your drawing, the parts list will update with this new information. This creates a single source of truth for all part data.

Key Takeaways for Professional Drawings

Mastering parts lists and views will make your Fusion drawings better. Follow these important tips.

• Use Visibility, Not Just Suppression: To keep quantities correct, turn off the eyeball icon. Do not just uncheck the suppression box.

• Customize Your Tables: Set default column sizes in Document Settings. This makes your drawings look professional every time.

• Add Useful Data: Fill out part properties like description and designer. Add these columns to your parts list for clear communication.

• Detail One, Count All: Always show the full quantity needed on detail sheets. This prevents manufacturing errors.

Conclusion

Creating clear drawings is a key part of the design process. It turns your digital model into instructions the real world can follow. The method shown here solves a very common problem. You can now detail single parts without losing the correct count from your assembly.

This approach makes your drawings accurate and easy to read. The person making the part sees one clean view. They also see the exact number they need to produce. Adding custom information to your parts list improves communication. It ensures everyone has the details they need.

Practice these steps with your own models. Start with a simple assembly like the bookcase example. Use the visibility control and customize a parts list. You will quickly see the improvement in your drawing sheets.