Top 10 Fusion Tips you should know

Tip #1 - Don't use 3D Sketch unless you mean it

You draw a line in sketch mode and a weird blue triad pops up and blocks your view. That's 3D sketch turned on by mistake. To turn it off, un-check the box in your sketch toolbar next to 3D Sketch. You will want to keep it off for normal 2D work.

Save 3D sketch for special jobs like wiring paths through parts.

Tip #2 - The Principle of Minimalist Sketching

Overcrowded sketches can be confusing. Lines overlap, dimensions pile up and hide the shape. It makes it difficult to understand what is going in the sketch.

Instead, keep your sketches simple by using equal constraints instead of multiple dimensions. Mirror like geometry instead of recreating and dimensioning it over and over.

Tip #3 - Naming Sketches and Features

Default names can be confusing. Sketch 1? Extrude 3? You guess what they do.

Right-click on a sketch and rename. Call it something descriptive, like "cylinder profile."

Now the sketch is renamed in the browser and in the timeline. It is almost like commenting sections of code so you have a better understanding of what each sketch is used for.

Months later, you open the file. A sketch named "Slot profile" makes more sense than "Sketch 6".

You can do the same for features in the timeline, like fillets. Have a fillet feature that fillets the corners of a rectangle? Name it "rectangle large fillet." Now, it is easier to see what features do what in the timeline.

Tip #4 - The Power of the 'S' Key: Customizable Design Shortcuts

Press the S key. A menu pops with a search window. Type in "chamfer" and it brings up the chamfer command. Click on it to run it.

You can add commands to the shortcut menu by clicking the arrow next to it in the search results.

The S-key is available in all workspaces, such as Sketch, Manufacturing, Drawings, etc.

Tip #5 - Undoing Selections Within a Command Without Canceling

Let's say you are in the draft command and have picked the wrong pull face. You have already selected regions to draft. Then, you spot the error. Don't cancel the whole command. Hit the X by the pull direction selection in the dialog.

Tip # 6 - Utilizing the Undo/Redo Dropdown for Bulk History Management

Need to undo a lot of steps? Instead of clicking the undo button multiple time, click the pulldown arrow next to undo and it shows the whole undo history. Now, you can select back multiple steps and Fusion will undo all the way back to that step all at once.

Tip #7 - Caution: The Danger of Accidental Undo on Selection Clicks

Speaking of Undo, be careful while using Undo. Make sure you are Undoing what you mean to undo. For example, if you select an incorrect face on accident, don't use the Undo button to "unselect" the face. It will actually undo the last command that you had completed, such as an extrude.

Tip #8 - Right-Click Context: The Smart Selection Menu

Pre-select a feature, such as an edge, face, or body, then right-mouse-click. The Smart Selection window will appear and show you the commands that make sense for what you have selected. For example, if you selected an edge, it will show you the Fillet and Chamfer commands. If you had selected a face, it will show you the Create Sketch, Extrude, and Shell commands. You don't need to search for the commands in the main menu across the top.

Tip #9 - Entering Values Without Deleting Highlighted Fields

When you do certain commands in Fusion, such as creating a sketch feature, like a rectangle, or do an extrude, a dialog field appears asking for a distance entry. This field is usually highlighted in blue. You can just start typing in the distance you want without having to select or delete the current number in the field.

Tip #10 - Selection Control with the Control Key

When you want to select multiple edges to creating fillets, you can control your selection by pressing the CTRL key on your keyboard. Releasing the CTRL key will show you a preview of the fillets and pressing the CTRL key will show you the edges.

You can also use the CTRL key to control your selection while creating Joints. As you hover over the faces of the components to select an origin snap point, it can get confusing as you move your cursor around and it highlights all of the options. Instead, highlight the face you want, then hold down the CTRL key and it will only allow you to select the reference points on that face and none on the other faces.