Using Re-Anchor in Fusion

Designing custom extrusion frames in Fusion often requires very specific part lengths. While many parts come from catalogs like McMaster-Carr, they do not always offer the exact size you need for your project. This guide shows you how to use the Reanchor command to change parts to any length you want. You will learn how to move your measurement points so your parts fit your design perfectly. This method is much faster than drawing every part from scratch. It allows you to focus on your assembly rather than basic geometry.

Getting Started with Parts from McMaster-Carr

Many designers use 80/20 aluminum framing rails for their projects. These rails are strong and easy to use in real life. In Fusion, you can bring these parts directly into your workspace from McMaster-Carr. To start, you need to open the McMaster-Carr library within the software.

Search for 80/20 aluminum and look for the framing rails. For this example, we use a double framing rail with a 3-inch height. When you find the part you want, scroll down to see the options. You will notice that the library asks for a specific length. It might only give you options in full feet, like one foot or two feet.

Select the one-foot length for now. Make sure you choose 3D STEP as the file type. This file format works very well with Fusion. Once you hit download, the part appears in your design. If you measure it, you will see it is exactly 12 inches long.

The Problem with Basic Measurements

Imagine you need this rail to be exactly 22.5 inches long. The catalog did not offer that size. Most people try to use the Press Pull tool to fix this. You can find this tool under the Modify menu. It is also called Offset Face.

When you click the end face of the rail and start to drag it, Fusion shows you a number. This number is the distance you have moved the face from its original spot. If you move it one inch, the number says "1.00." It does not show you the total length of the part. This makes it more difficult to get a perfect 22.5-inch rail without doing the extra math. You have to subtract the original length from your goal. This takes time and can lead to mistakes.

How to Use the Re-anchor Command

The Re-anchor command solves the measurement problem. When you are in the Offset Face or Press Pull tool, look at the small menu on your screen. You will see three little dots next to the distance box. Click those dots to find the Re-anchor option.

Once you click Re-anchor, Fusion asks you to select a face. This is the "starting point" for your measurement. Follow these steps:

1. Click the face on the opposite end of your rail.

2. Notice the white arrow and the blue face marker move.

3. The distance number will change. It now shows the total distance from the bottom face to the top face.

4. Instead of showing "1.0," it might show "13.0" if you already moved it an inch.

Now, you can type your exact distance goal into the box. If you type 22.5, the rail grows or shrinks to that exact length. You are measuring the whole part instead of just the change. This is the most accurate way to resize parts in Fusion. You can click an edge afterward to verify the length is what you expect.

Copying and Pasting Independent Parts

When you build a frame, you need more than one rail. You might think you should just copy and paste the first rail. However, you must be careful about how you do this. If you use a standard Paste, the two parts stay linked. If you change the length of one, the other one changes too.

To avoid this, use Paste New. This creates a copy that is not connected to the original. You can move, rotate, and resize this new piece without affecting your first rail. This is vital when you need different lengths for the sides and the top of your frame.

Aligning Your Frame with Constraints

Putting the frame together can be tricky because of the complex shapes on aluminum extrusions. The Joint command can be difficult to use here. Instead, use the Constrain Components tool. This tool is very powerful for 80/20 frames.

You can select a flat face on one beam and line it up with a flat face on the next beam. Add another constraint for the side faces and a third one for the bottom faces. This makes the parts snap together perfectly. They will stay rigidly connected as you continue your design. This method is often much faster than trying to find the center point of a complex curve.

Stretching the Entire Assembly

Sometimes you need to change the size of the whole frame at once. You do not have to move every piece one by one. You can use the Move/Copy tool. In the move menu, make sure the "Move Object" setting is set to Faces instead of Bodies.

Follow these steps to stretch your frame:

1. Draw a selection box over one side of your frame. This picks all the faces on that end.

2. Click Set Pivot and pick a point on the front edge of your frame.

3. Click the green checkmark to lock the pivot.

4. Click the three dots and select Re-anchor.

5. Pick the face on the far side of the entire assembly.

The measurement tool now shows you the total width of your whole frame. If you want the frame to be 21.75 inches wide, just type that number in. Fusion will move the vertical beams and stretch the horizontal beams at the same time. This keeps your frame joined together while you change the size.

Action	Tool Used	Result
Resize Single Part	Re-anchor + Offset Face	Sets exact total length
Add New Part	Paste New	Creates independent copy
Align Parts	Constrain Components	Snaps faces together quickly
Resize Assembly	Re-anchor + Move Faces	Stretches the whole frame

Benefits of Re-anchoring in Professional Design

Using Re-anchor removes the need for "guesswork" when dragging faces in your 3D space. You no longer have to worry about the original size of a part you downloaded. You simply tell Fusion where the measurement starts and where it ends.

This tool is also helpful when you are working on parts that are not just simple squares. If you have a part with many angles, you can re-anchor to a flat base to ensure your height is correct. It turns Fusion into a digital ruler that always measures from the most important spot.