Assembling digital workholding

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In this video, you’ll: plan and assemble workholding digitally

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to ensure agreement between the physical tool and the digital representation.

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In Fusion 360, you can use the Design workspace to create a digital twin of the workholding used to machine a part in a setup.

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First, from the Application bar, click Save.

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The Save dialog displays.

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In the Name field, enter Digital Workholding.

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Select Save.

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Back in the Application bar, open the Data Panel.

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Here, you can access the uploaded exercise files, 145151.f3d, 145156.f3d, and 148085-46.f3d.

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Right-click 145151, and then, from the shortcut menu, select Insert into Current Design.

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In the canvas, the model appears, along with the Move/Copy dialog.

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This is the base plate that will go on the table of the machine.

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In the dialog, click OK.

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Currently, the base can be moved.

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If you move the base, from the Toolbar, Position panel, select Revert.

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Now, expand Assemble and select As-built Joint.

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The As-built Joint dialog displays.

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From here, ensure the Joint Type is set to Rigid, which locks components together.

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In the canvas, pick the model.

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Then, in the Browser, select Origin.

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Back in the dialog, click OK.

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Using the Data Panel, insert the second part, 145156, into the design.

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Use the Free Move manipulator in the canvas to drag the part above the initial part.

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In the Move/Copy dialog, click OK.

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These parts can be assembled using a joint.

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From the Toolbar, expand Assemble and select Joint.

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In the canvas, on the second part, hover the cursor over the bottom face,

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press and hold CTRL, and then pick the center hole.

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Then, select the joint origin on the first part.

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Now, both pieces have been assembled.

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Next, insert 148085-46 into the design.

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Again, using the manipulator, drag the part above the other components.

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In the Move/Copy dialog, click OK.

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From the Toolbar, open the Joint command again, and with the type still set to Rigid,

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use the bottom face of the newly inserted part and the top face of the assembled components to position the joint.

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The components are assembled.

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In the dialog, click OK.

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Now, close the Data Panel.

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In the Browser, notice all three inserted components are linked.

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Right-click 148085-46, and from the shortcut menu, select Break Link.

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Then, from the Toolbar, expand Modify and select Change Parameters.

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The Parameters dialog displays.

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Now that the component is no longer linked, you can change the parameters, including the stock width and depth.

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To do so, next to StockWidth, in the Expression field, enter 4.

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Then, next to StockDepth, in the Expression field, enter 2.

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Now change it to 0.5, and change StockThickness to 1.

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As you modify the parameters, the canvas updates automatically.

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Click OK to confirm the changes.

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The workholding has now been replicated, and you can review your setup.