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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Create and modify basic 2D sketch geometry to build a sketch profile that you can use to create a 3D solid, surface, or T-spline bodies using Fusion.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
7 min.
Transcript
00:03
In Fusion, you can create and modify 2D sketch geometry to build a sketch profile.
00:09
The sketch profile can then be used to create 3D solid, surface, or T-Spline bodies in Fusion.
00:16
When creating a design that will contain multiple components,
00:20
it is best practice to create and activate the component that you want the sketch to appear within.
00:25
To enter Sketch mode, on the Design workspace toolbar, Solid tab, click Create Sketch.
00:33
On the canvas, in this case, select the XY sketch plane.
00:38
The view orients to the selected plane or face and the Sketch contextual tab is added to the toolbar.
00:44
On the toolbar, click Center Diameter Circle or type “C” to start the circle command.
00:52
Click anywhere on the canvas to place the center point.
00:55
Move the mouse pointer away from the center point to see a preview of the circle, along with the diameter value box.
01:02
If you specify a value for the diameter, a dimension is added to the geometry automatically.
01:09
However, if you simply click to place a circle, it remains unconstrained.
01:14
It is best practice to define your geometry relative to the origin on the sketch plane, although you can constrain it later.
01:21
You can switch circle types from the Sketch Palette.
01:25
For example, if you prefer to create a circle by placing 2 points to define the diameter, in the Sketch Palette, click 2-Point Circle.
01:33
On the canvas, click 2 points to place the next circle.
01:38
Select the Snap and Sketch Grid checkboxes to snap to the sketch grid and quickly create precise geometry.
01:45
When you have finished creating circles, you can press Esc to exit the Circle command or start another command and continue sketching.
01:53
You can also use the Toolbox to access commands more quickly.
01:58
Type “S” to open the Toolbox.
02:01
You can then type a command, such as “Line”, and select Line from the results.
02:06
If you place the pointer over existing sketch geometry, snap symbols show to help you snap to the geometry.
02:14
If you snap and drag away from certain geometry, a dashed blue tracking line shows to help you align geometry as you sketch.
02:22
To temporarily hide these snap features, press Ctrl on Windows or Command on a Mac while you sketch with auto snap enabled.
02:31
You can add other geometry types to existing geometry by snapping and clicking as needed until you complete your base geometry.
02:39
When connecting points or line endpoints, Fusion continues to add to these lines until you end the command.
02:46
Click the green check mark or double-click the endpoint to end the current chain of lines and remain in the Line command,
02:52
or press Esc to exit the command.
02:56
To switch the line type, select the geometry.
02:59
Then, in the Sketch Palette, click the desired Linetype, or in the right-click Marking menu,
03:05
select Normal/Construction or Normal/Centerline.
03:09
In this example, Normal/Centerline is selected.
03:14
The centerline geometry still contributes to the sketch profile, acting as a boundary to close it.
03:21
You can identify a closed profile by the blue highlighted area.
03:25
If you have trouble closing a profile, in the Sketch Palette, make sure that both Profile and Points are selected
03:32
to help identify and close any small gaps where endpoint geometry may be close to,
03:36
but not touching other geometry.
03:39
Once you have sketched the general shape of your sketch profile,
03:43
on the toolbar, you can use the tools in the Modify drop-down to offset geometry,
03:48
add details like fillets and chamfers, and adjust existing geometry.
03:54
In this case, select Break to split the geometry into multiple segments,
03:58
so that you can switch some of the segments to Construction or Centerline geometry.
04:03
Place the pointer over the geometry to preview where it will break, then click to break it.
04:09
Press Esc to exit the Break command.
04:13
Now, select the segments that you want to change.
04:16
To select multiple objects at once, press Shift while you select them.
04:21
Any changes you make apply to all the objects selected.
04:26
Here, switch the line type to Normal/Construction.
04:31
Some commands enable you to automatically select an entire series of connected segments using chain selection.
04:38
In the toolbar, click Offset, then click the geometry to select the connected segments.
04:45
Drag the manipulator handle on the canvas to adjust the offset, then press Enter or click OK in the Offset dialog to complete the command.
04:54
When your sketch geometry is unconstrained, you can click and drag it on the canvas.
04:60
This can help you understand where the sketch profile is still free to move versus where it is already constrained.
05:07
Ideally, you want a fully constrained sketch, so that when you click and drag a point or other sketch geometry, the sketch does not move.
05:15
For now, you are just looking to create a general shape before locking down the design with constraints and dimensions.
Video transcript
00:03
In Fusion, you can create and modify 2D sketch geometry to build a sketch profile.
00:09
The sketch profile can then be used to create 3D solid, surface, or T-Spline bodies in Fusion.
00:16
When creating a design that will contain multiple components,
00:20
it is best practice to create and activate the component that you want the sketch to appear within.
00:25
To enter Sketch mode, on the Design workspace toolbar, Solid tab, click Create Sketch.
00:33
On the canvas, in this case, select the XY sketch plane.
00:38
The view orients to the selected plane or face and the Sketch contextual tab is added to the toolbar.
00:44
On the toolbar, click Center Diameter Circle or type “C” to start the circle command.
00:52
Click anywhere on the canvas to place the center point.
00:55
Move the mouse pointer away from the center point to see a preview of the circle, along with the diameter value box.
01:02
If you specify a value for the diameter, a dimension is added to the geometry automatically.
01:09
However, if you simply click to place a circle, it remains unconstrained.
01:14
It is best practice to define your geometry relative to the origin on the sketch plane, although you can constrain it later.
01:21
You can switch circle types from the Sketch Palette.
01:25
For example, if you prefer to create a circle by placing 2 points to define the diameter, in the Sketch Palette, click 2-Point Circle.
01:33
On the canvas, click 2 points to place the next circle.
01:38
Select the Snap and Sketch Grid checkboxes to snap to the sketch grid and quickly create precise geometry.
01:45
When you have finished creating circles, you can press Esc to exit the Circle command or start another command and continue sketching.
01:53
You can also use the Toolbox to access commands more quickly.
01:58
Type “S” to open the Toolbox.
02:01
You can then type a command, such as “Line”, and select Line from the results.
02:06
If you place the pointer over existing sketch geometry, snap symbols show to help you snap to the geometry.
02:14
If you snap and drag away from certain geometry, a dashed blue tracking line shows to help you align geometry as you sketch.
02:22
To temporarily hide these snap features, press Ctrl on Windows or Command on a Mac while you sketch with auto snap enabled.
02:31
You can add other geometry types to existing geometry by snapping and clicking as needed until you complete your base geometry.
02:39
When connecting points or line endpoints, Fusion continues to add to these lines until you end the command.
02:46
Click the green check mark or double-click the endpoint to end the current chain of lines and remain in the Line command,
02:52
or press Esc to exit the command.
02:56
To switch the line type, select the geometry.
02:59
Then, in the Sketch Palette, click the desired Linetype, or in the right-click Marking menu,
03:05
select Normal/Construction or Normal/Centerline.
03:09
In this example, Normal/Centerline is selected.
03:14
The centerline geometry still contributes to the sketch profile, acting as a boundary to close it.
03:21
You can identify a closed profile by the blue highlighted area.
03:25
If you have trouble closing a profile, in the Sketch Palette, make sure that both Profile and Points are selected
03:32
to help identify and close any small gaps where endpoint geometry may be close to,
03:36
but not touching other geometry.
03:39
Once you have sketched the general shape of your sketch profile,
03:43
on the toolbar, you can use the tools in the Modify drop-down to offset geometry,
03:48
add details like fillets and chamfers, and adjust existing geometry.
03:54
In this case, select Break to split the geometry into multiple segments,
03:58
so that you can switch some of the segments to Construction or Centerline geometry.
04:03
Place the pointer over the geometry to preview where it will break, then click to break it.
04:09
Press Esc to exit the Break command.
04:13
Now, select the segments that you want to change.
04:16
To select multiple objects at once, press Shift while you select them.
04:21
Any changes you make apply to all the objects selected.
04:26
Here, switch the line type to Normal/Construction.
04:31
Some commands enable you to automatically select an entire series of connected segments using chain selection.
04:38
In the toolbar, click Offset, then click the geometry to select the connected segments.
04:45
Drag the manipulator handle on the canvas to adjust the offset, then press Enter or click OK in the Offset dialog to complete the command.
04:54
When your sketch geometry is unconstrained, you can click and drag it on the canvas.
04:60
This can help you understand where the sketch profile is still free to move versus where it is already constrained.
05:07
Ideally, you want a fully constrained sketch, so that when you click and drag a point or other sketch geometry, the sketch does not move.
05:15
For now, you are just looking to create a general shape before locking down the design with constraints and dimensions.
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