Fusion provides flexibility for creating complex mechanical assemblies, but mastering its design history tools is essential. Whether you’re transitioning from SolidWorks or starting fresh, this guide covers assemblies, components, bodies, and the importance of design intent. Explore tips and workflows to save time and boost project efficiency.

SolidWorks vs. Fusion: A quick comparison

SolidWorks users often work with three main workflows:

1. Single-body part files: Used in assemblies by inserting a single part into a larger structure.
2. Multi-body part files: Allows multiple solids or surfaces in one file.
3. In-context assembly design: Components reference and interact directly within the assembly environment.

In Fusion, the approach is similar but more flexible. Fusion enables you to mix and match workflows depending on the design intent, making it adaptable to different project needs. Let’s look at how this flexibility works.

Why design intent matters

Every project starts with a fundamental question: What’s the design’s purpose? Whether it’s a mechanical assembly or a single component, understanding your design intent will guide your strategy.

• For assemblies, consider components: Fusion treats these as containers with their own origins, coordinate systems, and associated sketches or features.
• For simpler designs, bodies at the top level may suffice. These share the main coordinate system and are modeled collectively.

For example:

• A grill assembly would benefit from components for better control and motion.
• A chair design might use bodies if the parts don’t need independent motion or detailing.

Key workflows in Fusion

1. Working with components

Fusion recommends starting new designs with components for assemblies. Each component has:

• Its own origin and coordinate system.
• Independent sketches, features, and timeline entries.

This makes managing designs easier, especially for creating exploded views, animating motions, or generating detailed bills of materials (BOM). Components can also be added later if needed, converting top-level bodies into movable, trackable entities.

2. Managing bodies

For designs that don’t need motion or detailed tracking, creating multiple bodies at the top level simplifies the workflow.

• Bodies share the same coordinate system.
• Use tools like Move/Copy or Align to adjust positions.

However, bodies are less versatile for advanced workflows, such as animations or BOM management.

3. Importing designs without design history

Imported designs (e.g., STEP or IGES files) often lack a timeline. Turn on Design History to track changes and organize components within Fusion’s coordinate system.

Tips for efficient assemblies

Create empty components first

Starting with an empty component helps maintain a clean timeline and reduces interdependencies. Each feature or sketch within a component remains self-contained, making it easier to update and troubleshoot later.

Model one component at a time

Complete each component before moving to the next. This ensures:

• A clean and organized timeline.
• Minimal cross-referencing between parts, which simplifies updates.

For example, in the grill design, the main housing was fully modeled before adding additional components, keeping the timeline logical and grouped by design stages.

Add joints early

Fusion’s joints define mechanical relationships between components. Add joints early to prevent issues caused by downstream modifications. For example, creating a rotational joint for ball bearings before adding fillets or chamfers ensures the joint remains unaffected by later changes.

Optimizing Fusion’s interface

1. Use groups for timeline management:
   Group related features to declutter long timelines. Right-click to create a group, which you can expand or collapse as needed.
2. Rename features and components:
   Clear naming conventions make it easier to find specific sketches or components in the browser or timeline.
3. Quick navigation:
   Use “Find in Browser” or “Find in Timeline” to locate specific elements quickly. Fusion highlights the selected item, saving time during complex edits.

Fusion’s best practices for assembly design

When designing in Fusion, always start with your intent:

• Do you need independent motion? Use components.
• Are the parts static? Bodies might be enough.

Follow these key tips:

1. Create empty components to keep designs organized.
2. Model one component fully before moving to the next.
3. Add joints early to simplify downstream changes.

By understanding these workflows and using tools like grouping and naming, you’ll streamline your process and make the most of Fusion’s powerful design history capabilities.