Deep Dive into Fusion360 - Part 2

Previously, we did an in depth review of Fusion360 that can be found on my digital portfolio page, "Deep Dive into Fusion360 - Part 1". In this unit, we used our knowledge of the tools in Fusion360 to make 3D objects, while only using measurements given to us, as opposed to following a video tutorial. We first made a bicycle rack while only being given the measurements. We took this 3D design and learned how to change 3D designs into a 2D drawings. I was then given a few 2D drawings of a Lego technic brick with dimensions added, and I was tasked with making the brick without a tutorial. I then picked out a Lego brick that I wanted to make a 3D design of. I used calipers to measure the dimensions of my object and I recreated it. I then made a 2D drawing of this Lego I picked. I shared this drawing with a peer and then I attempted to make their Lego that they chose using their 2D drawing. Online, I found a 3D object that I wanted to make, and I followed that tutorial. I 3D printed this object.

Designing a 3D Bike Rack

I was given a picture of the sketch I was going to make and I recreated it on Fusion360. I used the tangent arch command to make all of the curves. I made a circle on the perpendicular plane and made the thickness. The whole sketch is in inches because a bicycle rack is pretty big. I used the "sweep" command to make it the actual 3D object. 

Learning to Make a 2D Drawing

I watched a video on how to turn 3D object designs into 2D drawings. I used a pre-made 3D design on Fusion360 that can be found under the data panel under the "Samples" category, in the "Basic Training" folder under the "Drawings" section. The design is called "Connecter Joint". I pressed on the design and then on the file button. I pressed "new drawing" and this drawing was from the design. I placed the drawing and then learned how to add multiple different views of the drawing, how to add dimensions, and how to change the view of the drawing. I then made my bicycle rack into a 2D drawing. 

Lego Technic Brick

For this 3D object, I was given multiple different angles of the brick, with dimensions. I had to figure out how to make the brick all on my own. I started off with a rectangle and then extruded that to make the brick itself. I added a sketch on the top of the brick and added two concentric circles. I extruded the outer ring face to get the hollow circles. I used the rectangular pattern feature to get the rest of the top circles. I added a sketch on the bottom and added a rectangle in the middle. I negative extruded this to get the hollow inside of the whole block. I added the three circles on each side, each with another circle in the middle. I negative extruded the outer ring face and then the inner circle, this time the length being the whole length of the shape to get the hole. I added another sketch on the bottom and made the three circles that would become columns. I extruded these, but this time I pressed "Join" to connect the hole/tunnel of the 3 circles on the sides and the 3 columns on the bottom. My 3D design of this Lego technic brick was now complete.

Choosing My Own Lego

I now had to choose a Lego from a bin and I chose this Lego, featured below. I was not given any measurements or dimensions so I had to find them myself. I used calipers to find the dimensions for my entire object and all of its incredibly small pieces. I started off by making the large square sketch and then extruding that. I then added the 4 circles on top of that square, all with another circle inside of it. I extruded the outer ring to get the hollow circles. I made another sketch on an offset plane so that I could make the rectangle hanging off of the square. I added 3 rectangles to make the extruded outer edge of the rectangle. I added two circles on the top of the rectangle face. I extruded these to get the signature Lego dots. I added the center circle on the underside of the rectangle and then another circle in the center. I extruded the outer ring to get the hollowed shape. I added the three rectangle sketches and then extruded them. I then made two circle sketches and the negative extruded them to get the circles going into the rectangle. My 3D Lego design is now done. I then made a 2D sketch of this object.

Switching Legos

I was then tasked with switching Legos with a partner. I sent her my 2D drawing with dimensions and she sent me hers. I started off by making the base rectangle and then extruding it. I made the bottom of the columns on top of this. I added the smaller circles and then extruded these to make the columns. I added the top rectangle and then extruded it. I made the top circles and then extruded the two on the ends and then shelled those, and I negative extruded the two in the middle to get them going into the design. On the bottom of the design, I shelled the base. I added the three circles in between the existing circles. I extruded these and then I shelled them to get the hollow shape. My re-creation 3D design was now done. I made a 2D design of my own 3D design.

A 3D Object of My Choosing

I got to choose a 3D object that I wanted to make. I found a video online that I liked. I will be making my very own 3D printed name plate. This is the link to the video tutorial that I used: https://youtu.be/ju247tQHKso. I started by making a box as the base. I added a sketch on the top of the box and then I typed out my name. I made a sketch on the side of the box and added an arch on the end. I used this arch as the path and this text as the profile when I used the "sweep" command. I made sure that it wasn't more than .75 of the sweep because then it would need supports when it 3D printed. I then added a "chamfer" to the side of my box base to make it look nicer. My design is now done. In Prusa Slicer, I scaled my design down to 3 inches wide, to make the 3D print time an hour. I 3D printed my nameplate design.

Problems I Faced

One problem that I faced was while I was designing my Lego Technic brick. The Lego brick is hollow, and normally I would use the shell feature to make it hollow. This time however, I could not shell my object. It had never happened before and I didn't know what to do. I tried again and again to get it work. I had to problem solve and go a completely different way to make my object hollow. I added a sketch on the bottom of the brick, and added a rectangle with the center point of the bottom. I also kept the distance from all of the sides to the original bottom the same as if I had shelled the object. I negatively extruded this rectangle, to get the hollow inside.