Fusion 360:

Creating Renderings

Fusion 360 can create high quality renderings of your design.

A rendering is a photorealistic presentation of the final product. Renderings are produced by creating a 2D image from 3D virtual information. The user sets the material type, lighting source(s), and environment, and even factors such a lens type. These factors are then used to create a digital image.

When using the Rendering space in Fusion 360, you are essentially creating a series of photographs that show your design in a realistic manner.

The goal of creating a rendering is to communicate how a product looks.

Screenshot image from Modeling workspace in Fusion 360

Rendered image of product using the Rendering workspace in Fusion 360

Things to know about Rendering in Fusion 360

Rendering requires much computing power and time. You have two options when rendering: Cloud and Local
Local Rendering uses your computer's processing power. It can slow down your computer and use up batter life quickly. Choose local rendering if your design is small and/or you don't need to use your computer for awhile.
Cloud Rendering is done by the Autodesk's computers in the cloud. These require credits--which students have an unlimited amount. But it can take longer to receive the completed file than if you did it yourself.

Rendered images are saved as regular graphics files (JPG or PNG).
You cannot edit a rendered image. If you change the perspective or material of your design, you need to re-render it.

Rendering Workflow in Fusion 360

Select Render from the menu
Set up your design (left to right in the menu) Section A:
1. Apply materials to your design
2. Change the environment. Select the lighting, background, environment, etc.
3. Add a decal if necessary.
Rotate the image until you have the perspective you want.
Choose B, "In-Canvas render"
Wait for the rendered images to appear in the bar at the bottom of the screen

To learn more about Rendering in Fusion 360, visit the Autodesk Academy and try the following activities:

Rendering: Learn how to use various rendering commands.
Lesson 1: Applying Materials: Learn to assign appearance materials.
Lesson 2: Editing Materials: Learn to edit material names, colors, and textures.
Lesson 3: Adding a Decal: Learn to apply and adjust a decal. A decal is an image or picture that goes on the surface of your design.
Lesson 4: Changing the Environment Settings: Learn to adjust the environment, background, and ground effects.
Lesson 5: Creating an Image with Rendering: Learn to use local ray tracing and cloud rendering.