Walking on Clouds - moving data from Inventor into Fusion 360 via Autodesk 360

[innovatenate]

In honor of the announcement of Fusion 360 becoming avaialble to hundred of thousands of Product Design Suite Subscribers, here's tip on how to transfer data from Inventor 2015 into Fusion 360 via Autodesk 360.

1. With a File open in Inventor 2015, select the Save Copy As Command. Note that you need to be signed into Autodesk 360 with an Internet connection.

2. When you select Save, you may be warned that the selected location is not in the active project. Continue with the Save.

3. The next dialogue will prompt you to copy associated linked files. Select Copy to proceed. In this example, I'm saving an Inventor drawing file (*.IDW file). Autodesk 360 will review and then copy all other referenced Inventor files (part, assembly, etc...).

These files be copied to a Virtual Drive on your machine. The Virtual Drive contains the local copies of files that are synced to the Autodesk 360 Drive.

Check your system tray for the Autodesk 360 Icon.

The AdSync.exe process should automatically sync the Inventor files to the Autodesk 360 Drive in the cloud. While this is going on, the Autodesk 360 icon will appear animated in the system tray. When the process is complete, the A360 system tray icon will become static and a Complete. If you do not see the Autodesk 360 tray icon, you may need to start Autodesk 360.

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk Sync\AdSync.exe

4. Now your data is in the cloud, in Autodesk 360 Drive. Let's look at how to move this to Fusion 360. Open a web browser and log into Autodesk 360 (you may already be signed in).

https://360.autodesk.com

5. Browse to your Documents in Autodesk 360 and locate the file that you saved.

6. Right click on the folder containing the Inventor files, and select Copy to A360 Project.

7. Select a location in your Dashboard to Copy the File to and Select Copy.

You will receive a warning banner that the items are being copied.

8. Open Fusion 360 and expand the Data Panel

9. Make Sure that you have the correct active project set

10. Locate the Inventor File you would like to Open in Fusion 360, right click on the file in the data panel and select Create Fusion Design.

11. The conversion process from the Inventor format to the Native Fusion 360 format will begin. 

12. When the process is complete, the Fusion 360 Design will be available (check the active Project's main page in the data panel).

Note: If you do not have Fusion 360, you can log into Autodesk 360 to view the Inventor data (not to be confused with Autodesk 360 drive) via the below link.

https://myhub.autodesk360.com

You can install Fusion 360 by clicking on the Download Free Trial button in the below website.

http://fusion360.autodesk.com/about

13. Double click on the design to open in Fusion 360 and start Designing Differently!

Hope that helps!

[cekuhnen]

can files moved between INV and Fusion without loss of parametric features?

[innovatenate]

Not at this time... The Create Fusion Design command is essentially the same as the Upload command in the Data Panel. I should also probably note that the data is a copy, so there is no associativity between the Fusion Design and the Inventor files. I hope that answers your question. Let me know, either way.

Thanks!

[cekuhnen]

not sure if this is possible but it would be nice even if they are copies to edit the same file with Fusion or Inventor and other application.

I am not sure where the difference bewteen INV and Fusion is but I assume Fusion is more geared towards designers.

[michaelpgeyer]

very helpful Nate - thank you.

[scottmoyse]

I just want to clarify this is a non associative copy right? So if a new version is sync'd from your desktop to the A360 Drive, then the version in the A360 Project isn't updated. Is that correct?

[innovatenate]

That's correct the copy from the A360 Drive to the A360 Project is not associative.

Thanks,

[cekuhnen]

I think Autodesk has here too many redudantent not combitable and thus confusing products.

Couldn't you just cut it down to one primary service? Google does the same - they specifically create too many things create chaos and consumers get confused...

[markusbarnes]

Finally, someone speaks from my heart! Imagine spending untold hours evaluating a product that may or may not meet you needs then learning about another product that may suite your needs better. I spent hours evaluating Inventor and then heard about Fusion 360. Now I am evaluating Fusion 360, but it is different enough from Inventor that it is turning into yet another learning curve. In an already noisy market, it is difficult to select among the different vendors and Autodesk makes the choice even harder by having so much internal noise within their own product line. 

Just as frustrating is trying to figure out the roles of the Autodesk's product line now and and in the future. Is Fusion 360 just a trial balloon to win over a certain market segment? Or is Autodesk going to throw either Inventor or Fusion 360 under the bus as Quicken did with their desktop Quickbooks or what Microsoft did to SilverLight? The financial cost and time invested as an end-user makes these questions very pertinent and important. It would be nice if Autodesk clarified their position.

I have to agree that the product line should be streamlined or clearly dilineated. Apple at one time had dozen of computer models that were very difficult to differentiate. When Jobs came in, he greatly simplied their product line. Apple doesn't give you a thousand choices, they just magically pick the best one for you. Perhaps, Autodesk can follow their lead.