topic Measurement Tool in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Measurement Tool

kpreuss — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 15:55:22 GMT

Can someone on the Autodesk Fusion 360 team please answer this post. Or someone who "knows" the answer. btw, I have requested in the idea station already.

1) Why can i only have one measurement up on screen at a time?

2) Why can I not place the measurement tool specifically where I want to take the measurement? It always snaps to a point on edge or center point or somewhere else I DO NOT NEED. I would live to drag the pointer along a line, click, then drag along another line, click, and measure is done.

3) I know that you do not want to add too much functionality to F360 because then you cannibalize your other software, but is there a reason why you can not port over other measurement tools like those found in Alias Automotive such as Deviation tool set for tsplines.

4) Does anyone on the Fusion 360 team actually work in other software like Alias, Maya, 3DSMax, Catia, UG, MODO? Please do not copy that software, I love the fact that F360 is different and community based(democratic).

I work in the automotive industry and teach Fusion 360 at Lawrence Technological University (as best as I can) and my counterparts at work who use Catia love Alias Deviation tools like surface to surface when sculpting. Since Fusion/Speedform have TSPLINES for real sculpting, why can we not get these tools? I used to teach Alias and Fusion 360, now I focus on teaching Fusion because I see the strengths in product development.

If someone wants to contact me that would be fine as well.

Kevin Preuss

Re: Measurement Tool

Mike.Grau — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 12:23:14 GMT

Hi @kpreuss,

Thank you for your Post in the Forum.

It sounds like you are using Fusion 360 for concept design classes?

Please, feel free to share a couple Screenshots or a Screencast which will help us to understand what you would like to achieve with Fusion 360.

I might not be able to answer all your questions but I´ll do my best 😉

1) This how it is intend and designed. Measure is just a tool which you can use to quickly determine distances.

In the Parametric environment, it is intended that you create sketch´s, constrain them properly and work with the "Change Parameters" Dialog box.

I do agree with you, it would be great to measure a distance, save it and use it later in the "Change Parameters" dialog box.

2) In most of the cases where you would like to measure a distance, it is likely that you measure between particular entities.

For example, you would like to measure the angle between two edges, the vector components in x, y and z between two points within the global coordinate system

3) Unfortunately, I don´t know the "Deviation tool set for tsplines" but it sounds like good idea. 😉

I hope this helps. Please, let me know if we can answer more questions.

Thank you,

Re: Measurement Tool

kpreuss — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:25:56 GMT

Unfortunately I am still trying to get my Alias Automotive loaded back on my machine here at work. As soon as I have this other software loaded I will do an apples to apples demo between the software's and show how the tools are different. I teach automotive and product design and use Alias and Fusion 360. I am trying to make the full switch to Fusion but it has limitations for Automotive use right now. I personally paid for Fusion last year and just completed my first project in starting this past July. T Splines has a big future.

To reply to you,

1) I do not use dimension as a constraint tool. I use it for information and need more of that information up at a single time because I sculpt, not engineer.

I develop automotive seats and interiors. T-SPLINES HAS A BIG ADVANTAGE IN DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA.

for example: I built a buddy's instrument panel with Tsplines in 15 mins. shelled it. added fillets & cut lines. added material and decals. was about to set up the few joints but stopped short as I needed to make changes to the design. everything took 2 Hours for his design and I was moving slow as I could explain to him the power of fusion for conceptual development-it was a demo. However I would need to spend the same amount of time dimensioning the concept to verify it is good because it was sculpted not engineered.

Another example, I built a seat in have a day ready for prototype if needed. My engineer asked how much material thickness and air gap i left between the back panel and the seat frame. After half an hour of cutting sections and measuring tsplines to frame I had the answer. this would take mere seconds in Alias with deviation tools. some areas I needed to keep my A surface 8mm from the frame at a min. In other areas, But same part, I needed to maintain 23mm from the frame due to the wiring harness(which there was no data on.)

I have material thickness i need to manage, i have air gap i need to manage, and I move way too fast to have to wait on cutting a section then picking 1 measurement at a time-this is not possible when I might be looking at 50 different points and having discussions around them.

2) & 3)

Click Here - Idea Station for Deviation tools

please look at the attached image and then further down in the comments I posted a Photoshop of Fusion with the tool menu

I will post a follow up next Tuesday when I do the Class demo at LTU.

Thanks

Kevin

Re: Measurement Tool

Mike.Grau — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 12:52:24 GMT

Hi @kpreuss,

Thank you for your feedback.

Yes, that makes sense. These enhancement would be great to have in Fusion 360.

I have voted for your idea.

I look forward to your update.

Thank you,