topic Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:31:15 GMT

Attached a model of a boeing 757 I made.

I am trying to make the windows. I made a window template sketch and offset that sketch for the window frames. Try as I might though, the splitting and rectangular pattern is not working.

I have tried splitting faces and bodies combined with all combos of rectangular patterns but it either fails or shows flecks of the fuselage body colour on the patterned windows for some reason.

All I want to do is create the first 13 windows and window frames and give them different colours.

Was hoping to organise them into component folders so I could drag and drop the colours but nothing works.

I even tried on a small tes piece (attached) and that worked. Workflow was:

1) Create form

2) sketch template

3) split body for frame

4) split body for window

5) Create rectangular pattern on the solid menu and select features, then click on both the split body features in teh timeline

6) click and dragall frame bodies into a "frames" component I created earlier. Do the same for window bodies

7) drag and drop appearances onto components.

When I try it on the aircraft it just wont work. And it keeps creating copies of the fuselage body for some reason.

I am at my wits end here and losing faith in this software....how can something that should be simple be so complicated? Is my laptopn not powerful enough or something? Is that why it almost always fails?

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

jhackney1972 — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 01:03:35 GMT

It is just a guess but I think you are forgetting that once you do the outside sketch Split Body, it creates a new body which you have to select to do the inside sketch Split Body. I did three windows using a sketch called "Door", I hope that is right. You have to do them individually due to the fact that the inside body is created by the outside Split Body. The red arrow is pointing to the inside created body from the outside sketch Split Body. Model is attached.

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

davebYYPCU — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 02:01:45 GMT

Timeline order is illegal. I will try to explain.

When you split the fuselage for a window frame, works as expected

The second Split body (for a window pane) is not splitting the fuselage anymore, it is splitting the window frame and this also works as expected.

Rectangular Pattern has to fail because the second split is not splitting future in time window panes.

Easy fix. Change order of cutting tool. Split the fuselage to cut window panes. Rectangular pattern those.

Second split is cutting the frame outline out of the fuselage (and not the window panes) Rectangular pattern those.

Works as expected, visibility changed on some items.

Might help...

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

Drewpan — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 02:13:58 GMT

Hi,

I have reviewed your model, not bad. Not the way I would have done it but still very well done.

As I understand it you are having issues creating the windows using rectangular pattern. After

stepping through the model from start to finish, the first thing I tried was a simple rectangular

pattern using your first window cutout and creating a single line of 13 windows. It worked the

first time.

I am not sure what you are doing wrong but the software is working fine.

I do have a few pointers that may help you for next time you try to model

something with this much detail.

The first thing I saw when I looked at your file was a Yellow Flag in the timeline.

In this case it is only a lost reference to a Canvas and does not affect the rest of

the model but in general terms - Red and Yellow Flags should keep you awake at

night, ALWAYS fix them as soon as they occur.

I like the way you have used the three view canvases and you seem to have correctly

calibrated them.

You have used Forms to create some of your components. I would not have done it this

way. With forms you don't have a timeline about how they were created, just a form. I

think the whole point of using parametric software for this type of modelling is to use it

for ALL of the model. Then you can see precisely how the model is put together and can

easily make changes later.

I do not like the way that you are creating most of your components within the main

component and then turning them into Components and Assemblies. This method makes

it very difficult to track how these components were created and leaves a very messy

timeline. You are much better to create the Fuselage Component and activate it and build

it within that active component. When you are ready to move to the next component, create

a new active component and start with that. It keeps things all together. If you need to go

back and add or modify a Component, activate it and go back in the timeline. You seem to

jump around quite a bit and some of the component you are working on is on the Top component

timeline and some is in the component timeline.

I don't see why you created the Wings in three separate sections. You could simply have lofted

them as a single wing and still go back and create the hardware (slots, slats, flaps and ailerons)

later. While we are on the wings and hardware, you Mirrored the model and then AFTER that you

created more hardware on the wings? This means you will need to model it again on the other wing.

Using Mirror as you have is the right way to do this but it is the LAST thing you do on your model.

Finally, what is your intention with this model? Are you going to 3d print it? Just take a screenshot

and say "look what I did"? Do something else with it. The reason I ask is that in it's present form

there are no joints to join all the components together and there are a number of bodies associated

with various components that are simply floating in space and not connected to anything. The model

it self looks great but it is just a bunch of stuff floating in space right now and you could not fabricate

this model in it's present form.

Overall a really good model. Not sure what your linear pattern issue is as it worked first time for me.

Cheers

Andrew

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:46:22 GMT

Hi Andrew, thank you for your reply and the feedback! This is my first time using Fusion so it's been a bit of a learning experience for me. Throughout the process, I've gone back and improved certain parts of the model like the winglets and the turbine fan blades, but I know there is much to improve. So thank you for the pointers!

What I wanted to do was have the pattern replicate both the window and the frame together. In your file it's just the window - which also worked for me. You were correct with the "door" sketch - apolgoies I should have specified.

I would love to know the best way to efficient create a rectangular patter for the windows and frames together. And maybe have the new bodies already go into separate components because this makes adding colour so much easier. Otherwise I just get a massive list of bodies that alternate between window and frame and I have to sort through them manually and drag them into the right component before adding colour.

The issue I found when splitting the body for the frame was, when doing the rectangular pattern for said frame, I get a bunch of fuselage bodies replicated in the list of bodies as well. And this did not happen with my test piece.

How would you go about this?

On yellow flags: I'm with you on that hahah for sure! But yes since it was for the canvas I just left it. And sometimes I cannot find the issue within the sketch. Is there a way to display every single feature in a sketch like projections, coincidence, parallel etc? Because sometimes it's very hard to find the feature that's causing trouble.

For the form, I understand that I cannot make the model fully parametric but at least it does provide a nice organic shape. How would you do it instead? With lofts?

On active components: this is something that has dawned on me at the end of the build. I noticed how the timeline will build separately for each component when activated. Is this what you mean for efficiency? Does it also help my computer do the calcuations and renders faster?

The wing: I used three distinct airfoils as the profile changes from root to tip. They were available on the site so I went along with it to add more detail. As for the mirror - I'm aware don't worry hahah. The model isn't finished so I will delete the mirror and redo it at the end. Is there any way to have the mirror update with any alterations I make?

The intention is more of an exercise and something to add to my github portfolio as I'm looking for a job in engineering. This being my first effort isn't perfect but I'm trying to learn better workflows so if you have reccomednations for videos or courses I will take a look. Any feedback therefore is gold for me.

Thank you for your help so far!

Matt

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:59:22 GMT

This is what happens when I try to add colour to your pattern. I get this weird overlap of the fuselage colour and the window colour. Any ideas on what's going on?

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

davebYYPCU — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:30:44 GMT

Why are you using Split Body, if you only want to paint different colours.

Use split Face, again inside profile first, outside profile second.

You will end up with no new bodies, just a fuselage with independent faces.

Might help….

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

TrippyLighting — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:04:56 GMT

@davebYYPCU wrote:

Why are you using Split Body, if you only want to paint different colours.

Use split Face, again inside profile first, outside profile second.

You will end up with no new bodies, just a fuselage with independent faces.

Might help….

Because then you'll have to apply an appearance to each individual face.
But you could group them into selection sets rather than bodies or subcomponents within a component group. Though applying materials to a selection set is a clunky PITA.

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:14:56 GMT

Thank you for the reply. Although I'm not sure this is the best way forward - I would have to repeat this process for over 60 windows? What's the point of having the rectangular pattern feature if it can't replicate such a simple thing? This workflow seems too innefficient. I need fusion to execute the rectangular pattern by relicating the split body feature/split face feature over and over. And I need it to do it for both the window and the frame. Ideally simultaneously. Any thoughts on how I could use the rectangular pattern to do this?

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

TrippyLighting — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:28:41 GMT

I had no problems using a pattern for the last two split features in your model.

If you can create a screen recording of your workflow, that should help us identify where this fails. I use OBS Studio for such things.

(view in My Videos)

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:14:56 GMT

Thank you for the suggestion for the recording software! I'll send it tomorrow. You mentioned in the video that you wouldn't use split body? What would you do instead?

Also, please include how you would do the colours! I used bodies because I could organise them into the "bodies" folder of each component before dragging and dropping different colours. But I always run into issues where the colour of the fuselage shows through in weird streaks as shown above.

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

Drewpan — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:25:13 GMT

Hi,

I think that the problem here with the discolouration is that there are two bodies on

top of each other. It is probably the fuselage and the window trying to be displayed

at the same time.

Another method that you may be able to use here might be a Combine Intersect to get

rid of this.

My cutout of the windows does not overlap like yours does so I am not sure

exactly what you have done. If you do have two bodies overlapping then what

you want to do is use the Combine Tool but use the Intersect switch so that the

body that remains afterwards is the one that intersected BOTH bodies which is

where your problem is.

In this case you will probably want a new component and keep tools.

I don't see any issues with achieving what you want, it is just a matter

of setting it up right. In this case, I would probably cut the window and

the frame as separate bodies and depending on what you want to do with

the model maybe set them up as components. I would modify the

appearances and either use Group or joints to join them together. Then you

should be able to use the linear Pattern to make your row of windows.

If you get a bunch of fuselage patterns copied then you are selecting the

incorrect bodies for your pattern. Also don't forget that fusion has a few

issues with choosing what to call new bodies after they have been split off

another body. Sometimes the parent body remain and the new body is Body X,

and sometimes the new body is the Parent and the old one becomes Body X.

It is very frustrating not being able to choose sometimes. This may be simply

a naming issue not a component issue.

How would I model instead of the forms? Probably with Lofts and the other tools.

For example, one of my first aircraft models was a Lockheed 1011. You modeled

the Wing Box with a Form, I achieved the same end result with an extrusion for the

main box and lofts to get the curves right on each end and blend with the fuselage.

Looked exactly like my 3-view canvases. That is not to say you did it wrong. There

are many ways to achieve the same end result in fusion, you just did it different.

One of the things that I have learned along the way is to try to keep my designs as

logical and well set out as possible. To do this I work as if I was part of an engineering

team and my work has to fit in with the rest of the team and also has to be readable

and reproducible if I left the team. I am a student engineer and I don't know it all but

this seems to work. I will find out when I join a real team of engineers.

To help me I will also try to create as much of the framework of my design before I start

designing. I am currently working on several projects at the moment but one of them

is a simple one cylinder diesel engine (I have a book on engine design and I am not afraid

to use it 😎). I have not started to draw anything yet but there are several Assemblies and

sub-Assemblies that I know will be part of my design. What I have done is simply create

these assemblies and sub-assemblies ahead of time so that everything is logical.

Now this is not nearly a complete design but it is a good framework and has much of what

I will have to do later already created. I know that I will need to add Components, Assemblies

and sub-assemblies later but it sets the framework so it is easy to do this. By manipulating the

timeline, when I am ready to create a new part I can simply come back to the beginning and

create the Component as if I did it at the start and nobody will be the wiser and everything

will remain nice and clean.

In terms of the wing. Three different lofts were not necessary. You have the profiles to use as

Loft Gates and the Rails so just do it all at once. The whole point of the loft is that it will modify

itself to the different sizes and shapes as it generates from one gate to the next. The L-1011 model

that I did also had different airfoils. The two inboard were identical just different sizes but the

outboard one was a different airfoil AND had a 4 degree twist. Loft coped exactly as expected

after it was set up correctly.

In terms of what the model will be used for this is a great first attempt. If you want to learn more

about Fusion then see RULE #0 that is usually Pinned to the top of the forum. I regularly model

stuff I am interested in just for fun and to learn new techniques. I am also currently doing a job

for someone where I am designing a Ducted Fan. I have learned a great deal about practical

aerodynamics (I already know the theory) and also a great deal about modelling with this design.

Practice makes Perfect. Keep modelling stuff that interests you to get better.

Cheers

Andrew

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:26:46 GMT

(view in My Videos)

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:31:46 GMT

Hi Andrew, I just opened it and tried again and the overlap issue has gone. Maybe it's something to do with refreshing the software or emptying the cache but it's working fine now. I also realise that the order in which you split made all the difference: I need to split the inner profiel first then work outwards!

Thank you for your tips! The next one will be with lofts. For the wing, I meant that the actual airfoil changes shape in a manner that is not proportionate ie it would look different than if I just did a sweep. So it was more for detail's sake really!

When doing the pattern and assigning colours, please watch this video to see my last conundrum:

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

TrippyLighting — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:20:20 GMT

The split-off bodies will always appear in the component that contains the original body.

The overall structure of your design could be improved.
Fr example all the sketches that split/cut etc. around on the fuselage, should be located in that component.

You made one sketch called "doors" that contains the geometry for the doors but also for the windows.

That sketch should be located in the Fuselage component.

You could copy the geometry of the Fuselage into the windows component using the boundary fill feature.
Then, if you use the body-split features and pattern the features, the split bodies would all be collected in the bodies folder of that component.

Of course, in that case you might still have to cut the appropriate holes into the fuselage using the same sketch but the original Fuselage body.

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

TrippyLighting — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:56:56 GMT

The workflow in the attached model is much more memory efficient than the patterned split-body approach.

It works with component instances, which also makes applying appearances much easier.

Re: Splitting bodies to make aicraft windows

matt_bolty — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:28:54 GMT

I had a quick look and tried adding the blue glass appearance but the example you gave doesn't distinguish between the window and the frame. So right now the whole thing goes blue instead of just the window. I'll need to learn about boundary fill and how you got it to work here though! If it works for bodies belonging to a component, that's awesome!