topic Re: Rookie Q: How to switch between 2D & 3D sketching in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Rookie Q: How to switch between 2D & 3D sketching

tomFHWKA — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 19:25:16 GMT

Major rookie question here, but I've only used Fusion 360 to do 2D sketches, which I then cut on my CNC plasma table. I'm starting to explore 3D more and I'm lost. So I take my 2D sketch, extrude it which then automatically shifts the view from the 2D sketch view into the 3D view and displays Bodies in the browser panel. Then if I right click the Sketch name in the browser and go "Edit Sketch" it takes me back to the 2D view and the Bodies option in the Browser disappears. So how do I switch between the 2D and 3D views as I edit sketches, view in 3D, etc?

Re: Rookie Q: How to switch between 2D & 3D sketching

jeff_strater — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 19:31:03 GMT

A couple of points to spark further discussion:

There is no difference between a 2D and 3D sketch in Fusion - all sketches are inherently 3D, but by default, all geometry will be created on the sketch plane. You can use the Move command to take a 2D curve, and move it off the sketch plane. The "3D sketch" option in the sketch panel:

only controls how a few commands (line, spline, etc) can create 3D curves by snapping to geometry, etc
The viewing behavior you describe is controlled with this preference:

It is just that - a viewing preference. If you turn it off, your view will not rotate, but the capabilities of the sketch are pretty much the same whether this is on or off.

Re: Rookie Q: How to switch between 2D & 3D sketching

tomFHWKA — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 19:58:57 GMT

Thanks for the help Jeff. So what I am doing that causes the "Bodies" to disappear from the Browser area? For example as I edit my seemingly 2D sketch, from the Top view, I get all the grid lines and it looks like this:

The only way I can figure out to get it back into 3D view (even though I've already extruded these sketches), is to extrude them again (I have 3D Sketch checked in the Sketch Palette). After I extrude them, then the grid lines disappear, Bodies are added to the Browser area and I'm make in 3D view mode:

And then if I want to edit my sketch, I right click on "Sketch1" click "Edit Sketch" and it returns to what I describe as the 2D view with gridlines, but then the Bodies and Construction folders in the Browser disappear.

Re: Rookie Q: How to switch between 2D & 3D sketching

g-andresen — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 20:46:27 GMT

Hi,

A body is extruded from a sketch. It is therefore located in the history behind the sketch.
However, if you return to the sketch for an edit, the bodies do not yet exist at this point. So they do not appear in the browser.

günther

Re: Rookie Q: How to switch between 2D & 3D sketching

jeff_strater — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 02:00:09 GMT

@tomFHWKA - @g-andresen 's response is correct. When you edit a sketch or a feature, you go back in time to when that sketch or feature was created. You can see this if you look at the timeline when editing a sketch:

when you exit the sketch, those features will be recomputed