Bolted Connection for Fusion

[vaclav_prchlik]

Hi All,

Please let me take an advantage of this great forum to get feedback to an idea of doing a Bolted Connection tool for Fusion.

Here is a link to video that demonstrates the proposal: http://youtu.be/7ev8vtVPY3A. The idea is simple: provide one click solution for modeling productivity. Simple UI and workflow optimized for Designers. Quick geometry generation, but no BOM (Bill Of Material) data.

I’m leading a small development team in Autodesk that just joined the Fusion family to help to make it even more successful. There is nothing better than getting feedback directly from You – Fusion users. Please take a look at the video and let me know your opinions, suggestions and thoughts. I would really appreciate it.

(If that kind of direct communication between development and customer community would be interesting to you I may be setting up a blog here – we did also a proposal for Gear tool that would quickly produce gears with exact geometry ready for 3D printing and some other interesting stuff.)

Thanks for your time,

Vasek

[skogmartin]

Both features look fantastic! I would use both a lot. The bolt one is very usefull! It would be awesome if it could print a BOM for you after. That disny gear solver is just jaw dropping!

[vaclav_prchlik]

Thanks for your comment!

I'm going to teach a class on AU this year to demonstrate Bolted Connection together with Simulation For Designer technology. If you are attending AU, please visit the class. I would appreciate a direct feedback and ideas for improvements.

CD7012 - Fusion 360: Simulation for Designer and Calculators for Fusion 360

Tuesday, Dec 2, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

[vaclav_prchlik]

Here is a quick preview of what you will be able to see in the class mentioned above: http://youtu.be/JNlseKhqopE.

[yoshimitsuspeed]

This looks really cool. As far as practical application of hardware and inserts goes it seems to me like a good approach would be to have some basic options available standard but some way to use other designs. For example importing a STEP of the insert you plan to use.
I use mcmastercarr a lot because of their broad range of hardware and the fact that much of it has CAD data.
It would be really great if I was trying to make a part using a real insert if I could go grab this STEP file http://www.mcmaster.com/#99437a175/=uqyxsm and use it in the program you are developing.

Same for nuts, bolts, threaded inserts and lots of other things.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#97084a250/=uqyyok

This is slightly unrelated but it would be awesome if there was a way to grab step files directly from the web and bring them into Fusion instead of downloading then importing them. If you could somehow drop it straight into your project that would be even better.
Perhaps a button that you click to open a mini browser where you can navigate to the page, or even just enter the URL then lets you navigate to the file you want or something like that.

[vaclav_prchlik]

Thanks for your input. It is really good idea to use a custom hardware in Bolted Connection. Our current thoughts are to start with components generated on-the-fly. Holes are created according to national standards - as these are manufactured. Fasteners are purchased - so for now only the part number is the important info.

Next step would be using internal Fusion standard parts library. You can read more here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/general-fusion-360-questions/is-there-any-information-about-the-conten....

I guess following step may be opening our standard parts library for adding customer models and - as you are suggesting - adding web based content.

Please let me ask my colleague about inserting STEP from web. I thinks I have heard about some prototyping in connecting web catalogues.

[vaclav_prchlik]

I have a good news! There is an ongoing work to integrate various web parts providers. Please check Bankim's post here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/general-fusion-360-questions/check-out-the-cadenas-part-library-addin-....

[JonSchaeffer]

While sketching/modeling to have options to choose screw sizes that match clearance holes or tapped holes, cbores or csinks ready to use and manipulte depths and locations. 

(hope that made sense)

[keqingsong]

Are you talking about a content library where you can bring in existing parts to a design? 

[JonSchaeffer]

Hi Keqingsong,

Kinda like that but fully Dynamic.

I visualize it 2 ways.

1, Say you are working on an assembley and went to include screws. you could go to that content library grab say a 1/4-20  socket head cap screw. But you are not exactly sure the length needed. You could bring it in the assembly locate the head face to it's mating surface then grab the Fusion 360 manipulator and drag the length you would need. Of course durring this stage the model become translucent. During the manipulator drag portion of it maybe it would give you information like 2.5 X thread length engagement. It would know and recognize the clearance hole and the threaded hole engagement.

2 when you select the drop down feature called Hole. and you place the hole on the model at that point you can decide BASIC, COUNTERBORE, COUNTERSINK, like usual, but then add CLEARANCE FOR SCREW, THREADED HOLE, this would be a time saver.

[patrick_langer]

Gear tool would be excellent.

[O.Tan]

Hi, so I stumbled into this page via the forums and what a discussion we're having here!

Anyway, after spending some time reading some of the comments and etc, I came up with a UI of how bolted connection can work in F360? This is just a suggestion btw but I hope it makes sense and practical for many usage?

A few additional commentaries:

Bolted connections 

1. Bolt type (pre-made) or custom made (clicking on custom made will launch the custom bolt set up page (see above))

2. Select screw face: by selecting the face, the user will give information about the hole depth, based on this information it'll determine the default screw length and size, but the user is given an option to change the length or change the size (you never know) it later 

3. Screw length: recommended value is set as default, it's based on the hole depth and bolt type (if there's any end connection or not, if there isn't an end connection, the screw length will be less then the material, if there's end connection, the screw length will include the extra length of the end connection)

4. Screw size: (not shown in picture) but it’s a drop down menu where the default  value is taken from the hole selected but the user is able to overwrite it as the user sees fit

Custom Bolt set up split to 3

1. Bolt type : Socket Head, Phillip Head, Shoulder Screw and etc (additional info like shoulder length will be shown after shoulder screw is selected), custom screw (right now I'm thinking the user can put a model as reference and F360 will sort of run a set up guide to make it able to be edited for the future?, cuz some screw has a low head and etc)

2. Start Connection : this is a little complicated but here goes, this will appear right below of the screw head

A table where the user is able to add and rearrange things to their liking (there's no limit to the amount of washers the user can stack for example) like washer, spring washer, wave washers and even spacers, nuts

3. end connection : similar like spacers but this will appear at the end of the screw length, the user will have the same options like in spacers.

My suggestion is probably to have a screw diagram on the right to show the configuration that the user has chosen. User should be able to save this so that they don't have to redo it each time and that they'll be able to create other configurations.

additional idea: this configuration will eventually lead to a BoM column called Bolts, where it'll state the number of screws, lengths and quantity

[vaclav_prchlik]

Hi O.Tan,

Really excellent post! Thinking thought the workflows and creating user interface mockups -  what more we may want from our users 🙂

Please let me share with you a video that shows current version of our Bolted Connection prototype: http://youtu.be/6KaSAqCgvT0.

It may answer some of your needs:

• Selection of screw face
• Automatic calculation of length of bolt based on thickness of materials, nut(s) and washer(s) – it is updated as user moves BC
• Change of screw size
• Start connection options – add as many of components you want
• Possibility to modify the length of bolt
• End connection options – combine nuts and washer
• Blind hole (no end connections)

What is missing now:

• User defined bolts (nuts and washers)
• Save the screw diagram (predefined options for BC)
• Re-arranging start and and connection components
• BOM integration

Thanks for your recommendations, we will research it based on your guidance.

As I believe it is really exceptional feedback, please let me offer you a special Fusion 360 forum creativity award for “Making Bolted Connection Better Technology”: Autodesk T-Shirt! If you are interested (the size is L), please send me your mailing address to vaclav.prchlik@autodesk.com. 

Thanks a lot and have a nice weekend,

Vasek

[O.Tan]

Thanks! Just emailed you. 

Btw, I've watched the video and it seemed that Bolted Connection is progressing quite well. My only comment from that video is I hope we'll be able to see how long the screw length is? Maybe it's there and I didn't notice it.

[vaclav_prchlik]

Hi Omar,

Thanks for your comment. 

There is actually a display of a current length that is updated as you drag it. Please see the picture:

However I see your point. It should be easier and more intuitive to find it. Maybe a separate info close to the mouse cursor. We will think about it.

Thanks,

Vasek

[O.Tan]

Aaah alright, well thanks for giving such a good customer support. Looking forward to see bolted connection implemented

[colin.mcdonald]

Hello.

I completely agree with JonBoy -- I normally do this sort of flow frequently in Inventor: choose the point/hole, select the size of fastener (usually guided by some outside motivation such as strength, fatigue calculation, standards, aesthetics . . .), and then move the length around to suit the specifics. Having heuristics included (like minimum threaded length-in-material) would be stupendous for all of us!

  I really like being able to do this top-down -- i.e., choose the fastener and it's length, and leave the grunt work (like hole clearances) up too the software. (I'm not really that fond of searching through the Machinery's Handbook -- even though it gives me an instant aura of "I know the right answer here: look! I have the book in my god-like hand!") 🙂

C

[odolyte]

+ add offset for the drilled hole around bolt axis please.

[phazaar]

Would love to have this with thread modelling eventually too 🙂

[colin.smith]

On the list for 2016