3D Printing in full Color is becoming the new normal for 3D Printing. Fusion 360 does a fantastic job of over laying texture maps on a models, much better than other programs like Netfab, Maya, Mudbox, etc.
Why this is important to me?
I have a full color 3D printer, I can easily design or import files with texture maps in fusion but I can not directly 3D print. I have some very time consuming method to help work-arounds but that cost me lots of time (money). Time is the biggest factor in making or breaking a 3D Printing business.
Why is this important to Autodesk?
Fusion 360 is the easiest overall Cad program I have used hands down. Maya is great for what is does but is so complex for average user and Mubbox is ok but again its cost time to work in two programs and if you dont use it regually it takes to long to remember. Its seems Fusion 360 is entering into the very competive market of CNC machining. Granted.. it's a good program but convincing CNC users to switch from their established programs cost lots of time (money) for Autodesk. It would seem adventagest Autodesk to be the leader the next revolution in manufacturing (Additive /3D Printing). Tomorrow engineers are today working in 3D pinting plastics (mainly), a few lucky ones are using metal 3D Printers. The industry predictions are that Hybrid 3D Printing/CNC machine centers will over take all 3D printing and standard CNC machining. The people who will influence in what software will run these hybrid machines will be the engineers that are running todays 3D software. My point..... focusing on a software that is geared toward todays 3D Printing engineer is more valuable to Autodesk than trying to convert the establish CNC code dinasours. While adding Texture mapping isnt going to solve the CNC issue in the short term, it will help keep tommorows engineers forcused on one application, which save time (money).
