Wrap sketch on curved surface

[PinRudolf]

Hi everyone,

While designing a product that made use of a similar mechanism to a retractable pen I realized there was no way for me to draw correctly! Therefore I would like to request new functionality that will help us out working with curved surfaces:

The retractable pen mechanism makes use of a surface which is extruded from the center of the shaft outwards. To be able to create something like this we will need a function to wrap a 2D sketch around a 3D object such as a cylinder, then the extrude function will need to be able to extrude perpendicular to the surface of the wrapped sketch.
I believe that for many curved models we will need additional functionality to be able to draw these designs with Fusion 360. To illustrate how common these situations actually are I've put together a few examples:

To wrap a sketch around a curved surface will not only give us the possibility to create rotational mechanisms such as the pen and the bayonet coupling, but it will also create the possibility to emboss and create custom threads easily! 

I realize that some of the above examples can be made using some tricks that make it look like it is correct, but please realize that as long as we cannot extrude perpendicular to a curved surface; the angles of our extrusion will be all wrong. See the following illustration, left would be the situation I suggest vs. the current situation on the right:

Please let me know what you think and feel free to add any suggestion!

[GeoffPacker7777]

As stated before, this technique is limited to cylindrical shapes, and not a full solution by any means.

@Anonymous

Apologies, I didn't mean to come across aggressively in defence of fusion or autocad,  although reading my post back I can see why. There are dozens of basic functions that I have requested which I would love to be implemented and share you frustrations. You are right, what I have suggested does not fulfil all requirements by any means. I merely meant that most of the examples provided, can be achieved in some way.

@PinRudolf

The text is a radial cut. It tapers toward the centre point. So the tighter the circle the thinner the text if that makes sense? Probably not what you are after. And I to crave for more features, but probably not the same ones other want! 

@Burnum

perforated mesh in most CAD programmes is an issue, even in 2d. I usually just model a little area for client approval to keep the model 'light', which no doubt you do also. I think I found the best way was to use the pattern feature, and pattern a few holes at a time rather than go for 200 holes in one hit. Yes another work around! (or add a texture  )

[Burnum]

i like the idea of making a small patch of holes and patterning the patch. i was trying to pattern from a single hole. that maybe wouldn’t have working in the instance I was thinking of, the shape of the area in question was triangular and I needed some of the hexagons to NOT cross the edge.

[TrippyLighting]

@Burnum if you attempted to pattern in the sketch, that is generally not good practice whatever CAD software is being used.

[Burnum]

Ok, so how else would you make model of hexagon perforated metal sheet (or what ever)?

[TrippyLighting]

Pattern solid bodies or features. If you have more questions, please start a thread on the regular forum.

[Burnum]

That just goes back to this thread issue if it’s ever resolved.

Patterning of solid bodies to subtract holes from a more complex curved surface than a cylinder made of thin bent material.

[Anonymous]

I would also add,

Patterning of solid bodies to subtract holes, or extrude the patterns from a more complex curved surface than a cylinder..

[Anonymous]

This Feature is absolutely necessary in a software created for product design and prototypes. I remember my embarassed gaze when a client asked me to create a simple ring with zodiac signs embossed on the outer cylindrical surface. With this feature I coud have shown him the result after 10 minutes of work, instead of trying the same thing with other softwares for hours and eventually give up.

Update: Yes, obviously I could have used the sheet metal function in that occasion, which I didn't know. Still There's the absolute necessity to add this function for any tipe of curved surfaces. 

[TrippyLighting]

@Anonymous Wrapping stuff around cylindrical surfaces can be one in 10 minutes using the Sheetmetal functionality in Fusion 360. You'll find that this thread is referenced very often and the thread itself is almost 2 years old.

It's not exactly what the OP is asking for, but definitely enough to wrap some symbols around a ring 😉

[Anonymous]

Hey TL, thx
I have been using that method for some time, might have been you who tipped me first to got there,
But for us non-sheet metal guys, it would seem like something like this would be in the main toolset offering. .

Kindly,
Bryce

[Anonymous]

@TrippyLighting , yes, thanks for the answer. Unfortunately at that time I had very little experience with the software. Now I certainly would use the sheet metal functionality for that specific work and it would turn out good and smooth. Still, if your facing the task of transferring a sketch (let's say a pattern) on a curved surface that is not cylindrical, nor similar to something you can unwrap and then re-wrap, and you don't want to project, It IS an issue. Let alone the fact (incredible to me) that Fusion doesn't have a native displacement function. But neither it has the possible workaround of the sketch wrapping. 

I am not a software architect (I'm an architect, though ;D), But since Fusion has the Decal function (which I love), I see that the potential of wrapping an image around a solid, however shaped, is already there!

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[helfenj]

Hi everyone,

As we prepare to update our sketch roadmap I wanted to provide an update on this specific request. General Text Improvements, Text Along a Path, and Wrap Sketch are near the top of our roadmap. This is being reviewed for possible future work. As that gets closer we will share more about the specific items we are working to address and ask for additional input and feedback.

Thanks,

John

[PinRudolf]

@helfenj 

Great news! Thank you John!

[Anonymous]

This is good news. Thanks for all your trouble to provide a fantastic tool.

Johan Cronje