Standard cutout shape library

[Ronald.Thompson]

I found a shortcoming in sheet metal. Most Cad packages have the ability to drop a standard shape into a sketch or make a hole directly. By standard shapes, I mean things like electrical receptacles and DB25 connectors. Even D shaped holes . This functionality would be great as a hole command. Just like the existing hole command, but with library shapes.

[robduarte]

I think you might need to give some other examples of how this could be useful. It might be hard to get people excited about the ability to create DB25 punchouts. 🙂 Particularly considering how the Eagle integration should allow holes for connectors that match real-world components and stay in sync with the PCB that an enclosure is designed for.

[Ronald.Thompson]

robduarte using connectors as cutting tools sounds good, but isn't practical. The cutouts have a tolerance added to the connector outer dimensions, as well as slots in place of holes for the mounts. There are many sizes of connectors in a given series, such as DB's. There are DB9, DB15, DB25 just to name a few. Also, the hole is different depending on if it,s a male or female connector. There are also many different D shapes holes as well as holes with two opposing flats. I assure you, anyone who needs to model electrical panel boxes or consoles will really need this. Laying out a panel with 40 or 50 connectors would be very time consuming by any of the methods suggested so far. http://www.protocase.com/design/cutout-library/cutouts-categories.php?cat_id=4&sub_cat_id=13

[TrippyLighting]

Fusion 360 does not have a fully fledged library concept in place, however if you want to create your own library you can.

Usually connectors are not modified and are standard parts, so after inserting these into Fusion 360 you would break the link directly after insetting the component into your design.

Agreed, using the connector geometry directly is sub optional. One way to get around this is to use Fusion 360 ability to use multi body components. You can create a cutting plug with the desired geometry in the design that holds the plug and I would use direct modeling to do this as that keeps the file size down btw about factory three.

Then once you have inserted your connector and assembled it into the correct position on your front plate you can simply use the Modify->Combine command and select your front plate as the target body and the cutting plug body in your connector component as the cutting tool.

[robduarte]

I have still never used direct modeling. The timeline is the best part of fusion 360 I think.. I'm spoiled now and look for it at the bottom of any application I use. 🙂 I like the idea of having both bodies in one component - it feels like something that you'd just do as a protocol.. always include a block/plug version of the component in addition to the other body/bodies.