Export model as vector graphics (AI or PDF file) for use in Adobe Illustrator

[Anonymous]

There isn't a good way to export a nice vector graphics model in AI or PDF format for use in Adobe Illustrator.  Illustrator is the industry standard graphic design tool, so this workflow would be extremely useful. For example if I want to produce packaging for a product or marketing materials, I'd love to do the layout, lettering, background shading, etc in Illustrator, and be able to import a vector graphics version of my Fusion 360 model.

Illustrator will let you change the line widths, color the faces, etc, if I could just get a vector graphics model (.ai or .pdf) to import. The current workflow is using live trace in Illustrator from an image capture, but that's an extremely laborious process to clean up the vectors.

[roambotics_scott]

Not AI or PDF but Sketch → save as DXF and import into Illustrator works for now

[Anonymous]

Hi roambotics_scott,

Thanks! Although my original posting may have been unclear. My understanding of sketches in Fusion 360 is that they're 2-dimensional objects (but it's quite possible I'm wrong and just need to be educated.)  What I'm looking for is a way to render out a 3-dimensional view of an object, for example at a 3/4 view, in vector form. In other words just the edges you'd see if you were looking at a real object. Is that doable from sketches?

[roambotics_scott]

It's doable but a bit of a pain.

Just create a sketch in the desired plane and use «project» to capture the geometry you want included in the Illustrator file.

For simple designs that's not a big deal but it can get annoying for things with much complexity or if you want to do things like hidden line removal.. for that, we'd want something like the following rendering to a vector format

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/ideastation-request-a-feature-or/cartoon-and-blueprint-rendering-engin...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/ideastation-request-a-feature-or/quot-toon-quot-rendering-material-fo...

[Anonymous]

To help clarify the use case, here's the type of vector image I'm trying to get into Illustrator (my Illustrator model doesn't look great here):

[roambotics_scott]

Yeah that you can do with projection / removing the occlusions by hand, but it's a huge PITA. They really need a cartoon renderer.

Have you tried a projection in Drawings ? Not by my computer but think that may work for you

[HughesTooling]

You can do this with a 2d drawing. First set the view up how you want it then save a custom view, then use the custom view as the base view in the drawing.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the great video!!  That worked perfectly, resulting in a pristine vector drawing in Illustrator. I probably would never have discovered this on my own, so it does seems like a more intuitive way to get from A to B in Fusion 360 would probably still be a helpful enhancement. 

Rob

[Anonymous]

Darn, just realized that this won't give a perspective output, just isometric. Not useful for packaging, marketing, etc. If others want perspective drawings please vote for this posting:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/ideastation-request-a-feature-or/perspective-view-in-drawings/idi-p/56...

[keqingsong]

Thanks for your idea. We're rationalizing our export experience throughout the Fusion 360 product and will take your pain points into consideration.