Dev Status for Parameterizing Manually Created Builds?

[starlight_ai]

Hello. First time posting so please be kind.

The problem that I searched out Fusion 360 to solve is a simple use case: I have wanted to design products manually, with much of the intricate capabilities of the full-scope of Fusion 360, and parameterize certain feature components to re-iterate and re-render via stand-alone API using the Python asdk library. For the purpose of this discussion we will present a simple use case: creation of a cube shaped body, with one debossed letter on its top face; an insert matching that cavity is rendered as a second body, and fillets are applied to a reasonable selection of surfaces; the two bodies are then sent to a 3D printer for two color printing.

In brief:

- a user parameter can be easily created, and later retrieved, to render the cube, and fillet dimensions.

- a sketch can created with one sketchText element containing the later, later retrieved by name and modified.

- However, to create the insert for 3D printing requires an offset of the deboss created faces to be applied.

- The number of faces of the deboss is dependent on the letter, and so its linked feature must be modified.

- The OffsetFacesFeature feature, as an example, can easily be created manually but not edited in code.

- This creates the first of various "interdependency" problems which break Python usage in simple examples.

- This creates a significant market opportunity for improvement, so improvement should have occurred.

- And begs the out-of-scope-of-this-post question to AutoDesk and its consultants of why are we here.

- For the purpose of this post the goal is to get a working example completed.

- Auxiliary problems, such as no offline kernel and requiring the API to be run in the UI, are out of scope.

I began using manual Fusion 360 roughly three months ago, and after intense manual daily use success, I have found AutoDesk Fusion 360 to be missing this clearly valuable use case, particularly when viewed only through the lens of my software engineering. This makes even simple business models quite challenging to pursue, which, to be sure, floors me, given the immense importance of Fusion 360 to entire industries reliant on software automation. This topic is important to me, and would devote significant portions of my career to improving were I to obtain tacit engineering support from Autodesk, as well. I would prefer to choose Fusion 360 as my industry preferred CAD software. To my surprise, there appear to be no good alternatives to solve this specific business model use case for me, and so I presume I must have made an error in my research or expertise somewhere. The alternatives, such as OnShape and FreeCAD do not appear to be serious contenders.

Let us walk through the challenges step-by-step of the Feature timeline for the scope of this post: 

- a user parameter can be easily created, and later retrieved, to render the cube, and fillet dimensions.

- a sketch can created with one sketchText element containing the later, later retrieved by name and modified.

- However, to create the insert for 3D printing requires an offset of the deboss created faces to be applied.

- The number of faces of the deboss is dependent on the letter, and so its linked feature must be modified.

- The OffsetFacesFeature feature, as an example, can easily be created manually but not edited in code.

- This creates the first of various "interdependency" problems which break Python usage in simple examples.

- Auxiliary problems, such as no offline kernel and requiring the API to be run in the UI, are out of scope.

I hope this post comes off as inviting, as the massive community of AutoDesk Fusion 360 specialists is immensely important to downstream industries that would make every manufacturers' heads spin.

Please feel free to reach out privately through email for any of the reasons described above.