Best way to turn a 3D model (stl or obj) into a form

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone,

I am pretty new to Fusion 360. For practising purposes I am currently trying to

create a model based on a 3D model. Later on I want to cut out the 3D model with a cnc.

I am trying to turn a Nintendo Switch Controller into a form/body, that I can cuth with a CNC.

Model looks similar to this: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/nintendo-switch-pro-controller-2390dcd05e9544c2ab63a6ba3542bc94

I started several times from scratch already, always trying different ways to do it.

• As a form (start with a plane, then later extrude)
• As a form (start with a box and drag all vertices)
• As a form (large plane, use "Pull" to come close to the model)
• As a surface and later use loft

Best results I got by cutting the 3D model in half, then seperate the half into two parts that I can show/hide.

Then I started with a form with many vertices and start dragging around those vertices.

I get a real rough version that looks alright to me, but still I can get nowhere close to an exact model.

So I was just wondering which way you would go to create a Body from an existing 3D-Model.

Why do I need a body if I have the model? I want to cut it out from a box later on. The model just has way too many triangles so it is not possible out of the box.

My main question would be: 

What way would you go to create a form based on a 3D model? Are there any do's or don'ts?

As I am not sure about the license of the controller, I can not upload the fusion file. 

only added screenshots and a link to a similar model. Hope that this is enough.

Any advice you can give what the best way is to achieve this?

Thank you very much

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I am pretty new to Fusion 360.

I am trying to turn a Nintendo Switch Controller

My main question would be: 

Are there any do's or don'ts?

Any advice you can give what the best way is to achieve this?

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My opinion is this would be an advanced project - a complicated endeavor for a beginner.

Can you Attach some examples of previous projects that you have completed leading up to this project

Perhaps the one that you are most pleased.

An examination of your prior work would indicate the most efficient/effective advice/help that can be offered in approaching this current project.

[Anonymous]

Actually besides some really simple sketches that I extruded, this is my first project regarding 3D-Modeling in Fusion.

I should say, that currently I do not care about the buttons/triggers or whatsoever. I am just trying to replicate the main form.

I just removed the 3D-Model from the file and attached my Controller test.

I am more looking for some good ways how to approach things like this.

[shahriarsifat1802164]

Hi,
Can you share some project model similar to that.
Thank you.

[Anonymous]

As said, I am not sure about the license.

But just take any game controller.

For example this one:

https://gallery.autodesk.com/projects/77119/xbox-one-wireless-controller?searched=

Leave out every button and trigger. Just the base shape.

This is what I am trying to achieve

[TrippyLighting]

I'd have to agree with @TheCADWhisperer that this is an advanced topic and you should start crawling before you can walk and all before you can run. 

I would not attempt this with the form tools albeit that can be done. This is a surfacing project IMHO and not trivial to do.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your replies.

Although I am not really sure what you mean by "start crawling".

I already uploaded a file with a pretty similar controller that I created and I do have a little knowledge about 3D modeling (but not in Fusion 360).

On YouTube I have watched lots and lots of videos and everyone is approaching
this differently. The huge difference here is, that I already have a 3D model that might help remodeling in Fusion (for example use the "Pull" function).

Most tutorials expected you to have an image of each size, where I have already a 3D model, which should make it in my opinion a little easier.

Thanks for the hint with the surface, I will try that as well.

But what should I create and upload so that you can give a little more hints how you would approach this?

Does my previous work totally change the way you would approach a job like this?

I really don't know, just trying to get some keywords so that I can look into this in more detail.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 I do have a little knowledge about 3D modeling 

On YouTube I have watched lots and lots of videos and everyone is approaching
this differently. 

Does my previous work....

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Where is this previous work? (Doesn’t have to be Fusion.)

What are the links to the videos? Where are the resulting files? (Or did you merely watch them without creating anything?)

Show multiple examples in any CAD software.  Do you have a portfolio of work?

Without answers to these questions, I risk offending by asking questions like, “Let’s start from basic geometry, can you create a parametric square? Cube?” 
You see what I mean?

Everyone comes here with a different level of prior experience.

[Anonymous]

I uploaded a file here and I deleted most of the files afterwards after doing the tutorials.

The the file above is unfortunately pretty much everything I have.

I did not just merely watch those videos. I did several attempts and deleted those files afterwards.

And as I said, most of them are using images instead of 3D models why I was asking if there was a different, maybe better way to model.

What I do not really understand is, why the previous work is so important.

I am looking for some keyphrases or ideas which way other people would possibly go.

With these keywords I would go and dig deeper and learn it.

If I only created cubes before, would the answer be: "Just create a million cubes and move them to the correct position"?

I guess there are probably many ways to do it, but I can image that some are more suitable for a model like this than others. And that is all I am asking

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

What I do not really understand is, why the previous work is so important.

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OK, that is what I thought.  Good luck with your Fusion endeavors.

[TrippyLighting]

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@Anonymous wrote:

What I do not really understand is, why the previous work is so important.

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Because without prior hands-on experience in projects with an increased level of difficulty you don't have the basic knowledge to approach something like this. you might be able to produce results that impress other people at your level of expertise, but I personally am not interested in teaching at that level.

Maybe someone else will. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I hope (and did not want to) offend you in any way. Sorry if it came over wrong.

Still it makes no sense to me, to base your personal opinion on my experiences.

I think it should not affect it at all.

It just sounds to me like:

"What is your favorite color?"
"First tell me some colors you know and which you prefer, otherwise I cannot tell you what my favorite color is"

Still thanks for all your answers here.

I will just keep on doing tutorials.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I will just keep on doing tutorials.

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If I give you a link to a specific tutorial, will you do it and Attach your file here?

Do this lab.  Do not move onto the next video until you have posted the results of the first video and had the geometry verified...

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the link. You created some really nice tutorials!

I attached the file, but please don't spend any more time on this topic.

I asked a general question how people would approach to this "problem".

I was asked about files and my experience and I said I do not have much experience and uploaded some files so you can have a look at what I have done and what the problem actually looks like.

And I was more or less told to upload more files to "prove my current skillset", which I cannot provide.

Again...I did not ask for someone to tell me exactly what to do, I asked how people would approach this.

Instead I feel like people tried to check if I was "worthy" to let me know their opinion and it seems not like it.

As I cannot provide files, people rather tell me they can not tell me how they would do it. I asked which files/models you would like to see, but to that question noone replied.

Especially I am not interested in impressing anyone. I do not work in this field, I do not want to make money in this field and most probably noone will ever see the files I create. It is just a hobby.

For my little goal, which does not have to be perfect I need to be able to work with surfaces and/or forms.

So I actually do not really care if I am not a master with sketches and constraints. And as I have learned it is not allowed to ask questions about forms here if you have not mastered sketches yet.

Saying "If I give you a link, will you do the tutorial and upload the file?" sounds to me like I was coming here and asking other people to do everything for me. Which was absolutely not the case and I stated it in the first post.

Feels like a "test" to prove that I am just talking about doing tutorials, but not actually doing anything and that you were so right about not telling me anything about forms as I did not even complete the tutorial.

I don't want to offend anyone, but I have to admit that this is how I feel about this thread.

Thank you for your nice video tutorial(s) @TheCADWhisperer keep up the good work!

And thank you @TrippyLighting for the hint with the surfaces I will have a look at that.

I totally accept your opinions.

Don't get anything wrong that I just wrote. Nothing was ment harsh nor did  I want to offend anyone.

And if I did, I do apologize. I was just trying to understand.

So thank you for your help and I will find my way!

Wish you a good day!

[laughingcreek]

we are an uppity group around here sometimes.  sorry about that. you wouldn't believe the number of questions that basically translate into " can you list the simple steps to do  this thing that took you years to understand?".  

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@Anonymous wrote:

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I asked a general question how people would approach to this "problem".

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this would be my general approach-

I would primarily work with surfacing techniques

1-identify the primary surface.  I would fidget with it till I got a high quality pristine surface.

2-identify secondary surfaces.  try t make them perfect but except that sometimes they might not be.

3-fill in with tertiary surfaces.  do the best I can on quality.

back to 1 and see if I could create it different to improve secondary surfaces.

dito for 2

wash rinse repeat till I'm satisfied.

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For my little goal, which does not have to be perfect I need to be able to work with surfaces and/or forms.

So I actually do not really care if I am not a master with sketches and constraints. And as I have learned it is not allowed to ask questions about forms here if you have not mastered sketches yet.

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need to work with surfaces?  To be successful your sketching skills need to be high level.  no getting around that.

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you might can use a t-spline (form mode) to shortcut the primary surface, if your not to concerned about the final output.  It's an entirely different skillset, and there are some pitfalls to adding in your secondary surfaces that you can learn about along the way.  if your new to t-splines I would start by learning about sub-d modeling in a general way (TONS of info out there on that), and apply that knowledge to the t-spline topology.

[TheCADWhisperer]

I wrote this many many years ago and for a different CAD program, but the techniques would be essentially the same in Fusion 360.

This is beginner level - not intended to be advanced surfacing.

(See Attached).

Edit:  BTW - good job on the part, many (most?) who come here would not be able to complete Sketch1.

[Anonymous]

@laughingcreek Thank you for actually responding to my question.

I will definately go with surfaces next. Never thought about using multiple surfaces for the same object.

I was always trying to squeeze everything into a single object.

SubD modeling and T-Splines are the those keywords I was hoping for.

Thanks

@TheCADWhisperer That is an interesting approach aswell to start with a sketch.

Although I am not sure it fits to my purpose, as I do not have the exact measurements and the handles are not just "a bend plate". Still I will try it this way once, just to see how far I can get.

Thanks about the part. Believe it or not, but I actually did fiddle quite a lot with Fusion already, but I never save stuff, because I never had any specific goal in mind. But in that tutorial I still learned about construction lines and how to modify the selection type