Custom Insert Fasteners?

[durahl]

Greetings!

Is there a way for Users to curate custom Fasteners to be used with the Insert Fastener Tool? 🤔
Or really just expand the range of how small / long a Fastener can be? 🤨

• M3 Socket Head Cap Screws appear to be limited to be no longer than 30mm despite me owning M3x50mm ones.
• Conversely Hexagon Head Bolts are limited to no smaller than M1.6

The below Screenshot shows a Drive Sprocket I'm having metal 3D Printed for a 1:16 Scale RC Tank Model and meant to be augmented with to scale ( M1.0-M1.2 ) Hexagon Bolts unfortunately not covered by the Insert Fastener Tool:

If we can't add new Fasteners at least give us full control over the existing ones Dimensions ( oh yea, and Material! )?

Thanks for your consideration! 😁

[jhackney1972]

You can edit any Fastener you create from the Insert Fasteners command by going to the Fasteners Project folder on your team.  You find the fastener in this folder and edit it with whatever changes, including material, you desire.  ONE WORD OF CAUTION!  The Fastener you change is linked to the design you place it in and ALL other designs so make a Copy of it first before you edit it. 

You will find they are fully parametric also!

[durahl]

The suggested Fasteners Library doesn't even include a fraction of the Fasteners that can be found in the Insert Fasteners Tool? I for one can't find even a single Hex Head one...

I also find it unclear how to make changes to the Fasteners that are available like making it possible to increase the length of a Screw or reducing its Diameter to what is currently available?

Is there any information available to how I can create custom fasteners that can have their parameters set in the Insert Fasteners Tool?

[jhackney1972]

You did not understand my post.  The Fasteners Project only contains the fasteners that you HAVE already placed in some assembly.  If you place any known fasteners, save your assembly, go to the Fasteners project and search of the fastener you will find it.  If you open it up, you can expand the timeline and edit it using it and its parameters.  Again, please pay attention to my warning about editing I posted in the first post.

[etfrench]

A modified fastener saved with a new name doesn't appear in the Insert Fastener dialog.  It can be inserted manually.

You can also break the link to a fastener and edit the local copy.

[jhackney1972]

I never said the Editing of a fastener created by the Insert Fastener command would add it to the Insert Fastener command dialog.  I was trying to emphasis the the user that he could edit it as he pleased AFTER it was placed.  I do like your idea of breaking the link within the assembly better then modifying the fastener in the Fastener Project. 

[durahl]

So in essence... NO, one cannot curate their own Fasteners for later use with the Insert Fastener Tool Library.

And while it wasn't answered I assume one also cannot expand the dimensional range of the existing Fasteners.

/sigh... 😑

Edit: Apparently there IS now ( or already was? 🤔 ) a Material Selection Dropdown Menu to be found in the Insert Fastener Window so scratch that issue.

[durahl]

So I contacted Support about this and they're considering in making it possible to allow for more customization.

Fingers Crossed 😁

[Roman_Vesely]

Hi durahl,

 right now isn't possible to customize Fasteners in Insert Fastener command. Library is read-only. Users can customize / edit only Part Number & Description for each member in family.

We are aware about this limitation and working on future improvement.

Best regards

 Roman

[carl_the_archer]

Hi Roman,

I have the same issue with standard fasteners lib not letting me generate fasteners long enough for my application that I get from McMaster-Carr. Is there any more information on when some level of customization will be possible?

Thank you 

[Roman_Vesely]

Hi carl_the_archer

 well, this is PUBLIC forum. If you want to know more about new and upcomming features you have to Sign In to Fusion Insider Program : https://feedback.autodesk.com/key/Fusion360Insider

Best regards

 Roman

[engineering3QDQ5]

The Insert Fasteners tool Fusion 360 groups fasteners into the Fasteners folder at the model's top tier, which offers very nice organizational benefits (as well as advantages in the Parts List in drawing environment).  It would be useful if one could simply drag a custom fastener into the Fasteners folder, but I am echoing others in that suggestion.

Nevertheless, here is a work around to customizing that I have had success with.  I am following @jhackney1972 advice from above.  Here are my steps (with images) - I am converting a 3/8-16 nut into a 3/8-16 Locknut in my example.

1.  Insert a similar fastener using Insert Fastener.  I did not apply a joint at this step, since my geometry will change.

Note that breaking the link will remove the fastener from the Fasteners folder, so we do not want to break links as suggested above.

2.  Locate the fastener in its stored directory and rename it.  Note, it is probably best to move the fastener out of this directory altogether.  Otherwise, the next time you insert the original fastener it will use the modified fastener instead.

3.   Open the renamed fastener and modify it.  In my case:

a.  Delete all history from the original component start fresh.

b.  Insert McMaster-Carr 90630A121 (step file without threads).

c.  Drag Bodies to top tier component.

d.  Remove (no delete) the now-empty McMaster-Carr component.

You can now save and update, but see Optional first.

4.  [Optional] Clean-up component.

a.  Turn off capture Design History

b.  Turn on capture Design History.  These two together clean up the timeline.

c.  Add UNC 3/8-16 thread.

d.  Save.

5.  Update Design.  I now have a locknut, which lives in the Fasteners directory.  I can now joint as I see fit.  Furthermore, I can duplicate the locknut using copy paste or Duplicate With Joints.  These will also live in the Fasteners directory.  The new locknuts behave nicely in the drawing environment, parts list.

This is worth mentioning again.  If I leave the locknut (even though renamed) in its original directory and I later try to Insert Fastener with the original "Chamfered Bottom Hex Machine Screw Nut ASME B18.6.3 - 3/8-16 Steel Grade 2H Plain", what comes out is the Locknut.  The fix for this is to move the locknut to the project directory.

Bill

Ripon Truck Repair & MFG

rtrmfg.com

[jordan783ZS]

@engineering3QDQ5 I found the same workaround recently and really like it as a way to organise my own fasteners. It would be great if there was just a way to tag a component as a fastener in its properties or something, so that it would go into the fastener category by default when placed in an assembly.

[engineering3QDQ5]

I agree. Unfortunately, the work-around that I posted is a lot of extra steps. I seem to have to refer to my own post as a reminder if I have not created a fastener in while.

It sure would be useful, as you wrote, to tag one of my already modeled components as a fastener. Yes, it sure would be useful ...

[Mublio]

Being able to create your own fasteners library would be increably useful. We are making custom furniture, and the hardware we use is not in the default library. Hope to see this soon!  

[info2FGZS]

Pushing this top. There are no flange screws with fine thread in the library - ESSENTIAL PARTS for automotive applications. We definetely need a custom fasteners library!

[Roman_Vesely]

Thank you for your feedback. For now, we aren't supporting customisation / adding new content.

We have one centralised access point for requested content. You have to start Insert Fastener command and in Search type a name of family / fastener or just put there some text like "aaa" important is that in Search should be something, what isn't in library.

Than you will see this "No Results" page with link below "Request additional content" . This link will forward you to the page 

https://autodeskfeedback.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bJEdbaHfua0FEBU 

where you can describe your request for missing content. We are collecting all requests for new Content and we will do our best to update Fasteners Library with most commonly requested Fasteners.

Best regards

 Roman

[engineering3QDQ5]

Roman,

Thank you for your feedback.  Your suggestion is good for many cases.  I appreciate Autodesk's work on building up their fastener library, which has grown vastly in the last year.

Unfortunately, clicking "Request additional content" does not address a number of situations.  Take, for example, the following points:

1.  Suppose, I do not have time to wait for Autodesk to implement the new fastener.  I realize patience is a virtue, but sometimes it is a commodity that we cannot afford.
2.  I would like to use fasteners for parts such as grease fittings and machine keys.  These are not true fasteners and I would not expect Autodesk to add them.  However,  using fasteners for grease fitting or keys would make their bookkeeping easier both in the design and in the BOM.
3. Sometimes a custom fastener is just a custom fastener.  Again, I would not expect Autodesk to add these.  I apply the same reasoning as before.  The fastener library is good for bookkeeping.
4. Many users such as @Mublio have an in-house fastener library that is already mature.

The ability to simply drag a custom fastener into the Model's fasteners folder within object browser would address all the aforementioned points.  Whereas having Autodesk build an exhaustive fastener library seems both time consuming and redundant (McMaster-Carr already did this).

[Roman_Vesely]

Hi Bill,  

thank you for your feedback.

McMaster-Carr is a 3p library not owned by Autodesk.

We are aware about the requests for adding a custom families and we continuously working on improvements for Fasteners Library right now more focused on adding new content. Custom families could be part of this effort in the future.

Best regards

 Roman