Data Management

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Im trying to figure out best way handling drawings and models in my company and i have some issues with current behavior.

We have 2 designers working on different projects. Currently each one is using only 1 fusion project folder where are all the projects.(if that makes any sense). 

Since theres alot of prototyping, the working folder has alot of files in which are just scrap.

From those prototyping files, some of them go to manufacturing.

So my idea of a solution would be:

-Create a new project folder for in company use 

-Copy the final model and drawing there (problem: cant copy folders between projects.)

-Share the project folder 

-Share assembly folder (problem: cant share a folder to people(ie. clean folder wheres only drawing, assembly drawing, component models, assembly model)

Ideas:

-Is it possible to create linked non editable copies in another project folder. So if the designer edits the original one then the copy changes aswell.

-Folder sharing links, so I could send a whole folder for manufacturer.

-Product code search would be awesome aswell.

Reason:

Finding right files faster. Buyers, managers etc dont need to see the scrap that the designers are creating.

Maybe the fuctionality is already there, i just cant figure out how to use it.

The system is getting a bit frustrating.

If theres a better way of managing the data, please let me know.

[paul.clauss]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for posting! There are some limitations when moving and copying distributed designs (with x-referenced components) between project folders. I have a few thoughts that may be helpful moving forward.

While cross-project references cannot currently be created in Fusion 360, they are on the development teams roadmap for team hubs! Working in a team hub may help give you the option to manage read-only permissions and, in the future, create cross project references. This future improvement has been discussed on this forum thread. The inability to create cross-project references is what is preventing you from copying folders from one project to another. If you have a project with no x-referenced (linked) components, you can copy folders between projects in the A360 Dashboard, as shown below.

You can learn more about team hubs at this link, and this link can provide more detail. A team hub would allow you to manage user permissions to allow certain users/ hub members read-only/viewing permissions (as a Viewer instead of Project Admin or Editor) for certain projects, which may help address your first idea.

When a folder is shared in a personal Fusion 360 hub, the user it is shared with will have access to the top level project folder and all the folders within that design. This can make it difficult to share clean folders - one way to do so could be to export a local copy of the Fusion designs and then re-upload them to a new project at the top level of your Data Panel hierarchy. This is a known limitation and I hope for the ability to share folders (either as a ZIP download from A360 or by sharing a link to the folder) as well. If you'd like to see the shared folder link option, please give this post on the Ideastation a vote!

These designs will not maintain their link to the original design file (they will not be linked designs), but you could export local archive copies of your finalized designs and then re-upload them to a new project that could be shared with the manufacturing team and other viewers. For distributed designs and drawings (any design that contains x-references), you will need to either export the local archive .F3Z file from your Fusion Hub in a web browser (as shown in the previous link), or share a link with yourself in order to download the .F3Z (Fusion native linked assembly format) package of the design data.

When creating a local archive, .F3Z format copy of a Fusion 360 drawing, the .F3Z file will contain the drawing and the part/assembly file, which will be shown in the Data Panel after you upload the .F3Z file. These files won't maintain a link to the original file, but the new drawing file will be linked to the new copy of the part/assembly file.

While we do not have a product code search function, you can search all the data in your Fusion hub by clicking the magnifying glass in the right hand corner of the Data Panel. This may help you find the desired designs more quickly.

Hopefully this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions. We appreciate your interest in Fusion 360!