Getting DXF sketches to scale proportionally to a parametric frame

[jedidavidalan]

TL;DR: I’ve got a parametric ring template working, but I can’t get imported DXF signet shapes to scale with parameters. The frame updates, the DXF art doesn’t. Looking for a clean workflow so symbols scale proportionally and stay aligned without having to change the ratio/proportions every time.

I’m building a parametric signet ring template in Fusion. The band part is working fine — it updates cleanly when I change parameters for size or proportions.

The part I can’t figure out is the signet shapes. Each ring needs a different symbol (circle, triangle, star, etc.), and with my background, it's easiest to draw them in Illustrator and bring them into Fusion as DXF sketches either inserted directly or copy/pasted.

What I’m trying to do is:

• Drop a DXF symbol (in a 1x2 artboard) into a sketch.

• Line it up with a 1×2 rectangle “frame” that scales with parameters.

• Have the symbol scale proportionally from the center whenever the parameters change.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

• Sketch Scale works once, but doesn’t stay linked to parameters.

• Adding dimensions either over-constrains or distorts things.

• Dummy construction lines give me edges to snap to, but the interior art doesn’t actually follow the frame when it scales.

• I even tried a two-file Derive workflow, but the scaling wouldn't carry through.

So right now the frame updates, but the DXF symbol just sits there unchanged or the width will scale because the sides touch the side of the frame, but the height won't.

Has anyone found a clean way to make imported DXF sketches scale with a parametric frame? Ideally I’d like to be able to swap in a new symbol each time, align it once, and have it follow the parameters like the rest of the ring since I'll need multiple sizes and proportions per design.

[davebYYPCU]

While DXF files can be used in Fusion, a lot depends on import format routines.

Fusion does not play well with imported geometry and often lends to unexpected results.

Adding dimensions either over-constrains or distorts things.  No surprise.

Need to see an example / dummy file, but likely better results will come from Fusion native sketching.

Might help...

[HughesTooling]

Try this.

Turn this setting on.

Have the imported DXF in it's own sketch and add one dimension to scale it to the correct size. Every time you change this single dimension the whole sketch should scale.

Single dimension set to 20

Then 30, whole sketch scales.

[HughesTooling]

A few more thought on this.

Create a component, with it active import your DXF into a sketch.

Edit the sketch and move the geometry so it central around the origin and add the single dimension to scale to the correct size..

Activate the component's origin and use a joint to position the component so the DXF is in the correct place.

In the browser make the sketch's dimensions visible and change the dimension to fine tune the scale using the dimension.

I had hoped at this point you could use a parameter to scale the single dimension but after some tests I found this doesn't work. It seems like only editing the sketch dimension manually will make the whole sketch scale. If you use a parameter to change the dimension only the entity the dimension is linked to will change!😒

Don't know if what I've come up with might still be useful though?

[HughesTooling]

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@jedidavidalan wrote:

The part I can’t figure out is the signet shapes. Each ring needs a different symbol (circle, triangle, star, etc.), and with my background, it's easiest to draw them in Illustrator and bring them into Fusion as DXF sketches either inserted directly or copy/pasted.

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If you are only importing simple shapes like a circle, triangle star you'd be better off figuring out how to create them in Fusion.  You can always save them as individual designs then insert them into your designs so you don't need to keep redrawing them.

When you have a shape saved as a design just insert it into another design, break the link so it becomes an internal component you can edit.

[jedidavidalan]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for trying to help me figure this out.   I've attached a pared down version with just the signet surface.  With a lot of dimensioning, I was able to get the profile/signet shape correctly resizing.  For testing, I just switch the "IsFeminine" parameter from 1 to 0.  The power ranger example was just an example of the varying degrees of complexity/asymmetry involved with some of the signets.  Ones that are perfectly symmetrical will be relatively easy to dimension even if i can't figure out some way of quickly/easily swapping out new designs.

The superman symbol i placed in the file as an example is the kind of asymmetry/off center issues I'm running into.  Even with just the negative space that would be engraved/cut out, redrawing my lines in Fusion is easy, but matching/recreating the curves is nearly impossible with my fusion drawing experience.  Of course the biggest issue is that because the engraved portion, by its very nature, can't possibly touch any points on the outside symbol, i can't really make anything coincidental, and because the ends of some of the shapes are curves without a point at the very bottom/sides of the shapes, it's hard to dimension the shapes as they are.  Of course, the ULTIMATE goal is to be able to apply new designs with a quick copy/paste or replace file, but right now, i'd settle for just figuring out how to make the design's negative space scale correctly with the signet shape.  

I did already have the "Scale entire sketch at first dimension" preference active from the beginning, but yeah, nothing  I've worked on has actually scaled the way your first example did.  My experience with Fusion is still a little basic, so i don't quite understand the idea with the components you suggested.  It feels like there should be a way to just say "This is the artboard, the position and scale of everything on it should just scale proportionally to the dimensions of the artboard."  but yeah, I'm finding that nothing in fusion really works Adobe stuff does.  

[HughesTooling]

Just as an example for imported sketches. I moved all the superman logo into one sketch and deleted all dimension then added just a single dimension across corners.

Now if I change the "IsFeminine" parameter I need to manually edit the sketch dimension.

and the sketch scales. It would be nice if you could use a parameter but that doesn't work but still done like this is quite quick and easy. See attached file.