Inserting Components from one project to another. Copy then Insert.

[EDuffner]

Hi Everyone,

I apologise for this long preamble. I hope this scenario might help somebody who hasn't come across this problem so far in Fusion 360. Skip to the summary at the bottom for a quick one line explanation.

Date: Friday, June 10 2016  (Date included for search engine purposes).

Fusion 360 Version: 2.0.2088

Startup License.

I'm currently designing a small CNC 3-axis router/milling machine and I wanted to be able to design parts and pull them into a master project along with other parts from McMaster Carr etc.

For some reason I was unable to import a Nema 17 CNC motor from McMaster Carr, so I modelled one in Fusion 360 as a standalone project called Nema-17.

I then created another project called Multi-CNC (the name's not relevant, it's just what I called it) and that is my master project. I managed to import a few pieces of 8020 extruded frame from McMaster Carr. With this Multi-CNC project still open I then tried to open the Nema-17 project and using right mouse click I tried to use the menu command "Insert into current design" but this displays the warning "Designs inserted from another Project will not be linked. Components from the selected design will be copied into this design." Options available are to Proceed or Cancel.

If I select Proceed, the motor is imported  but all the joints and rigid groups etc are broken and trying to move the motor results in only parts of it moving.

So I found a way to import the motor and it also stays linked to it's original design. Here are the steps to import my seperate motor component into the master project.

- Model the motor in its own project, convert to a component and save it.

- Create a master project and save it, even if it's empty for the moment. Or open an existing master project.

- With the Master Project open, go back to the Project list and open the motor project. (Double click on it).

- Right click on the motor design and instead of selecting "Insert into current design", select "Copy". A dialogue box will open up where a target project can be selected for the motor to be copied to. Select the destination project folder name and the "Select" button.

- The motor is copied to the master project and listed in the Left hand colum of that project, the "Data" column.

- Then right click on the motor design in the master project and select "Insert into current Design". The motor will be inserted and linked, it can also be dragged around and positioned easily, even aligned to other objects.

Summary: Seperately designed parts and components should be copied to a project before they are inserted. They are also linked to the original design. If they are not copied first, they break for some reason and will not work or behave as expected.

Kind regards,

Ed.

[dkorchagin]

Unfortunately it only allows copying within the same project. I was not able to copy into a different one 😞 Pretty annoying limitation I would say.

[TrippyLighting]

Yep , long preamble, but no problem with that!

What your post indicates is that you are using a lot of linked components. Wrong approach!

I really haven't a clue why so many folks , noob and veteran alike keep doing this. You can design a complete assembly in a single Fusion 360 file without using any linked components whatsoever.

Here is a link to the class I taught at Autodesk University 2016. It has a section on linked components and explains when and when not to use them.

It's got a lot of other useful tips that will help you.