PDF User Manual for Fusion 360 [Ultimate]

[Anonymous]

Is there, or could I suggest, a PDF User Manual for Fusion360. The easiest way to learn is to have a printed document by ones side, so that you can read and type at the same time. The video instructions provided are first class but it can be very distracting if you are flitting between the two continuously and makes for slow progress.

Thank You.

LJ

[knobbsa]

@daniel_lyall So true!  🙂  Although the content on those topic pages, and in the levels/pages below them, have been developed recently.  They've been kept up-to-date for the most part and should be very usable.   If they are too out of date to be usable, please let us know!  We monitor posts in the forums and the feedback sent through the feedback feature on the learning pages.  We're continually using your feedback to improve content by adding missing details or by making updates as the product develops.  

[daniel_lyall]

I know, even haveing a team that does this one thing would be hard for them to keep up

[nuwul]

HI @knobbsa

Thanks. kindly help to get back the dataset as these can be an additional tools for beginner like me other than the in provided link. 

[daniel_lyall]

@nuwul have a look on the fusion youtube chanell for the latest Videos that were put up they are quite up to date and very good

[Anonymous]

I need to learn fusion 360 to design for a 3 axis milling machine. People learn different ways. I  learn best by reading so I too would like a written manual that could take a little time to explain more about the order things need to be performed and why. I have watched the pipe clamp video over and over and continue to make mistakes. I find that I eventually figure things out myself but it takes hours of my time when, if I understood how the system works, it would be obvious. Only the best teachers  teach to the level of the absolute beginner. I was a physician by training and found I almost always learned something new when a teacher was going over something I thought I knew like the back of my hand so I don't think it hurts more experienced people to be taught by someone assuming their student is absolutely ignorant of things such as planes or surfaces and the difference, etc. These systems rely on understanding definitions that  are foreign to those of us from another field. Even a list of definitions would help. I know I am not stupid and have learned a simpler cad program for plasma cutting and milling but those did have written instructions. None of my acquaintances knows anything about cad programs so I need written instructions.

[HughesTooling]

@Anonymous don't know if you found the online help, I thinks it's hidden away and not that easy to find. There are quite a few hands on exercises that a text based.

Sketch exercises.

Model exercises.

Mark

[knobbsa]

Hi @Anonymous,

We have a lot of written content about CAM in our online help.    We try to provide both video and written examples to meet everyone's learning needs.  Hope this help!

-Amy

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

[IanRobertson]

I admit that I have not read this entire thread so if someone has beat me to this then I apoligize.

I printed one of the pdf's and I thought I was out of ink! Once again you guys are letting some artsy sort decide on what a page should look like. The easiest thing on the eyes is contrast! Make the text BLACK please! Gray is harder to see and harder on the eyes regardless of what it looks like. It must be read and not framed for the wall! I think I was instrumental in getting the web text to be black and it is so much easier to read. Please.

Not to be picky but folios (page numbers) should always be on the outside of the page, right side on odd pages and left side on even pages, odd pages are always on the right. If that is too complex then just put them in the center of the page.

Printed pages are great when learning. Thanks

Cheers!

[knobbsa]

@IanRobertson Thank you for the feedback about printing the hands-on exercises.  We can adjust the contrast of the text so that it's easier to read when printed.  

It sounds like you're interested in a traditional book or manual format for learning.  You might be interested in this great eBook that was recently released by an Autodesk Authorized Publisher .

  They just released a 2nd edition to match the current UI.    Let us know what you think.

[IanRobertson]

Thanks for your reply! I must admit that I opened some of the other files and they are already black. I guess the authors beat me to it!

Thanks for your efforts!

[knobbsa]

We're listening and using feedback in the forums to make improvements, so thank you for posting!  Of course we can't address every need or request, but we certainly do what we can.  You'll start to see all of the text in the downloadable hands-on exercises in black soon.

[Anonymous]

In a previous post on this thread, there were some sample designs included with the tutorial pdfs (  https://myhub.autodesk360.com/ue29c9141/shares/public/SH7f1edQT22b515c761e12e3a50ab9cda319 ).  These are currently not available.   Anyone know where I can find them?

[Anonymous]

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Please, there is an italian version of the documentation .pdf published here?

Thank you

[brianrepp]

@Anonymous - apologies, but Italian is not currently a supported language.

[Anonymous]

Hi Timera, 

How can I access & download the zip file of all the sample files associated with each Module. When I click the link it a restricted access message appeared. 

[Anonymous]

Hi

I too at first thought I needed a Fusion 360 Manual.  But have since reviewed my need for one.  I believe fusion 360 is very intuitive to say the least.  I has a minimalist design which I applaud. Over time developers tend to add more and more functions to the point where the product suffers "bloat" whether it be more icons and more clutter on the screen.  Fusion 360 developers have I believe got the balance right.  We then have to ask ourselves, why do we want a PDF copy of a manual:

1. is it to learn how to use the program itself or

2. is it because we lack general drafting skills when using the program and/or

3. could something else suffice us?

We must understand the drafting workflow principles when using a software program such as F360 or any other drafting program for that matter..  We shouldn't need to learn Fusion 360 as a program.  By example we should be able to use any word processing software whether it be MS Word or any of the other word processing programs because we have come to know all word process software have certain features we all have come to know and expect. Where those features are, can be another thing, but it doesn't take long to work it out.  By the same token the same applies to drafting programs that use the principles of parametric 3D object creation.

What I suggest is we as members can create/share sets of (for want of a better name) "cheat sheets", that can be either laminated or bound and located close to your workstation for either reference or general viewing/reading.  I have attached 4 pages that hopefully flesh out some of the menus in F360.  Would this prove helpful to Forum members?  If so I am quite prepared to put a lot more time and effort into doing so. Please find attached the four sheets as an idea/sample.

The excellent videos and webinars are an excellent resource for those people wanting to gain various insights into F360 as a software program.  My cheat sheet idea is for those that already have the required drawing/drafting skills.  Its one thing to sketch up with great accuracy a sophisticated assembly containing may parts but its another thing to create a set of drawings containing acceptable symbols, dimension features etc that any person with the right mix of technical skills can, make/manufacture/fabricate (using various machines and tools),assemble or repair using drawings and simulations  from this program.  Actually F360 allows screen prototyping to a level that was once only reserved for the design engineer.  I am currently converting a classical guitar to a resonator guitar.  It has been done a hundred times but the comment always arises "can the neck withstand the stresses of the new design" and a different tuning using steel strings.  F360 will allow me to test some of my ideas well before I start cutting up and modifying the guitar.  In 4 hours without touching F360 before, I have drawn the guitar with all its parts and am now ready to try on screen/F360 various neck strengthening ideas. interestingly enough creating my cheat sheets helped me understand more the ins and outs and to understand better the overall workflow process of F360.

So the upshot of my input is, manuals have had there days. Maybe for "older" folk they still need the comfort of a manual - with the advent of YouTube etc and forums like this  do we honestly need a manual - I think a lot of people are confusing wanting to learn F360 as a program without having/gaining the necessary other essential skills that is so needful.  Having an idea/concept and translating that into a model that fits together requires quite a lot of skill sets.  F360 is just another tool to use in the whole design to manufacture process.

This may be the wrong place to place this reply re the PDF thread  - I have previewed the links above and do recommend them to those with the time and inclination to want to watch, listen and learn.  

Please tell me is the use of cheat sheets worth pursuing?

Thanks again to all those members who are sharing ideas and resources.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your input. I am having trouble, I believe, with Fusion
because I don't understand all the concepts of solid modeling. However,
when I try to use construction lines, for instance, and I use the help I
haven't found directions on specifically to turn a line into a construction
line. Perhaps this is because I have never used 2d or 3d software before
but I do not find the program 'intuitive' when I can't access such
information directly. I know I could probably find out how by watching a
few tutorials because I did see it mentioned before. However, when I go to
use the function I need a direct source instead of spending literally hours
looking for that information, something that I still haven't discovered. It
is too time consuming to spend so many hours trying to sift through
extraneous information. Perhaps you can recommend a source that would
provide a baseline of information so that such things would be intuitive
for me as well.

Pete Scott

[daniel_lyall]

@Anonymous Have a look through the support and learning most of it's in there and print this page of it's the sortcut keys.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=GUID-F0491540-0324-470A-B651-2238D0EFAC30

and there are some learning providers here http://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=GUID-27D089C0-5FC5-4AD4-841F-6E983AC99DCF