Printing?

[rob]

I have used Fusion 360 for the Mac for a while now and love it.  What I can't figure out is how to do things like print to pdf file?  The design tool is great but getting stuff out of it seems maddening.  Am I missing something?

[Phil.E]

Hi,

Welcome to the Fusion 360 forum.

Do you mean to create drafting views of your parts in 2D, with dimensions and title block?

Or do you want a screenshot of your 3D model saved as PDF?

Or are you seeking a 3D pdf?

Thanks,

[rob]

Thank you for your reply. I can do a screenshot, what I want is to send a file via pdf that is high quality/resolution not a screenshot. I would love to be able to output to a 3D PDF!

It just seems exporting outside of the platform is very difficult. I love that this is a free tool (actually amazed) maybe this will be something that comes available in a paid version.

Best,

Rob

Sent from my iPad

[Phil.E · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the clarification.

Fusion is designed to place data at the center of the workflow. As such, your data is stored in the cloud where anyone you wish to share with can access the same data. This cuts down on duplication and data loss.

So no, 3D pdf output is not supported currently. Instead you can get a much more rich and connected experience by sharing a link to your design. This link shows a web view of your design that includes a 3D preview (much like what you want from 3D pdf), but also includes far more information including comments and real time connectivity, that are all kept on one data set.

From the data panel inside Fusion:

This is the web view:

In the first image at the top, you might also notice that you can have a live review session hosted directly inside Fusion. This opens a real-time 3D session over the web between you and whoever has the link.

In both of these cases the consumer of your output only needs a web browser and Chrome or Firefox.

As far as other ways to output from Fusion:

• 2D drawings of your designs can be downloaded as PDF or DWG.
• Sketches can be output as DXF.
• The model can be output as STEP/SAT/IGES/Fusion/STLetc.
• Animations can be output as AVI.
• Designs can be sent directly to 3D printing.
• Renderings can be output as images.

Please let us know if any of this helps or you have any more questions. Let us know how it goes!

Thanks,

[rob · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the response - just tried the share public and it works well.   Not quite a 3d pdf but same functionality!

[Anonymous]

Hi Phil.Ed can you help me???

I'm a newbie. I want to save my 2D sketch WITH DIMENSIONS to pdf file. What do I do?  The image is below. Whenever I press "Stop sketch" my dimensions disappear!! Frustrating!!

[rob]

 Essentially you cannot export to do a sketch with dimensions to PDF. The only thing you can do is share your design via the web tool. For me it's not frustrating is disappointing that they would notinclude such simple export functionality. I ended up using a different cad software to get a my design with dimension into a PDF doc. Think that they would include such simple export functionality. 

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi Phil.Ed can you help me???

I'm a newbie. I want to save my 2D sketch WITH DIMENSIONS to pdf file. What do I do?  The image is below. Whenever I press "Stop sketch" my dimensions disappear!! Frustrating!!

---

[Phil.E]

Hi,

What you want, PDF drawings, is totally possible with Fusion. I'll show you how. First let's set the table of expectations.

In CAD/engineering work, 2D documentation is typically done by using drawings. This is known as drafting. In 3D parametric modeling programs the 3D model is used to create drawing views. You can then add dimensions that show your design intent. If you change the model, the drawing will automatically update to show the change.

Why is this separate from sketching? In sketches you rarely include all of your design intent in any one sketch. A drafted drawing, by comparison, shows the entire model and all the related dimensions and shapes all at once. It's why people do drafting.

To do this in Fusion, start with your model open.

This is the finished result, as seen in PDF viewer.

Please let me know if this helps.

Thanks,

[jesse.lamphere]

Sir,

I am more accustomed to using AutoCad LT 2000 (I've been using it for about 13 years now, and am very familiar with it) and the transition to Fusion 360 is sometimes maddening.

I want to create a drawing of a simple 2D design, but following your steps above result in the following error: "The design contains no solid bodies. A drawing cannot be created." Is there any way around this, other than creating a 3D representation of something for which I only need a 2D plot? Or did I miss something?

I will be using this design as guidance for manual cutting and welding, and don't need anything even near this sophisticated.

[davebYYPCU]

Just extrude your plates, by the thickness,

and follow the well defined workflow in this thread, after you have that done, 

This is modelling software, and surprised "LT" can't do what you are asking.

Browny

[jesse.lamphere]

Unfortunately, that ancient version of LT doesn't want to play nice with "newfangled" Win 10. I haven't figured out why. As for your fix, it worked perfectly. Thanks!

[davebYYPCU]

All good, computers and upgrades, not going there.

[Anonymous]

Hello. I found this conversation while searching for an answer to my similar inquiry. I need to design, or model objects, then give detailed drawings to the fabricators on the floor. Although i takes a little getting used to, tho outcome is brilliant and intuitive! Thanks Fusion360!