Weld Symbols in Fusion 360: promised for years now - but are they really coming?

[sys.user]

Our company is anxious to move to Fusion 360 because of it's great modeling environment, but we cannot adopt a CAD package that cannot do even simple weld symbols  (or even simple line attributes in drawings).  Others have been posting about this literally for years, and Autodesk representatives keep saying, basically, "any day now".  Please, does anyone have a real sense of whether or not weld symbols are "almost ready", or is the Fusion 360 team just blowing smoke?

[TimeraAutodesk]

Hi @sys.user, thanks for reaching out and for the sincere concern. Welding symbols have been top of our minds for quite some time, as you've seen here on the forums. Earlier this year, we even began investment in an architectural project to kick this (huge) project off. Unfortunately, we had a change in priorities, and we have had to put the project on hold at the moment while we work on supporting all of the new BOM functionality that's coming out later this year. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause in your workflows, but I can assure you that we will re-visit the welding symbols project in the future - I just don't have a good idea of when that will be at this time. 

Can I ask which software your company is currently using for documentation that you're trying to transition off of? One workflow that we can support today that makes finishing drawings with welding symbols easy is Fusion Drawings > AutoCAD Mechanical. We have several customers who use that workflow successfully while they wait for a full implementation in Fusion. I'm happy to talk about this and hear your concerns in more detail if you'd like to chat as well, just let me know.

Thanks,
Timera

[sys.user · Accepted solution]

Hi Timera - Thanks for your candid response on the weld symbols.  It is really helpful to get a sense of the timeframe for implementing some of the pending features.    In the past we have been using SolidWorks for most modeling, but are looking for our long-term next platform.  We are delighted with cloud-based approaches like Fusion 360, and think it is likely the model of the future.  We are also working with OnShape, which seems a little clunkier than Fusion 360 (I think since it is purely browser based), but is getting better more quickly than Fusion - and has a much better drawing environment, including weld symbols.  We use Rhino for basic drafting (as well as surface modeling), and we have tried to use it for drafting of models created in Fusion 360, but the export of drawings info from Fusion for use in Rhino is awful.  I should point out that we have a mixed Macintosh / Windows environment, and the platform-agnostic nature of Fusion 360 (and OnShape) is helpful in that regard. 

To solve the weld symbol absence in Fusion 360 we recently tediously created the symbols by hand.  We will probably not do that again.  AutoCad, and my strong dislike for it, is the reason we moved to SolidWorks many years ago, so we won't be going back there (i.e., to AutoCad).  We are a small company, and really can't justify the cost and distraction of supporting a bunch of different CAD platforms and an unnecessarily lengthy workflow to do something that should be handled in one package.  My guess is that we will end up with OnShape in the long term.

Thanks again for your response; we would like very much to adopt Fusion 360 if it was more mature. I hope your management decides to hire additional programmers.

[Stodden.design]

I'm just trying to make sure that I understand this correctly.

Autodesk added weld symbols to be an approved addition in 2015.  Its been a standard of almost all CAD programs for more than a decade and is an essential feature for many businesses.  It finally made the road map for 2018.  Now its being scrapped for Bill Of Material improvements of dubious utility, with no timeline with on when it will come back up again?

I love Fusions' modeling environment, but the 2D drawing environment is severely lacking.   Unfortunately, its the 2D drawings that my customers need.  Doesn't matter how great the model is if i can't make the drawings that the production floor needs.

[Anonymous]

I would like to add my voice to this request, welding symbols is a must in our manufacturing industry.

We must have weld symbols for CWS & AWS, and its part of our manufacturing process.

A welded assembly drawing is not complete with out the weld symbols.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

How can this not just be a small modification project of the current Feature Control Frame tool in drawings?

It is pretty much the basis for what would be needed as a weld symbol tool, just slight modifications to the leader and what symbols are available.

If you are trying to do something interesting with welds long-term that is understandable, but in the interim you should enable simple weld symbols so that people can produce at least basic drawings.

[mbondY2CD6]

Fusion is great for modeling and playing with designs but I don't believe Autodesk is serious about supporting it as a viable tool for small fabricator like myself.  They can't add AWS welding symbols?   WHAT????  Even the open source programs have them.  

[infiniteprods]

Wow. Found this thread because I am literally attempting to add a weld symbol to my 2D drawing from my model in 360, and couldn't find one.  Had to take a minute to rant because I'm dumbfounded reading this!!  The App just *doesn't* have a weld symbol?  What a bunch of malarky! 

After creating all my original models and 2D drawings using AutoCAD Mechanical 2019, and endured MAJOR headaches and buggy behavior for 6 months, I was able to create drawings my manufacturers would work from.  Of course, all types of weld symbols are available in ACM, but all I need is basic weld on a couple of my drawings. All the while working with ACM, I was bombarded with Fusion 360 ads on my Facebook feed, etc. claiming "integrated CAD/CAM workflows for the manufacturing industry" so I finally decided to trial it, and must admit, LOVE IT, and I have been in HEAVEN when it comes to modeling to the OP's poignant point.  And, goodness making 2D drawings is WORLDS easier, and more intuitive. 

But ****, how can you claim to have software that is intended for manufacturing that does not have a critical manufacturing symbol such as weld? I mean there are many types of welds, but even just a basic weld symbol is a no brainer.  The post earlier about the fact that this was approved in 2015, planned in 2018, then dropped for some other project was spot on-get your priorities straight-this is inexcusable!!  Case in point-my engineers in China that don't read English need this basic symbology in order to work with my 2D drawings.  The symbology was created so that the "language" is universal.  I will be moving forward with Fusion 360 for my business, so PLEASE get this back on track!!

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@infiniteprods wrote:

But ****, how can you claim to have software that is intended for manufacturing that does not have a critical manufacturing symbol such as weld? 

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You might be interested in >>this thread<<, particularly post #17 and #25.

[m3inc]

The lack of this very basic feature is making me very seriously consider Fusion360 to be not a viable option long-term.

[gspicerZNC9T]

Fusion has been around for quite a while now, and after Mechanical and Inventor, Autodesk can't create a 3D software that does weld symbols.

I can understand if the 3D software can't do welds in the model space, like the competition does with Creo Parametric, NX, and SolidWorks. But absolutely no real control over editing the drawing or, in this case, weld symbols????

I would forgo BOM completely for some more fleshed-out, ease-of-use annotation functionality.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@gspicerZNC9T wrote:

.....Autodesk can't create a 3D software that does weld symbols.

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You are poorly informed.  Autodesk has created a software, Autodesk Inventor Professional, that does weld beads and weld symbols better than SolidWorks.  This functionality has been available from Autodesk for more than 10 years.

[gspicerZNC9T]

Oh, I know what Inventor has; I'm just pointing out what Fusion doesn't have. Even if Fusion can't do welding in the 3D Model space, it should still be able to do weld symbols via manual input since users can insert ASME Y14.5 and ISO dimension symbols. There's more to production than laser, mill, and lathe machining; sometimes welding is needed in a lot of assemblies after all, not just fasteners.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@gspicerZNC9T wrote:

...I'm just pointing out what Fusion doesn't have.

...and I'm just pointing out that you made a completely incorrect statement.

Just as car companies have different levels of automobiles....

Autodesk has different CAD products.

[cbuttnorSUDJ4]

Weld callouts are obviously fundamental MCAD symbols and should not be a limitation of some 'level' of product. Comparing this to automobiles would be like saying a basic car wouldn't come with a speedometer or mirrors.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@cbuttnorSUDJ4 wrote:

Weld callouts are obviously fundamental MCAD symbols and should not be a limitation of some 'level' of product. Comparing this to automobiles would be like saying a basic car wouldn't come with a speedometer or mirrors.

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So, are you saying that Fusion 360 does not have a speedometer or mirrors?

Did automobiles have speedometer or mirrors in first 5 yrs of existence?

[Anonymous]

I like how this is listed as solved. If weld symbols are not added by my renewal date I will most likely be canceling my subscription.

[chrisplyler]

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@TheCADWhisperer wrote:

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@cbuttnorSUDJ4 wrote:

Weld callouts are obviously fundamental MCAD symbols and should not be a limitation of some 'level' of product. Comparing this to automobiles would be like saying a basic car wouldn't come with a speedometer or mirrors.

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So, are you saying that Fusion 360 does not have a speedometer or mirrors?

Did automobiles have speedometer or mirrors in first 5 yrs of existence?

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As regards a speedometer:

No. But it became standardized on all new automobiles by 1910. In this analogy to the timeline of manufacturing CAD packages, I think we can safely put Fusion 360 into the category of a new car made after 1910 that dang well ought to have a speedometer (weld symbols).

[mika.takalo]

Check Mural, there is reading that it is ready. So I think it's soon to be coming.

[ritste20]

Yeah, it looks like the next update should have them. They probably only missed the last update by a couple of days before it was pushed out.