Why do we need bodies?

[Anonymous]

What value are bodies as opposed to creating components from the start?

[Beyondforce]

Please read this, it will answer your question:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/post-your-tips-and-tutorials/fusion-360-r-u-l-e-1-and-2/td-p/6581749

Ben.

[Phil.E]

Components can have many bodies. Some bodies are used for construction, such as cutting shapes into other bodies. These rightly belong to the component where they work.

A simple way to look at it:

• A body is a container for 3D shapes only.
• A component is a container for bodies, sketches, decals, construction geometry, other components and much more.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies. I read the link. I still don't understand why the complication of having to think about bodies and components is necessary. If bodies went away couldn't we still design by starting with components?

[TMC.Engineering]

not sure if this helps....

there are many kinds of bodies, solid, surface, tspline , and mesh.  It would be horribly inconvenient to have them as separate components.  some of these bodies may only be pieces used to make a part(base component).

Also components don't have to have bodies, like in an assembly, they have other components.

[TrippyLighting]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the replies. I read the link...

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All of it ?

The second part describes several valid and needed worflows where you would not start with a component. Mainly:

1. Seletal design, where you have one sketch that you use to create several bodies that then are converted into separate components.

2. A T-Spline that you using to represent the outer shell of a product anbd then use the split body commmand on and end up with two bodies that you turn into components for frther design refinement.

[Phil.E · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous

Good questions.

I suppose you could always avoid bodies vs. component confusion by only creating components with one body in them. Just ensure that you always only make one body per component. I think the limitations of this, if any matter to you (and they may not!) will become apparent in time.

Steps:

1. Use the new component command to create a new component, ensure it is active.

2. Sketch and extrude (or otherwise create) a body in that active component.

3. Activate the top level of the assembly, and repeat the steps.

The result you want will be there, nothing but components with single bodies in them. You shouldn't have to pay too much attention to this beyond performing the workflow I described.

Thanks and good luck!