Why is F360 so difficult?

[MadManScott]

I've taught myself Photoshop, Gimp, 3d studio max, maya, blender... I've made my own 3d videogames in Unity and Unreal... modeled my own objects for it, textured them, compiled them for android and ios...

but for some reason i cant do anything in fusion 360 but draw boxes and import svg... Is there technical reasons why this software is so impossible?

For example, in any other software if i want to move something, i select the thing i want to move, click the move button/tool/whatever, and i move it.

Not in fusion360.

The move tool doesnt move anything. I've spent hours trying to figure out simply how to move a rectangle and its just not possible. 

I have managed to "twist" things with the move tool. i dont remotely understand how the software thinks i want to do this. Im not using a "twist" tool...

Not to mention this box isnt even centered. I cant figure out how to center it. It would be helpful if i could specify the center in x/y coordinates but i cant find that option.

I have been able to import SVG files, which is the only time i can really move/resize anything. But once i click Okay on that import window, its permanently fixed in that location for all time. I've begun designing my things in inkscape and just importing it to fusion360 so that i can generate basic toolpaths for simple text lettering and things. The CAM side of it is fairly easy... but that doesnt matter much if i cant make anything other than basic lines.

Why are things so difficult in f360? is it some kind of upsell to training classes? I honestly dont understand why i cant just click the move tool, and move something. And its not just moving things. There are a million seemingly simple tasks that i just cant do. No matter how many youtube videos i watch none of it ever works.

Tried the "support and learning" section but i cant access any of that. It tells me to click next. i click next. and its just right back at the main "what would you like to do?" page... I click Start Learning again.... It tells me to  click next... i click next.... back to "what would you like to do?"  hmkay. 

Hell, even trying to manage the saved files is a nightmare. Its impossible to delete anything. What are all these subfolders "master" etc etc for? i dont know.  I have a ****ton of things saved that i would loooove to delete.

Oh, and "G28 Safe Retracts" is a hilarious troll. I zero out x/y/z, retract z a little... hit go.... and ZOOM it rapids the spindle straight down into the piece and tries to rapid the spindle through the work to the beginning point, before retracting and then beginning the proper plunge. WOW!

And im not even talking about rapid'ing the endmill through the material. no, it tries to plunge so deep that my actual spindle would have to penetrate the work. LOL!

The best part of this is its completely hidden toolpath in the previews. It does NOT display this path at all in simulation. Even when i import the resulting gcode into whatever sender software im using, it does NOT show this disaster until im witnessing my machine do it. Thankfully no damage to my spindle or machine, just a broken bit and a destroyed workpiece. But holy! Thats some serious next-level trolling.

Disabled "safe retracts" and now it safely retracts and functions properly. lol. I think whats happening here is when i zero out my Z coordinate, the G28 command is trying to move it to "machine" z0. But, since i just reset my zero axis, this "machine z0" could be DEEEEP into the work piece, further than my machine is even capable of moving.

Avoid G28 retracts at all cost.

WHY?!!??! Has nobody else had this problem? am i missing something wildly obvious for the past 2 months? I dont get it. This software has done nothing but cause waves and waves of frustration and anxiety. I dont think i can deal with this anymore.

[dieselguy65]

It is not difficult at all. It's probably the easiest CAD software to pick
up and learn.
But, like anything powerful and useful, you have to put in the time to
learn it

[wayneypro]

I agree with you 100%   I feel the same about most techy things. Microsoft is another good example. I think these 'solutions' are designed to make simple tasks more complex.  Why do techy people have a propensity to over-engineer things ??  lol - are there people out there who actually use ALL of the Fusion 360 features?

I think there's space for an Anti-Fusion or a Fusion 180 🙂  I sense a KickStarter coming on...

I get it , if you put in the effort, you'll be rewarded; perhaps financially too.  Can't deny, it still winds me up though.

"Humanity needs a reboot - maybe Thanos had the right idea after all!"

I love you all really  - stay safe

[tyrelldrone]

"... just shows your ignorance." Really, is this how you help someone?

[wayneypro]

And that my friend is blissful ignorance don't take it so personal it's just zeros and ones

[kevinwilcox46]

I kind of agree that it's easy, but only once you've got over the first few hurdles and have an understanding of the funadmental way in which it works. However, there are still areas of 'dark art' where you can find yourself looking for the logical fix or right way and in fact there isn't one. Take copy and pasting sketches for instance, from one file to another. The chances of these being orientated and located as per the original appear to be almost zero. You learn to just deal with it. I recently watched a friend model a ship hull, from line plans, in Rhino and was green with envy. So easy. The same thing in F360 is absolutely do-able but you have to work with what you've got, not what you'd expect. For me, ninety five percent of the time F360 is the perfect solution. The other five percent it's anything but. I'm sure exactly the same is true for the competition.

[Jantabjorn]

Totally agree. I have loads of different hobbies - and a lot of them involve software applications. It is a huge waste of time and borderline stressful to NOT have an intuitive interface each time. Basic stuff. Lost productivity time. And seemingly needless.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

In my experience, there is nothing that is equally intuitive for all people.

günther

[Jantabjorn]

I stand by what I said - but I am quickly learning how amazingly powerful this Fusion 360 application is.

Edit: using a laptop? -> Plug a mouse with a centre button/wheel into your laptop for massive upgrade in fundamental viewing/panning power: -

• Zoom: roll the middle mouse button or Ctrl + Shift + middle mouse button
• Pan: middle mouse button
• Orbit: Shift + middle mouse button

[dieselguy65]

Seemingly needless. Like this whole conversation.
I found and still find it very intuitive. And simple, considering the
abilities the software and it's user are capable of.

You want overly complicated and not intuitive, go check out that Solid****
stuff


Brian

[etfrench]

in·tu·i·tive

/inˈto͞oədiv/

adjective

adjective: intuitive

1. using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive.

I would submit that one should use conscious reasoning when using a parametric CAD system😁

[kevinwilcox46]

I think günther largely nails it; my intuitive and yours (all of you) are probably slightly different. If we're both using MS Word or Firefox, we won't even notice that difference because these are, relative to F360, extremely simple programmes and we are, almost by definition, pretty software savvy. Shift to learning F360 or any other 3D app and I may struggle where you cruise and vice versa. But I would contend that we will eventually converge, through learning enough about that app.

So it has been, for me, with F360. I never have the nightmare experiences I was having a year ago, of watching it 'hung' for no apparent reason, or breaking histories and so on. F360 hasn't changed or improved, I have just learned to avoid those unwritten sinkholes or 'task manager > close app' straight away.

In terms of using the vast functionality, I still learn lots of new things each month. The rate of learning has slowed of course as 95% of what I do I've done before, and it slightly amazes me how easily I do things now compared to a year ago. 

[tricklidz]

You have expressed my thoughts exactly. Now when I get stuck I just google the problem because I understand what I dont understand! I just need to take some time and learn "joints"

[Inventornewbie]

I dissagree with you. Nothing that Autodesk has done since the start of Autocad is a straight forward and easy. Everything is a confusing cryptic way of doing everything.  Even trying to open a file is not normal like most programs. Autodesk software people don't design software from an engineers mind.  You have to memorize every trick in the book to get anything done. It's like going into a sandwich shop and ordering a ham and cheese on rye and the guy behind the counter says, oh, the mayonaise if over there and there is plastic knives over there too if you want to cut the sandwich in half.  Excuse me.  I am buying the the sandwich. You are making the sandwich. Put the mayonaise on it and cut it.   I am paying you to make the sandwich.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@Inventornewbie 

Do you have an actionable question?

[TheCADWhisperer]

@Inventornewbie 

Where did you go?

[m_arlet]

I could not disagree any more. The interface is a gigantic chore of who knows where what is when you attempt to use it. Shapr3D interface for example I picked up in an afternoon. This is not the easiest cad package by any means for someone just picking up modeling. 

[StephenCim-001]

has a hobby user, I've tried a lot of application over the years  and keep coming back to F360 (I only use the modeling tools), At the free end of town, it has the most amount of features and the major feature is the "Time Line", Easy off use , I find Moi3D to be the easiest to use.   little thinks like snapping, in Moi3D I can set the grid to 1mm minor, 10mm major and then set the snap to .1 mm, since 95% of the designs I do are on objects user 200mm using a grid , that is fixed at 10 and 1mm is visually appealing, But have a snap at 0.1mm , just speeds work  a lot,  because my hand does not have to leave the mouse to type in values.

[tom_deignan]

i hear you mate, and am going tru the exact same thing atm

[tom_deignan]

thanks Jeff, I found this very helpful

[tom_deignan]

Hey mate, dont worry it actually helped me because I was in the same boat and realising I wasnt the only one so frustrated helped calm me down