Workflow to work with Fusion360 and Adobe Illustrator

[goagoagoaq]

The final phase of my project involves creating the graphics for the front panel.

I utilize Adobe Illustrator for this graphic design work.

I'm in search of a workflow that is both user-friendly and precise, ensuring that the designs made in Illustrator align flawlessly with the model in Fusion360.

Initially, I captured a screenshot of my sketch and transferred it into Illustrator. Though this method wasn't ideal, it did help me achieve the correct proportions. I'm eager to discover a more practical approach.

Regarding importing from Illustrator, I have experimented with two methods: "Insert Decal" and "Insert SVG," but neither was successful.

Using Insert Decal distorted my shapes, especially since I'm working on a flat face plate.

Insert SVG, on the other hand, led to a complete misplacement of my graphic elements.

I would greatly appreciate any insights or best practices you could provide about using Adobe Illustrator for creating graphics intended for Fusion 360.

Thanks

[jeff_strater]

decal is likely what you should use.  Hard to say about the distortion without seeing the design and the decal.  One thing;  if you are just dealing with a single planar face, and it looks like the decal is bleeding onto other faces, try turning off face chaning:

[goagoagoaq]

thank you, turning off "chain faces" solved the weird display issue.

What do you think about exporting a sketch to DXF so it can be imported again in AI would be a viable option?

[jhackney1972]

If you are addressing @jeff_strater with your post, I want to bring something to your attention. When responding to a post from someone, do not use the "Post Reply" icon as this will address your post to yourself. Instead use the "Reply" icon on the post you are responding to address your post to that person. Look back at the messages in this post and you will see what I mean.

[jeff_strater]

exporting to DXF will get different results.  Importing that DXF back into Fusion will produce a sketch with lines/arcs/curves, etc.  If you want just the image, a decal is the way to go.  If you want a sketch full of sketch geometry, DXF will work.  But, be careful with DXF - too many lines/curves/etc will overwhelm the Fusion sketch environment.  If you do use DXF, what will you plan to do with the resulting sketch?

[goagoagoaq]

What I'm trying to do is to export the sketch as DXF file to be imported within AI, the goal of this step is to be able to place exactly the design on the key sketch elements while having the right proportion and scale.

I can export the sketch as DXF and work on it within AI but when I then export as a PNG file file and import as a "decal" my proportions are all messed up (see picture attached where all 3 black circles should align perfectly with the blue circles).

There must be a precise way to work with graphics and I'm certainly not the first one trying to do so 🙂

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@goagoagoaq wrote:

There must be a precise way to work with graphics and I'm certainly not the first one trying to do so 🙂

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@goagoagoaq 

Can you Attach all of your working files here?

[goagoagoaq]

I can't attach all files here, I'm mostly after a high level solution, this is more about the process than a specific file.

[TrippyLighting]

I would use the PNG as an image texture, not a decal. That texture I would apply only to a face.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@goagoagoaq 

I suspect that I would use an entirely different workflow than you describe.