Working with Sketches Created Earlier in Timeline

[barkster]

I trying to model an rc airplane and I have made several sketches for the profiles and I want to modify one of my first sketches to line up with a later sketch but when I open first sketch of course none of my other newer sketches show to project into older sketch.  How do I work around this?

Red arrow points to first sketch and blue is a later sketch.

[davebYYPCU]

You work from the outside > in.

Sketch the top bottom and side outlines, then the profile sketches can connect, with Sketch > Project > Intersect.

Might help....

[etfrench]

One way to make sketch geometry available to an earlier sketch is to create yet another sketch at the top level.  Project the desired geometry to this sketch making sure 'Projection Link' is unchecked.  All of the Auto Project items in Preferences should also be unchecked.  Once the sketch is closed you can move it in the Timeline to an earlier position.

Note: These projections won't be parametric.

[ritste20 · Accepted solution]

I would argue that it would be a safer option to just start a new sketch at the end of the timeline and just project the geometry from the earlier sketches into the latest "combined" sketch. That way everything remains parametric. If edits are required of the old geometry, then make the edits in the original sketches.

Doctor Who thought he could rearrange the timeline and he was smart enough to know better. I would caution against breaking the projection link like that unless it is a very specific use case and the designer understands the risks of such an operation in anything more complicated than the simplest of models.

Regards,

[barkster]

I have to retrain my thinking using F360 make sense to do what your saying and is simple enough. For some reason I stuck trying to think of a way to use what I had already drawn.  Thanks for your replies

[ritste20]

The more you work with parametric models and history-based feature development, you will find yourself planning out the order of your sketches to account for later operations and the necessary geometry to create your designs.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to learn without practice. If this model isn't overly complicated, just start over and try to come up with a way to accomplish the goal without "duplicating" sketches.

Regards,

[Anonymous]

That's all very well, but I have two related components which fit together. When I change the mating surface of one, I also want the mating surface of the other to change. I also want them to move relative to each other, so they can't be the same component. One of them has to be created first and the other has to be created second. I want to be able to edit either one, and then edit the other to match. The design process is iterative, so it is expected the mating surfaces will change. Is there a way to do this in Fusion 360?

[etfrench]

Make the mating surfaces a third component.

[Anonymous]

Thanks etrench. I didn't expect to get a reply so quickly.

Your suggestion is certainly intriguing; Make the mating surfaces a third component.

Sooooo, maybe I make three components, with the first one in the timeline of zero thickness, and project to the later two components in the timeline? Let me see if that works... *time passes* hmmm That worked surprisingly well. I'll use that in future, unless you meant something else?

Surely, it would be cleaner to be able to be able to see other components regardless of where they are in the timeline? Especially, if an unplanned-for-component needs to fit into/with an earlier component?

[sales]

Agreed, I find myself wanting even a general visualization of earlier sketches. We should just be able to toggle off and on visibility, no? I don't even want direct reference, just a basic visual reference when designing can be very helpful. 

[etfrench]

Earlier sketches are always available.  You can use a later sketch in earlier sketches by moving the later sketch earlier in the timeline.  You can't move a sketch earlier than anything it references.

[sales]

That's the issue though, most of the time, my earlier sketches are referencing later sketches and can't be moved on the timeline. I usually end up projecting what I need, but for creating, sans precision, experimenting, it would sure be a handy feature to simply be able to toggle visibility on and off for reference. 

[davebYYPCU]

With toggled eyeballs, you can reference early history, at any time, but a screencast of the problem will provide context.

Unconstrained sketches can even be manipulated (without editing that sketch - hiding the latter stuff), to put the earlier geometry where it needs to go.

Might help....