Correct derived PCB Origin

[DavidVoxon]

Hello,

I'm trying the new 'Derive PCB from Sketck' tool to create a PCB outline based on Design view geometry, but I can't find a way to do it without the derived PCB being 'upside-down'.

Long version with images

1. I've made a sketch and made a profile based on projected geometry:

2. 'Derive PCB from Sketch' tool:

3. Select profile:

4. Review the generated 3D PCB:

Note that the origin shown in the image, which clashes with the global origin, is the 'Board' origin:

The issue with the origin is seen more clearly in 2D PCB Workspace:

It's upside-down!

For context, the board goes at the back of a panel, shown here (you might be able to make out the construction plane on the left of the white standoffs):

Attempted fixes

1. Google (actually, Duck Duck Go)—can't find the issue anywhere, and tutorials on the tool never have this issue.
2. Tried the 'Create 3D PCB' tool instead—same issue.
3. Tried using an intermediate part (New → Save → Insert → Edit in Place → Project → Save → Open → as above)—didn't change a thing, but did allow playing with global origin:
4. Tried changing the global origin of the parent sketch—note the sketch is on the 'top' face, well, 'front' doesn't work, nor 'back', nor does 'bottom'...
5. Tried moving the outline in 2D PCB—yes that "fixes" it, but then it also breaks the design link... (Masks the symptom but does not solve the issue of derived PCB orientation)
6. Found the "Reorienting a Component to Match the Origin" script—all well and good, but there's no way to use it in the 3D PCB Workspace (I know it wouldn't solve the issue anyway, but if it worked I was going to try modify it to align the origin)

Any ideas?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @DavidVoxon ,

I've copied our developers on this and I'll get back to you once I have more info.

Best Regards,

[engineeringNCMXB]

Joinging the conversation to see what answer comes up......

[benrogmans]

Same issue here, would like to find another solution than flipping all my components 🙃

For number 2. however, when doing "Create 3D PCB", there is a "Flip" checkbox when selecting a face or sketch. This does work for me, but just like you, I want specifically to derrive it from sketch so that the board follows the outline of the 3D design.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi Everyone,

This is something we continue to work on. We do want to improve this.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards

[benrogmans]

Hi Jorge,

Thanks for your reply - any updates on this?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @benrogmans ,

I hope you're doing well.  I don't have any news on this front at the moment. I'll bring it up to development again to see if we have any news.

Best Regards,

[benrogmans]

Thanks Jorge. I've tried moving my models and sketches so that the sketch
for the derived pcb has the bottom left corner close to the origin but
unfortunately no luck there.

Got your tip from:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-electronics/can-t-rotate-imported-pcb-outline/td-p/1021191...

Will patiently wait and hope for a solution 🙂 cheers!

[samuelhusband]

Hi all, 

Is there a fix to this yet? I know it has only been 3 weeks but I am really struggling with this issue too. 🙂

@jorge_garcia Have the developers given much of an insight on progress?

Many thanks,

Sam

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @samuelhusband ,

I'm sorry to inform you that the issue has been around for a while, I don't forsee any immediate action taken to change it. 

Are you using the derive PCB from sketch workflow? I'm assuming so but I'd like to be sure.

Best Regards,

[samuelhusband]

Thanks for the quick reply @jorge_garcia !

I am not using derive PCB from sketch workflow as I am still learning if it is beneficial to have a separate assembly file where I place all of my components rather than a file with everything in it - I appreciate you cant re-insert a derived PCB back into the reference file so I am just getting my head around things as we speak. 😊

For now I am using the mirror sketch work around to orientate the PCB a little better and then importing it back into the original file as so I can tweak both the PCB and model together.

If there is a tutorial link I may have missed then I would be grateful to see it! 😀

Thanks,

Sam

[craig.scott575DB]

Hi,

I also struggled with this "feature". In my case, I found that rotating the view of the sketch image 180 degrees in the viewer (curved arrows next to the house) and then performing the derive steps was enough to generate a PCB with the correct orientation. This was surprisingly painless after wrestling with it for half an hour, but I have not experimented further with it to establish why this works - it really shouldn't adjust any origins. In any case, hopefully it can help someone else with the same problem...

Regards

Craig

[yqliu]

Hi @DavidVoxon, @craig.scott575DB , et al. previously we simply use the sketch coordinate system to create the PCB. In the next update, we will release the feature to let you define your own coordinate system. So stay tuned.

[yiqiu.han]

Hi, @DavidVoxon @craig.scott575DB 

I hope you are doing well!

Today we release Fusion 360 V2.0.12157.

Now we can select the Origin and X Axis when create PCB.

In this way, you can correct the PCB you want more easily.

Please have a try, thanks!

Thanks,

Yiqiu

[craig.scott575DB]

Hi,

Thanks for the follow up. I haven't derived a new PCB yet, but I discovered that it seems to have fixed a bug with a previously derived PCB which was persistently offset 0.5mm from the origin.

Thanks

Craig