Fusion pcb design is the worst UI and UX I have experienced.

[jorge_orta8GUV6]

forced to move from the regular EAGLE. this new way to handle libraries is very confusing and is the worst user experience i have ever had trying to make a pcb board.

fusion team has a lot to learn.

[jonavark]

It looks like their challenge is incorporating Eagle into the Fusion UI while attempting to seq together all the features. I am with you though, as far as the confusion over how to do simple things. I have been a registered Eagle user for well over a decade and I never got used to THAT UI but I was able to get about 10 large boards done in that time. I agree this is more confusing but I think they're open to constructive criticism. It is hard to put the frustration aside sometimes.

[jorge_orta8GUV6]

Agree.  i think there is a feature or ideas section around.. but would be good to see if they are tracking that

[marketa_prossovaT5UGA]

I'm dying from their graphical menu. Icons can't be moved to the panel or between tabs. If I use functions from multiple tabs, I have to keep switching between them. They want to force me to use keyboard shortcuts, but people who only use the mouse don't want to use the keyboard. Icons can't even be resized or enlarged, nor can their functions be modified. Dreaming about adding icons with custom functions is all I can do.

[jonavark]

Looks to me like they're challenged by the large amount of tasks vs the limited UI space for controls. I suspect they haven't had the time to make the UI please everyone.( it's impossible anyway) I've been a Windows developer since Win 3.1. Always struggle with program flow for the user. To make it easier a developer has to force the user into a workflow they may not be comfortable with or used to. The problem becomes exponentially harder the larger an app grows. I feel your pain as I find it cumbersome to constantly be moving between UI partitions while working. Often, I am frustrated by how long some tasks take. For me, it is the constant saving of files between modules that is painful. Not to mention the ever present dialog that pops up when saving. More of that should be automatic. But, if the app is web based, woof.  Not easy.

As far as keyboard shortcuts. That was how I used to use Eagle. I got pretty good at it but unless you use an app every day those shortcuts are quickly forgotten. I did remember some of the Eagle command line stuff I learned 15 years ago though! Keyboard shortcuts are like passwords to me. I forget them in quickly. That means you're going to be hitting the wrong keys as you get back up to speed.

All that said. I am using a strong app that is currently free so they get as much room as they need with as much positive feedback as I can give. Without sounding like I have a clue how it all _should_ work. I don't know if my use case is the model case for their UI. I usually start out assuming I am going about things the wrong way!

Sorry for the long post. It's therapeutic.

[Pieter.Jan.Van.de.Maele]

Just wanted to jump in here and say that we very much appreciate all this sincere feedback and are eager to learn as much about the struggles you are experiencing as we possible can! Keep it coming! 

[ImDaveM]

autodesk need to re-do libraries  FROM SCRATCH!!!! it will never be good with the current approach!

[jonavark]

I feel like it is hard to use but I may not have the UI down. What kinds of things are you trying to work through?

[ImDaveM]

HI,
i don't really have a problem with schematic design or pcb layout, i can deal with that. 

It's the libraries that suck, i spend more time finding, creating, "managing", updating, pushing and pulling, adding 3D models for components that have existed for decades!!!! , reinventing the wheel each time i need a part,  than i do in actual pcb design!

libraries have always sucked in eagle cad and still suck in fusion electronics!

we need to STOP THINK of LIBRARIES and start thinking COMPONENTS! and we need to work with libraries of OUR components in a 3D VISUAL MANNER and get away from TEXT BASED!

[sergeQJMQW]

BOM - need to be changed, promised for long time!

[jonavark]

I think my main problem with the library feature is that it is disjointed and requires too many steps to create or modify parts. Too many steps and windows between footprint -> 3D model.

Also. I don't know about anyone else but I would really like to see dimensions on footprints while examining them in the PCB layout area. This would really speed things up here when I use parts or get designs form someone else and have check footprints.

[jorge_orta8GUV6]

Agree.

They to handle the BOM and the fact that you need to add a MPN to attributes of each part is kind of annoying

[farzad.vaziri]

 Since last year, I've tried designing PCBs in Fusion 360 three times. I give up every time after two or three hours of work. I think it's time to learn another PCB design tool.

[jorge_garcia]

Hello @farzad.vaziri ,

I hope you're doing well. When you give up, is it always at the same point in the process? I want to figure out if you are getting caught by the same feature or workflow  since that would really indicate an area of needed improvement. 

If you are willing to share some of this feedback with me I would like to help you get over those hurdles.

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

Best Regards,

[ImDaveM]

you said "When you give up, is it always at the same point in the process?"

YES!!!! the  library! IT SO AWFUL!!!!
its so confusing
its too text based

need to be all drag and drop graphical al on one window to create parts

need a search that works! - <-- biggest issue , you simply cant search for anything!
try searching.. eg resistor, through hole!! NOTHING!!!!!!

i had to design my own standard through hole resistor!!!!! the other day!!! who would have thought that fusion electronics does not even include basic components?? how can you be so lazy?

also when showing libraries ALWAY SHOW ICONS OF ALL THE COMPONENTS!!!! TEXT DOES NOT DO IT FOR ME!!!!!!

ive been asking for major upgrades to the library for years but you guys do nothing!!!!!

[jonavark]

remember that Eagle PCB was added into Fusion to provide this feature. Eagle, while very competent, had a lousy UI missing features like searching etc. Fusion will likely improve on these features but I have to agree with some of your points. It's really complex making new parts and FINDING existing parts. There is a resistor library included though. It's just a pain to make sure it is incorporated into your project. I think you have to re-incorporate them for each project as well. Just not fun. 

Fusion is awesome though. And I really needed to use the PCB / 3D pcb stuff in my last project to help incorporate it all into the mechanical design. That was nice but .. harder than I would have liked. 

[chuck_toddN7PTC]

I also agree with @ImDaveM about the functionality of the libraries and the complexities necessary to create components.

When I switched to Fusion Electronics a little over a year, I was new to Eagle and coming from the Altium world, I immediately didn't like the workflow and decided to switch to Fusion Electronics. I probably spent two weeks trying to understand the libraries, the library structure, how to make components, where which libraries were, how to make sure I didn't screw anything up. It is very confusing.

I'm mean, come on - Fusion Hub Libraries (Fusion Electronics - Cloud), Libraryio libraries (Legacy Eagle Libraries - Cloud), Local Libraries (Hard Drive)

Definitely need a more robust search engine for going through all of these libraries and a better way to represent the results of the searches. Possibly, a graphic of the Component/Footprint with the description and all user attributes listed.

The Fusion Electronics developers should really take a look at how Altium does component attributes. You are able to pull all the information (PN, MFG PN, Part type, size, etc) straight from sources like Digkey/Mouser, even has an option to have the datasheet attached with a link. All this is done in 1 or 2 clicks of the mouse.

There are so many intricacies that this post could go on and on, but I won't.

I understand that Fusion Electronics is a work in progress, but some of the features being prioritized seem out of order to me.

I think it will be a very long while before Fusion Electronics catches up to the current functionalities of other electronics design EDA tools. Just my two cents, spend it wisely.

Here is a forum post that gets into the details of understanding the library structure. There are documents attached to some of the posts. If you are interested.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-electronics-forum/does-anyone-fully-understand-libraries-in-fu...

BR -Chuck

[mjstn2011]

I am grateful that the Fusion360 team is trying to address as much as their staff/funding allows.  I'm positive it is FAR less than Altium dev budget.

I feel the comment on 'worse interface ever' was overstated but I get the intent of the discouraged user experience. 

To be blunt, it is not at all fair to compare Fusion360 to Altium in a direct way.  Altium is a mega expensive, firmly established platform but insanely flexible and superior product in terms of options. (sorry fusion360 team).

Be gentle to the Fusion 360 team and thankful they offer a 'modest' license fee relative to the insane fee of Altium.  I have both.   So in a nutshell,  'Ya gets what ya pays for'.     This holds across a great many products even well outside of PCB CAD.

As I have said before here, Libraries to me have always been the major PITA with ALL PCB cads I have used (KiCAD, Fusion360, Altium).  Often this is due to the philosophy used and trying to wrap your brain around that philosophy combined with complex processes and outdated documents combined with complex workflows and difficult to find/navigate directions for the exact thing you want to be doing.   The concept of the 'component' often strictly ties a component to a very tight definition of a specific part choice.   The KiCAD solution is more flexible to allow setting a part on a schematic to use a given footprint and a given set of values.   I have mixed feelings on what is 'best'.  

It is the philosophy of how a given CAD views the use of the library that is most confusing especially if you use a few CAD systems.

I do completely agree Altium is 'king' but you pay a 'kings ransom' to use it.  Also Altium (like Fusion360) changes their UI so I frequently hit crap advice on how to do things in both altium and Fusion360.  So far I am blaming the Google 'ai' responses or stale hits to old interface UI solutions.  As a contractor like myself I am hard pressed to pay those fees to Altium.  Fusion 360 needs to be thought of as middle ground and they at least supply timely answers to support which I am grateful to especially @jorge_garcia and other community members for the assists.  Fusion 360 is not free like KiCAD but it has the support in a more direct way into the dev persons through Fusion360 support than KiCAD has.  To me, Altium is the 'look buddy, we got the Cadillac,  buy it or shove off'  approach.

The only thing that is free in life is air and that is often polluted.   Lol

Nuff said,  Mark

[melisa.kaner]

Hi everyone, 

I really appreciate all the feedback here! I totally agree that our library workflow needs work and it something we have active investment in. Also regarding libraries/attribute additions - I totally agree that attribute management is a painful and somewhat unproductive experience today. I'm sorry you've had this experience, we want to create great experiences for you.

I'd love to jump on a quick call to really ensure I deeply understand this - feedback like this helps us ensure we're working on the right things. If this is of interest, please feel free to shoot me a quick DM. 

Best regards, 

Melisa (Fusion Electronics Product Management)

[jonavark]

Thank you very much for the request. 

I really hope you folks streamline the Schematic pcb stuff in fusion. 

I have been working in many other areas since I did that series of PCBs a year or so ago that I am not sure I can collect my thoughts well enough to help you very much. Just way too busy. 

I WANT to help very much though. As a UI developer of some 40 years I would be anxious to help.

If the pcb process was easier I would do more design. (don't even get me started on the 3D part of all of it. Integrating PCBs into fusion mechanical designs)

I think the main issues I have are what has basically been outlined. 

The UI itself is very dated and clumsy. 

Creating parts is so tedious that I often even change design criteria to stay away from it. 

The parts library system is just too hard to work with. Search is almost non-existent and the process of having to include libraries is cumbersome. 

That said. I am by no means a power user of Fusion. But I did do a lot of work in Eagle for many years. 

Thanks again. 

Tried to send a private msg but it failed and then said I had 'reached the limit'.