How to place external component

[Jeff_Birt]

Let's say I want to put a switch on my schematic but said switch will be panel mounted. How do I keep Fusion from wanting to place it on the PCB? I have tried searching but all the information I found was for old versions of Eagle and don't work on Fusion.

[yiqiu.han]

Hi, @Jeff_Birt 

The one-sentence answer is: Connect switcher on the panel to PCB via harness. 

In Fusion 360, the interaction between model design and electronic design has been established. You could place the device to the schematic directly, just make sure footprints to connect to the switcher are appropriately defined in the library.

The detailed workflow is: Create 2D PCB and then view in 3D to generate 3D PCB correspond > Create a 3D design for your switcher and shell > Create another empty 3D design to insert both 3D PCB and shell > Connect footprints on 3D PCB to the switcher on the panel via sweeping a profile along with 3D sketch path. Of course, using a connector like design demonstrated below is also a solution.

 

Here is a good example of how to utilize the above-mentioned functions, Hope that helps~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b34nPLBC7Bo

Thanks

Yiqiu

[Jeff_Birt]

Thanks for your replay. I watched the video and while he shows a finished product and briefly shows the schematic there is no explanation of how an external component would be placed on the schematic without Fusion wanting ot place it on the PCB.

"You could place the device to the schematic directly, just make sure footprints to connect to the switcher are appropriately defined in the library."

How would I do that. I have spent a lot of time searching, looked at the documentation and do not see this shown. I saw an old post for an old version of Eagle that said to create the component with no package, then you could place it on the schematic but it would not show up on PCB. You cannot do this in Fusion, if it has no package you can not select it from the library.

[jorge_garcia]

Hello @Jeff_Birt,

I hope you're doing well. This is an interesting question, here's what I recommend you to do.

Even though the switch will be panel mounted, I presume it's wires will connect to the board. So make the footprint just contain the pads where you want the switch wires to connect. In this way the board and the schematic will be satisfied.

Then in your Fusion360 model add in the switch as just a 3D model.

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

Best Regards,

[Jeff_Birt]

What you suggest was one of the solutions suggested for older versions of Eagle but the problem is you cannot do that in Fusion 360. If the component has no package it does not show up in the library, i.e. you cannot place it on a schematic. If the component has a package and you place it on the schematic then it will also show up on the PCB layout.

It is quite common to show things on a schematic that are not on the PCB. The switch example is just one. You might also have components mounted to a heat sink and connected to the PCB by wires, etc. This lack of being able to accomplish this seems like an oversight. What would be ideal is a check box to denote it is an external component so it will not be added to the board and not foul up any DRC/ERC tests.