Help for a Newbie Creating a Component

[jemspak7ZM7K]

Hi I am an absolute beginner to using Fusion 360 and already we have a problem at the creating of a component. 

I am attempting to follow along with a tutorial that tells me the first thing I have to do is create a component. That's all well and good but the tutorial says that I should see this: 

But when I try the same steps I don't get that menu, I get this: 

I would be most appreciative if anyone could tell me what's happening. I just need to know what to click on, and what I could be doing wrong, but AFAIK I followed the steps exactly. I am using a Mac version of Fusion 360 (OS 10.15.16), I don't know if that makes any difference, and version 2.0.9512. 

Here is a link to the tutorial 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvrHuaHhqHI

thanks you all very much 

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

You must keep in mind that Fusion 360 is a rapidly changing application with updates and new features been added often.  On the other hand Youtube videos are static, unless the author goes back after ever update and changes them which would be virtually impossible.  You are just seeing some added options in the New Component dialog.  External component are if you component will be created as a separate file and "Linked" to the assembly, as a beginner you probably do not want this.  The first item is to choose between a Standard component or a Sheet Metal one that abides by sheet metals, you want Standard.

[jemspak7ZM7K]

thanks a lot that helps. I also note that in the tutorial it says to save it as an STL, but that doesn't seem to be an option anymore. Any idea what's the right one for a makerbot? 

[jemspak7ZM7K]

Never mind, found the option, it's in the menus rather than via right-clicking... 

[jhackney1972]

You normally do not want to use the File menu, Export to create an STL file.  You want to find the body you want in the Browser and Right Click on it and use the Save as STL from there.  The reason is the Export function will use Autodesk units (centimeters) to create your STL.  If you are using millimeters, it will be 10 times larger.

[jhackney1972]

No problem this time, everyone does it since they do not know, the forum you posted a "design learning" issue to is the Fusion 360 Support forum.  This forum is suppose to be used to post questions or issues getting the application to work properly.  Design issues, learning questions and just "how do I do that" sort of questions should be posted on this forum.

Please keep that in mind next time you post.  Thanks

[jemspak7ZM7K]

Right but that option isn't there, this is what I see 

[jhackney1972]

I do not know what to tell you.  The best way to save an STL is to right click on the BODY in the browser and select Save as STL.  This is available in all Fusion 360 license types, I checked.

You can use the Export dialog and again, all license types show STL as an option.

Again, I must emphasis that you must be selecting a BODY for this to be available, not a sketch.

[jemspak7ZM7K]

This is what my screen looks like -- in the browser if I click on the handle component I get the export as STL option, but on the handle I do not. If I open up the "Bodies" file on the handle there is just one, but on the upper level menu there are a zillion of them, so it's not clear to me how this is supposed to work or why one component is a body and the other isn't. 

[jhackney1972]

You have not learn Rule #1, create a component first, then make it active.  After that all sketches and bodies will fall underneath the component automatically.  When you want to create another component, you make the Top Level assembly component active, create and new component and repeat.  What you have are a bunch of sketches and bodies outside of the component.  Not a disaster by any means, just annoying for a first time user.  If you attach your model to a reply forum post, I think I can clean it up quickly and show you how is a Screencast.   If you do not know how to attach your model, open it in Fusion360, select the File menu and then choose Export and save the .F3D file to your hard drive. Then use the Attachments section of a reply forum post to attach it.

[jhackney1972]

By the way, the Handle component is done correctly, the Plate is not.  The reason the Plate has so many bodies, I am guessing is that you are using Extruded Text and it broke up into multiple bodies.  Cannot be sure until I see the model if you want to share it.

[jhackney1972]

Got a better offer?  I really wanted to help but you have not replied with your model.

[jemspak7ZM7K]

Thanks for your help, here is the model (it took me a bit to figure out how to get it downloaded)  I do appreciate the help, really (I didn't expect to be real-timing this conversation so much either; I stepped away) 

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

I will leave you alone after this post.  I used to be an Autodesk Trainer and I hate to see someone getting off on the wrong foot when learning a new application.  I corrected your model as far as the sketches and bodies not being under the Plate component and I also joined all the bodies, caused by extruding the text, together into one body so you can 

Save an STL out easily.  All shown in the Screencast.  Model is also attached with a different name so you can follow along in the timeline while watching the Screencast.

As I mentioned in my Screencast I just so happen to be creating an article for my blog on this subject.  I would like to use your model as an example if you do not mind.  Unless you say NO, I will use it.  By the way, if you want to see my blog which contains a lot of Fusion 360 articles and videos, the link is listed at the bottom of any one of my forum posts.  Look for "Beyond the Drafting Board"

[jemspak7ZM7K]

I don't mind you using the model as a "what not to do" example -- the model is from the tutorial (I think I linked it?) 

I know Autodesk well enough, it's just this application (Fusion) that gets a little more confusing, IMO, wrt models and bodies. Autodesk seemed a bit more intuitive, but I don't know how much of that was because you are running the thing locally and the limits of app design. 

I am trying to play around with Fusion because I am teaching a class where we've been using sketchup a lot. Sketchup is great, but it has some funny behaviors that I think make it harder to model certain things. 

Again, thanks a lot for your help and such; I am not bothered by you at all!