New to Fusion 360. Sketches imported as DXF from freeship. I am very lost

[Anonymous]

I have spent quite a few hours finding out about this not so intuitive Fusion 360. Many hours trawling the help guide and videos. Nothing gives me the way forward.

I imported a hull design from a freeship linesplan dxf. It automatically translates the 4 views (i think these are planes) in to a collection of  2D sketches. I have managed so set these out in fusion 360 so they are in the correct planes.

I have two headbanging mind-numbing issues I cannot get past. It must be me because not one article or video even talks about what I want to achieve, or I simply cannot find the right article.

First. The lines that show in all the views are simply a collection of very small lines somehow joined together but simply not selectable in anyway as a complete line. There are horrendous to select individually. I just don't get the concept in anyway

Second. In some of these 2D views the 'lines' as so close together it is simply not possible to work through the selection without being almost nano zoomed in. Its unworkable.

Please, and help would be great. I set out to build a model of my beloved boat, but I'm just wading through a swamp of treacle.

If I could select these line individually I might be able to start lofting the frame.

[davebYYPCU]

There are no free lunches.  Only do half a boat and mirror at the end.

Duplicate the Data with Fusion sketches, native curves or splines.  

Project without linking.  Learn all about Project and Project Intersect, or you will remain just as frustrated with the Loft Tool rules.

When done discard the dxf sketches.

Share the file for advice about your data.

Might help....

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the hint.

where is the best place to read the instruction guide. I am really struggling to find my way around. so far I've found about 10 lines of text. I cannot even find a menu option in the app.

cheers

[g-andresen]

Hi,

If you would post the file we would have a chance to evaluate the situation.

günther

[Anonymous]

I would publsh it if I knew how. please tell me.

[Anonymous]

I think I might have found the share functionality

https://a360.co/3d2mZ9d

[HughesTooling]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I think I might have found the share functionality

https://a360.co/3d2mZ9d

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It's a lot easier if you select Export from the file menu and save as an f3d and upload here. The link doesn't have a download option, just says the file's empty. This could be because it only has sketches.

Mark

[g-andresen]

Hi,

File > export > save as f3d on local drive  > attach it to the next post

günther

[Anonymous]

Here is the file attached.

You can see in the stern section which I think is n the XZ plane is halved as recommended earlier. All I want to to do select those lines as line entities and move them in to the 3D world. These lines were oaded as dxf.  

I just don't know why they apparently cannot be selected as line entities and moved to the correct location. I've looked at the supposed 'project' functionality but seems not to be relevant to this need at all. In any case invoking 'project' achieves no results.

The software must be easy to use???? Why am I struggling like this? I am learning but this is ridiculous.

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

Stern area is a little unclear, 

Start with deck and centre line that are easy to find.

The deck is curved down to the back, just a little, the fusion sketch is just a line with tangent arc.  When extruded 2 faces.  Best practice.

Then you extrude a given dxf line, multi faced, and no tangent curves, which will result in faceted model, not a smooth model.

Might help....

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I apologise for not being precise. I have attached a 'screenshot' png of where I meant. They were in the opening view in the file. I have no idea what a screencast is. 

It is these lines, in the screenshot which if placed on the right plane/dimension will provide the 'former' for creating curves and extrusions to create the smooth form I am looking for. I thought that this is what this app gave me. There are several video lessons out there that show this being done, but do not deal with using or selecting dxf lines. I simply cannot grab the line and move it. This is a basic function right?

I accept that the extrusion method is best practice but this hull is a complex shape. I need precise points to form on.  

[Anonymous]

Thank you to those of you who replied to this. I'm accepting my concept of this procedure is traveling in the wrong direction. If at first you don't succeed.... 🙂 

[davebYYPCU]

There is no best practice in your concept.  I know what you were asking for, but that is so tedious to perform with those DXFs.  You just build from them your own contours with Fusion curves, lines and splines.  Taking the graphically supplied dimensions.

You have over 10 bulkheads planted on one plane, you want to move them to 10 planes, and can’t isolate each faceted bulkhead easily.

These boats are best done with deck line, chine lines, round to keel with long flowing sketch articles with good curvature combs, developed from top and side view, when done the front views will be there as a result, and not as an ingredient.

As soon as I saw the facetted deck trimming extrusion, I like you realised the DXFs are only good for dimensions, and confirmation of the new build.  All blue lines - dangerous in Fusion.

[Anonymous]

Thanks

I will take another look at this.