QUICK TIP: Why You Should Activate a Component

[keqingsong]

If you know that your design is going to have multiple parts where they make up an assembly, the best way to begin is to create empty components from the very beginning and activating the one you want to work on. This way, all your sketches, features, and joints you use will all be organized within that specific component. Watch the video below as I walk through the thought process and demontrate why this is an important and useful best practice for designing in Fusion 360. 

[athanasios.boufeas1]

thanks so much this really helps if only i knew about this earlier

[LeonardoBN]

Nice tip!

Now I understand the concept of Components, but I often forget to activate the Component I want to work and I end up messing the file.

[darcymclean]

Me too. I always have the best of intentions, but I have messed up so many large assemblies. I arrived at this page looking to see if there was some way to have a component automatically activated when it was clicked on or something.

[Anonymous]

So this makes it easier to look back and see what has happened in the timeline?

[athanasios.boufeas1]

Using components just enable you to make complex CAD drawings with multiple parts in them that move and interact with joints and stuff. Each component having its own sketches and origins and bodies allows it to be imported into different documents entirely. The total timeline becomes less important when you use components as each component has its own timeline of its modelling, which is achieved through activating individual components.