How to sign up for Preview Technology (ARCHIVED)

[promm]

Thank you for your interest in helping us develop the tools for the future of design to manufacturing.  Technology previews gather customer feedback around business goal/objectives that the new functionality intends to solve, while the development approaches release.  Each preview will start with a small group of users invited, and we’ll continue to expand based off feedback and community interest.  The information you provide will be used to ensure we’re reaching our target audience, gathering feedback from diverse backgrounds and experience levels.

Please respond to this thread with the following details and you’ll be added to the list of users we pull from with each new preview:

• Previous CAD experience.
• What do you typically model / design?
• What about the technology preview got your interest?
• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

This part is important - there is no guarantee that the models you make now will function properly once the preview technology is fully released.  Please consider this when utilizing your time testing this functionality.

[daveNPEMA]

Hi There Promm

Keen to be a part of the evaluation group.. my details here. 

• Previous CAD experience.
• About 10 yrs, using Rhino, Solidworks, Modo for rendering/conceptualising.. Adobe.
• What do you typically model / design?
• Consumer products.. Headphones, Retail display, Packaging.. whatever my company needs.
• What about the technology preview got your interest?
• Like many, i’ve been hanging out for sheet metal functionality for a while. Fusion is amazingly quick and intuitive that i’ve moved over from SW to using it. Designing more parts for our retail fixtures that are mostly sheet metal construction and want to move over to Fusion completely.
• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?
• Draw on the benefits of being in the fusion environment.. i.e. quick and intuitive modelling. That can be shared very easily with our manufacturing partners. The features i’ve seen in the previews for sheet metal creation seem really great.

Cheers!

Dave

[anthony663399]

Previous CAD experience
I learned Autodesk Inventor and Solidworks while going to school and have used Siemens Nx and ProE/Creo in the workplace.

What do you typically model / design?
I am an engine systems engineer for a material handling company and am currently working on a business startup.

What about the technology preview got your interest?
I am very interested in the sheet metal modeling software to help in component design.

How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?
The sheet metal modelling feature will improve design time and quality by eliminating the need to model a flat pattern in addition to modelling the part itself.

[turbocharged110]

• Previous CAD experience. I  have approximately 15 years of total 2D/3D CAD experience. I used AutoCad LT in highschool and Solidworks in college (BS and MS in mechanical engineering). After college I transitioned to 6 years of ProE/Creo experience for a major construction machinery company designing sheet metal components. I now work for a company that uses both Creo and Solidworks. For the past 3 years I have been designing machinery at home (CNC, 3D printers, etc) and have been primarily using Fusion 360 and OnShape during that time, but have downloaded 30-day free trials for nearly every CAD package under the sun (Solidworks, Inventor, ZW3D, IronCAD, SpaceClaim). So far I am impressed by the functionality and cost of Fusion 360 for someone who is just starting to branch out on their own.
  
  
• What do you typically model / design? Outside of my day job I typically design components for shop equipment and 3D printers, complete 3D printers, and enclosures for electronics.

• What about the technology preview got your interest? Sheet metal preview has peaked my interest because I was a sheet metal design engineer for 6 years. I would like to incorporate sheet metal design into my new machine designs that I would like to bring to production.
  
  
• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow? It will allow me to create components in the bent/assembled form and transfer them to a flat pattern and have them produced by a fabrication shop. This will improve my workflow because I do not have the capability currently available to me at home.

[todbot]

Hi,

I'm very interested in the new sheet metal features. I'd like to sign up for the Preview.

• Previous CAD experience.
  • SketchUp: 10 years
  • Solidworks familiarity
  • Eagle: 12 years
  • CorelDraw / Illustrator: 12 years
• What do you typically model / design?
  • For work, I typically design product enclosures for electronics assemblies, but lately I've been moving into bent wood and metal art pieces.  
  • I've taken multiple product enclosure designs from concept to manufacturing (but in Solidworks and handled by Solidworks expert)
• What about the technology preview got your interest?
  • Sheet metal
• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?
  • I'm working with a lot of flex circuits now. I currently can't model those appropriately in Fusion 360 nor see how they fit into an enclosure.
  • I'm also working with bent-wood laminates and metal bending for art pieces.  I'd like to model these in Fusion too.

Thanks for Fusion 360.  I've only been using it for a few months but I'm feeling pretty expressive in it so far.

[jeff]

Hi,

Just a little info on me:...

• Previous CAD experience.

I've been a product designer for what feels like since the stone age. I've pretty much used most of the CAD apps ever on the market, even the obscure ones like Ironcad, Intergraph, SDRC Ideas (no kidding). But, for the last 10 years I have been mostly on Rhino, Catia, Solidworks and Creo. It really depends on what the work is as far as which tool I use.

• What do you typically model / design?

These days, I am mostly involved with consumer design and packaging. This means, either creating A surfaces  (ID) or receiving A srfs from a designer and then creating all the mechanical work behind these exterior surfaces. This includes packaging for all the electronics (PCBAs, motors, cooling systems, sheet metal brackets, etc) , any mechanism design, tooling ready parts etc.

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

Like I said, it depends on the work as to what tool I use. What I liked about the sheet metal videos I saw was the real time pushing and pulling on features to "feel out" the design. NX has a similar feel. I already like an awful lot about Fusion, not to mention the fact that you have T-Splines, my go to organic tool at this point. I wanted to see where you've taken sheet metal and see if I can help out in any way.

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

Again, the fact that all the tools in Fusion update as you use then vs. having to click on a button and wait for the feature to finish, greatly helps me to "sketch" out the ideas I have on the screen. This is a tremendous way to increase how fast I can consider ways to take a design.

[quadro69]

Previous CAD experience.I've used AutoCAD 2010, Aspire and V Carve. Slowly over the years as more features that are added to Fusion 360, the more and more I have been using it desgin products.

What do you typically model / design

Metal parts for agriculture and sculptures. I have a number of small jobs now that I could use this feature. 

What about the technology preview got your interest?

Every update that comes along I sit with anticipation that the Sheet Metal function will be implemented, the suspense is killing me

How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

Some of my customer bring in old worn out parts that I need to reverse engineer, most times i guess the extra material needed for bends, then cut a sample test it, make adjustments and cut again. It would be nice just to get it right the first time.

[Lambat]

I am the Technical Director of an Autodesk VAR.

I have been in the Autodesk Channel (VAR, Distributor and VAR again) for 20 years and we sell & support the MFG products including the Autodesk Simulation portfolio.

I have been working on Fusion for the past 20 months.

[meyercaleb]

Hello,

If you need any more participants, I would be willing to help.

• Previous CAD Experience:

I have been a heavy Alias user since...2003, Professionally I have been using it since 2006.

Also I have been working with Solidworks since about 2005.

I have been using Fusion 360 for about a year...I would really like to migrate away from SW but there is still one feature that keeps me hanging on (Sheet Metal).

• What do you typically model / design?

The company I work for manufactures materials handling vehicles, so I model all types parts.

Molded, stamped, formed, and cast parts are pretty typical for me to design.

Normal workflow for me is to build the entire A surface of a vehicle in Alias, then finalize the parts in SW to send off to Engineering.

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

I can see how committed Autodesk is to making Fusion better, and I want to help if I can.  

When I first started working with Fusion I had mixed feeling about the program.  It have some really nice features, but I felt it was lacking in some key areas (NURBS Modeling, and Sheet Metal).

I need to say that the amount of improvements I have seen over the one year I have had the program is impressive, and it has almost completely replaced SW in my workflow.

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

I design sheet metal parts almost daily for prototype...I would love to keep all my work between Alias and Fusion.

I know that Fusion has T-Splines for its sculpt interface, but you should really consider incorporating some of the more robust surfacing features from Alias into the program.

That would be awesome for someone like me!

[TheAHan]

Hello promm!

• Previous CAD experience.

I have about 2 years of design experience with fusion 360, and I absolutely love it (Even more than Inventor and Solidworks which I've been using alongside for the past two years). I have also used Fusion CAM extensively.

• What do you typically model / design?

I am currently working on a pair of headphones and bent sheet metal/bent tubing are part of the design. I will also be working on a manufacturing process for said headphones and bent metal will almost definitely be used.

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

I have been waiting for Fusion sheet metal for over a year now, and I am excited to work with it! I would like to be part of this preview to play with/get used to it now before the official release and help in any way possible.

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

I have been using Inventor for sheet metal thus far and Fusion for everything else, I would love to be able to do everything right in Fusion. I cannot stress enough how much I love fusion, and this will basically complete its functionality for my needs at the moment.

[CarlFrischmuth]

Is there any way to get rid of the emails that turn up any time someone answers this thread?

obviously id want to get an email if something actually eventually happens but not everyone elses applications after Ive added mine.

This is the weirdest beta application process I've ever seen. I sure hope others don't go the same way.

[anthony663399]

I agree, they are very annoying.


Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[iSuat]

• Previous CAD experience.
• About 1 year, My first cad experience is Fusion 360 I already got technical drawing lessons at school.
• What do you typically model / design?
• I interest industrial design. Interior design housing for consumer electronics. I have 3d printer, cnc and hotwire foam cutter. I can make real my designs.
• What about the technology preview got your interest?
• Sheet metal excites me. I've done it before with inventor before. But inventor is too much for me.
• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?
• Trying to innovate and witnessing progress is very good. I am happy that these features are reflected in my designs

[info]

• Previous CAD experience.

Various CAD packages over the past 20 years including SketchUp Pro, Ashlar Vellum, AutoCad, Catia and now looking at Fusion 360.

• What do you typically model / design?

Currently working within the retail POS sector.

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

Primarily, sheet metal as trying to introduce Fusion 360 to a company that I am working with that are currently using Geomagic Design and would like to move over top Fusion 360 but require the Sheet Metal capabilities.

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

To improve the full workflow from initial concept designs to prototyping and final manufacture.

Many thanks

Stu

[ECO-tobbe]

Previous CAD experience.

~ 8 years AutoCad

~ 1,5 years Fusion 360

SketchUp

Getting started with Civil3D

What do you typically model / design?

Site plans, piping plans and more for biogas plants (civil engineering / AutoCad).

With  Fusion 360 I model and design: wall feedthroughs for pipes, mountings for feeding pumps and much more.

What about the technology preview got your interest?

We have some bend sheet metal parts in use.

With water cutting technology we require accurate models of all of them.

How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

Faster creation of smaller and simple parts (e.g. mounts for floating switches).

[fh]

Hi,

my name is Finn Hahn and we work with a lot of sheet metal parts in our company.

We are looking into different CAD solutions and would love to evaluate Fusion 360's possibilities for sheet metal. Therefore please sign me up (:

• Previous CAD experience.

- Inventor

- Solidworks 2012/13/14/15/16

- Onshape

- AutoCAD

- KeyShot

• What do you typically model / design?

- Industrial Machines with mostly sheet metal parts

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

- Sheet metal

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

- Sheet metal functionality would allow us to replace the current CAD system used with Fusion 360.

Have a great day!

Best,

Finn Hahn

[jimd]

Hi,

I'm interested in sheet metal within Fusion 360.

Previous CAD experience - AutoCAD - 2d Drafting (20 years), Solidworks - sheet metal design (10 years), Spaceclaim - sheet metal design (2 years) and a little inventor (2 months).

I model commercial kitchen ventilation systems and stainless steel hoods for restaurants and food factories.

I'm interested to see if Fusion 360 could be the next step for the design and manufacture of our products - sheet metal is essential for this to happen.

Without sheet metal there is no workflow within Fusion 360 for us!

[designer]

• Previous CAD experience.

In school:

 - Autocad (since2003)

 - 3Dstudio (since2003)

 - Rhinoceros (since2005)

Professionally:

 - Solidworks (since 2007)

 - Catia (since2007)

 - Nxgrafics (since2007)

Fun:

 - Blender (Since 2005)

 - Onshape (since 2016)

 - Openscad (since 2016)

 - Fusion 360 (since2016)

• What do you typically model / design?

Silicon Moulds

Sheet Metal

Metal Frames

Metal Urban furniture

etc

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

Low cost application for sheet metal.

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

A lot, the only reason for subscription for professional use.

[ptthompson]

Previous CAD Experience: Sketchup, AutoCAD, Fusion 360 and a few ancient programs from 20 years ago

Typical Model: Currently working on parts and pieces for firearms and ammunition development, and will be working on aviation (structural) and automotive models as well.

Caught my interest: SHEET METAL! Woot!

Expected Improvement: Sheet metal based parts are very difficult to replicate without a proper sheet metal tool.

[WestonMFG]

• Previous CAD experience. 

Inventor, Autocad, 3D studio Max, Maya, Softimage, Mudbox, zbrush. I went to school for and worked in the 3D animation industry for a number of years. For the last couple of years I've been doing industrial design inside of Inventor. I'm also a journeyman welder, I have access to a plasma table and have done a lot of press brake work bending sheet metal.

• What do you typically model / design?

I'll be working on a lot of different metal products mainly farming\ranching equipment as well as some truck decks and toolboxes

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

Sheet metal plugin

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

I used the sheet metal features of Inventor extensively while I was at my previous job and I'll need a sheet metal plugin at this job. I'm hoping we can do everything inside of Fusion so we won't need to get a license for Inventor.

[thenoelleon]

• Previous CAD experience.

10yrs with SolidWorks, StudioTools, Inventor, and 2 with Fusion. 

• What do you typically model / design?

Consumer Products. Engineering models. 

• What about the technology preview got your interest?

I'm specifically interested in sheet metal because I used it often in Solidworks and I am now missing it. Otherwise new features and new ideas is why I signed onto Fusion. 

• How do you believe the feature / function that is being previewed will improve your workflow?

I'm currently developing a sheet metal assembly. All the work has been done in Fusion but I'm having to do elements by hand or go back to Solidworks.