Projecting geometry on linked components and altering component

[whitecollarGEBLE]

Hello,

New Fusion360 user here.

I have an electronics enclosure assembly consisting of several linked components. (enclosure, end panels, PCB).

I need to project some geometry from the PCB to create holes in the enclosure end panels for switches, LEDs etc.

I can project the geometry fine, but I can't extrude-cut the end panel component because (as far as I understand) it's a read only linked component.

I could cut and paste the projected geometry into a sketch on the original component file, and align it based on some reference point, and then cut-extrude the component, and update the assembly, but this seems a bit clunky.

What's the best workflow for this situation?

Thanks!

[James.Youmatz · Accepted solution]

Hi @whitecollarGEBLE ,

I think this is a great opportunity to try our new Preview feature "Edit in Place". Edit in Place is the ability to access and make changes to an externally referenced file (xref) from within the context of a parent design. Edit in Place is not intended to completely remove the need to open an xref in its own window while designing, but instead reduces the need to jump between design tabs to edit features in each xrefs.

To enable the Preview, click your name in the top-right corner of Fusion 360 and select Preferences. On the left hand side, hit the Preview tab, and enable Edit in Place (and I encourage you to click the hyperlink to read more about how to use the tool). Once enabled, you should be able to edit xref'd components directly in the assembly, rather than go back to the original file.

Thanks,