Explore how to edit a sketch and utilize basic modeling techniques in Fusion 360, including using the revolve command and the extrude command. Learn how to update your model by using the original sketch, an essential feature in Fusion 360 which complements parametric modeling.
Key Insights
- Creating geometry in Fusion 360 can be achieved by using various commands such as the revolve command which prompts you to select profiles to revolve and the extrude command which allows you to add depth to a sketch profile.
- Updating a model in Fusion 360 is facilitated by its feature which allows you to return to the original sketch, edit dimensions, and automatically update the geometry created using the sketch. This works hand-in-hand with parametric modeling.
- After using a sketch to create geometry, the sketch is automatically turned off. It can be turned back on as needed, especially useful when the sketch is used more than once and when creating sketches for specific parts like making a hole in a spindle.
In this video, we will look at editing a sketch and using basic modeling techniques in Fusion 360. I am in the Spindle-Sketch file and I am in my Model workspace.
If I go to the Create tab and pull down, you can see a number of different options for creating geometry in Fusion 360. Let's start with the Revolve command. You can see that it is prompting me to select profiles to revolve, so I will select these five profiles.
Notice I am not selecting this profile because I do not want that to be revolved. Next, I will click the Select button for my axis and select one of the back faces of these rectangles. A preview of my revolve will automatically be generated.
You can see that under Type, I have multiple types. I will change this to Full or I could have kept it at 360 degrees for an angle. I would like to just create a new body in this video.
I will click OK, and then you will see that my sketch is automatically turned off. If I open up my sketches in my browser, you will see that we just used Sketch 1. Now let's turn on Sketch 2.
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I will go to the Extrude command, which is at the top of my bar or under Extrude. If I select my sketch profile, I can drag up and I will type in 6 and press ENTER. I can also use the Extrude command on existing geometry, similar to the Press Pull command.
Next, let's turn on Sketch 3. You can see that I have placed sketches here to make a hole in my spindle. If I go to Extrude and select the innermost circle and drag down in my model, you will see that my cylinder turns red.
This is because the operation has changed to Cut instead of Join. I can go Distance > All and that will cut through my entire part. Notice under Objects to Cut, we only have one body in our drawing, but in drawings with multiple bodies and multiple components, you may need to select which objects you would like to cut.
I will click OK, and I will go back into my sketch and turn Sketch 3 visible. After you use a sketch for creating geometry, it will automatically turn it off unless you turn it back on after you create your geometry. I will go to Extrude one more time, select the second circle, and let's go down -5 and press ENTER. Notice my sketch has stayed on this time.
This is because I've used it more than once. I will go to Extrude one last time, select here, and go down -2 and press ENTER. I will hide my sketch and click the Home icon to zoom extents.
If at any point in my drawing I realize that I have drawn a sketch to the wrong size or that my part has been updated to reflect a change, I can go to any of my sketches. Let's go to Sketch 1, right-click, Edit Sketch, and this will bring me back into the sketch workspace. I can go in and edit any dimensions I would like, and my geometry that I've created using my sketch will automatically be updated.
I will click Stop Sketch and go back to Home, and you can see that my part has updated with my sketch. Remember to use Sketch editing in your timeline and browser whenever you need to make changes to your parts. This is a great feature in Fusion 360 because it goes hand-in-hand with parametric modeling and it allows you to update your model by using the original sketch instead of direct modeling.
I will see you in the next video.
