Fusion 360

[Will_D]

Somewhere on't'net I got the idea that Fusion 360 (from Autodesk) is free to hobbyists!

Can anyone confirm this as i am sure I can't afford the monthly rental!

[Joules]

 It's free Will.

[efrench]

You have to do the 30 days trial first, then you'll have the option to select which version/payment you want.  For a company or individual making less then $100,000, it can be free.  The free version is the same as the Ultimate or top level version.

[SwarfnStuff]

All true, but you do need a 4bit machine and alas I have 32bit on both my desk and laptop PCs. 
    In fact nearly, if not all software now seems to need 64bit and not backward compatible. I cannot accept files from those in my model engineering club using newer software as they cannot save back to the Chalk and Slate versions.   
   Of course, as with most things, spending more money would cure that problem. But like most of us I guess, those pesky $$ are not growing on the tree in our back yard. Not in mine  anyway.

   John B

[JohnC]

I have the free version of Fusion 360 and, as far as I know, have completed the registration process.  I cannot find a way to print 2D drawings.  There has been considerable discussion on the help forums about this with no solution last time I looked. Can anyone on here print 2D drawings with the free version?
John

[Spurry]

.....  I cannot find a way to print 2D drawings.  There has been considerable discussion on the help forums about this with no solution last time I looked. Can anyone on here print 2D drawings with the free version?
John

John
Whilst I understand that you cannot Print your drawings in 2D, does this also mean they cannot be Saved As a 2D drawing? My requirement is for a *.DXF file for my machine, and just wondered if any of these 3D programs can simply output a 2D file in that format.
Thanks
Pete

[JohnC]

HI Pete,
The short answer is I don't know!  I will have a look and see. 
John

[NeoTech]

To print 2D drawings you need to create a drawing from the model file. Or export it as a DXF and print that works as well.

[JohnC]

Thanks Neo - after posting the above I went back try to find DXF files - no joy, but I did find the 'Output' tab which means I can produce a pdf or dwg file, which I can print. So a worthwhile exercise!  How do you create DXF files?

[Joules]

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/design-validate-document/how-to-export-fusion-360-drawing-files-into-autocad-dwg-or-dxf/td-p/6486485

[efrench]

2d drawings and sketches are different beasts in Fusion 360.  2d drawings allow you to present the work as a technical drawing, but all you can do with it is print, which is done by exporting it as a .pdf file.  Sketches can be exported as .dxf, but only as one layer.  If you have multiple sketches, then each one needs to be exported.  You also lose all of the dimension labels in the dxf.  To export a sketch as a .dxf, just right click on the sketch in the Browser and select the Export as dxf menu item.

I still use my 2d cad program quite a bit as I've been using it for 20 odd years, so I do quite a bit of importing and exporting dxfs.  I don't do 2d drawings because I either generate gCode for my CNC router or a .stl file for the 3d printer.  Here's a GT2-5mm 180 tooth pulley that's ready to be printed:

[JohnC]

That's very useful information, 'efrench', thanks for posting.
John

[Will_D]

My interest in Fusion 360 was not so much that it was a free CAD program but that it also supported CAM.

My definitions are:

CAD: Ideas to .dxf files

CAM: .dxf files to g-code

So what does Fusion 360 do? Can it generate g-code?

Do I still need CUR-2D or CUT-3D (which I can afford?

[woodguy]

Yes is offers CAM and 5 axis at that. Some of the terminology used in F360 differs from what is used elsewhere, but it doesn't take that long to get used to it and it has excellent toolpath options.
I've been experimenting with the CAM using imported models and thinking about investing the time to learn the CAD portion of the program. It is sufficiently different from what I have been using that there would need to be a substantial investment of time to become proficient.