Week 7

 Computer-Aided Drawing and Design

This week, we were taught the basics of using Autodesk Fusion 360. In order to do this, we were guided through a step-by-step tutorial to make a small name tag with our own name on it with a set of instructions that illustrated the different useful tools in Fusion 360.

The functions of Fusion 360 we were taught were as follows:

• Sketch - The sketch function is where we draw out the product that we want to create. We use various shape tools such as circles, rectangles, or just lines to do the sketching on a two-dimensional plane. We can draw the shape or line roughly, then type in the exact dimension we want the line, radius of the circle or edge of the shape to be.

Figure 7.1: Photo of sketching interface

• Offset - This function is used to create the same shape, either smaller or larger, that will be sketched concentrically (i.e. with the same centre) as the sketch we used the function on. This is useful in making borders of a product (such as the outer, thicker border of our nametag.

• Fillet - The purpose of this tool is to round corners to a specified radius. For example, instead of having a sharp, 90-degree corner for a rectangle, you can use the fillet tool to make the corner rounded to remove sharp corners in your product that could be dangerous.

Figure 7.2: Photo of filleted corner compared to normal corners

• Extrude - This is the function that makes a two-dimensional sketch become a three-dimensional one. We do so by selecting the surface we want to become three-dimensional, then either dragging the arrow to the desired thickness or typing it into the field.

Figure 7.3: Photo of extruding interface

Learning About Constraints

Aside from the basics of computer-aided drawing, we were also taught some useful tools that make sketching a lot easier as they help with the alignment of different drawing elements.

• Vertical/Horizontal - This constraint is pretty self-explanatory :P this constraint is used to ensure that lines drawn are perfectly horizontal/vertical and follow the grid of the plane.
• Coincident - This is used to ensure that two elements lie on a common point in the plane. For example, the centre of a circle can be placed exactly at the end of the line by making it coincident on the line.
• Tangent - A line is a tangent to a circle when it touches at exactly one point that is perpendicular to the radius. This constraint helps with doing so for the sketch.
• Concentric - A very useful tool for making hollow cylinders, this constraint ensures that a circle drawn has the exact same centre point as another circle selected.

The following are not under the "Constraints" section of the sketching interface but are useful tools we made use of nonetheless.

• Mirror - Found under the "Create" section, this function is used to mirror any sketches made along a selected line of symmetry, which is usually placed before using this tool as a non-construction line.
• Trim - Found in the "Modify" section, this tool is used to trim any parts of a line or shape that is beyond the point selected and away from the main body of the sketch. An example for this would be used in conjunction with the tangent tool from earlier, the parts of the line that are beyond the point where the line touches the circle can be trimmed off.

Photo Frame Task

This week, we were tasked to design a photo frame of a few parts, namely the back piece to hold in the photo, the spacer where the photo sits, the transparent sheet and the front piece that ties the photo frame look together. Each member of our group has been tasked to design the pieces in Fusion 360 (some steps of which were used for Figures 7.1 to 7.3 above!) Figure 7.4 below shows our final product and a quick sketch of all the parts together. 

Figure 7.4: Four pieces made along with a sketch of the final product

And that wraps up our learning for week 7! :)