What is CAD?

Computer aided design is the is the use of the computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis or optimisation of a design. CAD software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of the design, improve communication through documentation and to create a database for manufacturing.

What does Parametric design mean?

Parametric design is the process based on algorithmic thinking that enables the expression of parameters and rules that together, define, encode and clarify the relationship between design intent and design response.

How to create a Parametric design with two components on Fusion 360:

Step 1: Change the units to “mm”

Step 2: Right click on “Unsaved” and create a new component and label it “Box”

 

Step 3: Right click on “Unsaved” and create another new component and label it “Lid” (Then activate the Box component)

Step 4: Create sketch and select the base(Lower) panel

Step 5: Click “S” on your keypad and search “Centre Rectangle” and select it. Then click on the centre point and create a rectangle 30mm by 83mm.

Step 6: Click “Q” on the keypad and select the rectangular face and extract it by 38mm.

Step 7: Select “Extent” and change it to “To object” and then type 4mm in the offset column. In turn this is what makes the design “Parametric”, because now you edit the thickness of the wall on one side it will do the same to the rest of the model.

Step 8: Select the 4 inside corners and fillet it by 3mm. Next select the 4 outside edges and fillet by 6mm.

Step 9: Create a circle with a diameter of 15mm on the left side and offset and extrude the circle to make a tube.

Step 10: Next create the same circle on the top end of the model as shown below. Then offset and extrude the circle by the same measurements in step 9. Next “Arc” a circle at the top end and bottom of the model as shown below with a diameter of 5mm. The back ark should run down to the bottom of the model. The front arc should stop at the top of the extruded circle. Finally thread a whole of 4mm in both arcs.

 

How to create a Die on Fusion 360

The images and text below will show you how I created a Die using fusion 360. I have practised several times to find out the most simple and efficient way to complete this process.

Step 1: Create a cube which is 100mm x 100mm x 100mm. To do this select the rectangle tool and create a flat plane 100mm by 100mm as shown below. Then extrude this plane by 100m to create the cube.

Step 2: In this step you want to select the tool called “fillet” and select each edge of the cube. Then fillet them by 10mm.

Step 3: The next step was to create the first side of the die. For this I selected to sketch on any of the faces. For the first side I am going to input 1 circle to resemble the digit 1 just like on a die. Firstly I selected the central circle tool and your mouse when wondering over should lock on to the centre of the square. If not you can count the boxes to find it what the central point is. Here I created a circle with a diameter of 20mm. Next extrude the circle by -2mm.

Step 4: Next I selected the opposite face. This is because the opposite side of the cube should always add up to 7. Using the grid on fusion 360 i placed 6 circles with an equal distance between them just like a real die. Next I held command and selected all 6 circles to extrude them by -2mm at the same time which is more efficient then doing it one by one.

Step 5: Next select any other plane side and I chose to do the number 3 next. So using the grid I evenly placed three circles in a diagonal position just like on a real die as shown in the images below. Next I held command and selected all three circles and extruded them by -2mm.

Step 6: I selected the opposite face to the previous step and placed 4 circles in a equal position to each-other because 3 + 4 = 7. I held command and selected all 4 circles and extruded them by -2mm.

Step 7: Next select one of the two remaining empty sides and insert 5 circles with an equal distance from each-other with one in the centre. All circles must have a diameter of 20mm and then hold command select all 5 circles and extrude them by -2mm.

Step 8: Then I selected the opposite side then step 7 or the last remaining empty plane and placed 2 circles in a diagonal position with an equal distance apart using the grid on fusion 360. Then I selected both circles and extruded them by -2mm.

Final design