Working with multiple CAD formats in Fusion 360

A designer in today's world must deal with multiple CAD formats all coming together to accomplish a common goal.  Those formats are wide ranging and take various forms such as, SolidWorks, Catia, Inventor, or Creo to name just a few. Fusion 360 (Fusion) is changing the way we work and here's how. 

Have you ever had a boss or customer change their mind?  Typically when we receive an updated CAD files we would convert it over to a "dumb down" version of the software package we are using.  Then proceed to swap it out of the assembly and constrain it all over again (Of course excluding Inventor and the AnyCAD technology).  Not with Fusion. 

Here we have a spring that was designed in Inventor and while being used in Fusion. 

Once the design is updated in Inventor or other CAD package the file would then be sent back to the Fusion team.

The Fusion team would then simply right click on the design and import the new version of the spring. 

Fusion would then let the team know that the spring has been updated and the design needs to be refreshed.

Below is a list of file formats that Fusion supports and as always I hope this finds you well.

Comments

[Jon]

When you import a new version of a component, do the assembly joints adapt to the new version? Or are they lost? Or do they need to be repaired?

Thanks,
JON

[Anthony Dull]

Hey Jon, In my experience I have great success with the joints updating just fine. Of course if the geometry changed from a cylinder to a square peg you may need to fix them.

Best

~Ant

[Bob Morey]

Hi Anthony, this is going to sound like a dumb question, but I do not see how to open an Inventor file in Fusion. When I start a new design from file, Fusion does not recognize Inventor, or Solidworks files, only STEP, IGES, or Fusion files. Do I need to enable something to start a design from an Inventor file? I have upgraded my Fusion to the latest. Thanks,

[Anthony Dull]

Hey Bob, great question. On the Data Panel within Fusion 360 simply click the "Upload" button and select your Inventor design.