Autodesk Fusion ACU cheat sheet

The Application Bar along the top holds the Data Panel toggle, File menu, Save, Undo/Redo, and the workspace switcher; workspaces are Design, Generative Design, Simulation, Manufacture, Drawing, and Render.

The Toolbar changes with the active workspace and context; tools appear only when a valid selection or environment (e.g., Sketch vs. Model) is active.

The Browser (left panel) is a chronological feature tree: bodies, sketches, components, origins, joints, and construction geometry are listed as nodes with visibility and suppression controls.

Document units are set per document under Preferences or the document settings; unit display (mm, cm, m, in, ft) changes numeric entry without rescaling geometry.

A component is a container with its own origin and coordinate system; a body is raw geometry inside a component. Only components participate in assemblies and joints.

Saving writes to the Fusion cloud data hub; local export formats include F3D (native), STEP, IGES, STL, OBJ, and DXF, chosen from the File > Export dialog.

The ViewCube, orbit (middle mouse drag), pan (middle mouse + Shift), and zoom (scroll) control the camera; the navigation bar and marking-menu (right-click) offer the same commands.

Preferences (user name, default units, graphics, auto-save interval, gesture/marking menu) apply per user account, not per document.

Sketches must be created on a plane, planar face, or construction plane; the sketch plane defines the local X/Y axes and the grid.

Sketch geometry becomes fully constrained when all degrees of freedom are removed; the sketch color changes (typically black) and the status shows Fully Constrained.

Constraints include coincident, collinear, concentric, parallel, perpendicular, tangent, horizontal/vertical, equal, midpoint, symmetry, fix, and curvature; constraints are listed in the Sketch Palette.

Dimensions drive geometry; a driving dimension (default) controls size, while a driven (reference) dimension reports size and is shown in parentheses.

Construction geometry (dashed lines) aids sketches but is excluded from profiles used to create features.

A closed profile is required for extrude, revolve, and similar operations; open profiles can be used for thin features or surfaces.

The Trim tool removes sketch segments between intersections; Extend lengthens a curve to the next boundary; Offset creates parallel copies at a set distance.

Sketch patterns (rectangular, circular) and mirror duplicate sketch entities; constraints and dimensions can be copied or omitted depending on settings.

Project (Include 3D Geometry) brings model edges into the sketch as reference or construction lines, linking sketch geometry to model topology.

Create features include Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, Loft, Rib, Web, Hole, and Thread; Modify features include Fillet, Chamfer, Shell, Draft, Combine, Split Body, and Scale.

Extrude options: Distance, Symmetric, Two Sides, To Object, To Next, and All; operation types are Join, Cut, Intersect, New Body, and New Component.

A Joint defines relative motion between components: rigid, revolute, slider, cylindrical, pin-slot, planar, and ball; joint origins and limits control behavior.

As-built joints capture the current relative position without redefining geometry; they are useful for imported assemblies.

Components can be nested; a subassembly is a component containing child components. Bodies within a component share that component's transform.

Pattern types in modeling: rectangular, circular, and along path; faces, features, or bodies can be patterned.

Fillets require a constant or variable radius along an edge; chamfers offer equal distance, two distances, or distance-and-angle.

Shell removes faces and hollows a solid to a specified wall thickness; Draft applies an angle to faces relative to a pull direction.

Drawing workspace creates associative 2D drawings from a model; base, projected, section, detail, and auxiliary views are available.

Drawing views update when the model changes; dimension annotations, balloons, and a title block are added in the Drawing environment.

Render workspace applies appearance materials, scene settings, and lighting; local or cloud rendering produces still images.

Appearances control visual material (color, reflectivity, texture); physical material properties drive mass and simulation, not just appearance.

Export formats: STEP/IGES for solid interchange, STL/OBJ/3MF for 3D printing, DXF for 2D profiles, and F3D for native archival.

The Data Panel manages versions and sharing; a model can be shared with collaborators or exported to a local file.

Section analysis cuts a temporary view to inspect internal geometry without modifying the model; it is a display tool, not a feature.

A Drawing's sheet size and scale are set per sheet; the view scale can differ from the sheet scale when annotated.

A rigid joint locks all six degrees of freedom; a revolute joint allows one rotational DOF; a slider allows one translational DOF.

Joint limits (minimum/maximum) restrict motion; the Animate option previews the motion range.

Contact sets prevent bodies from interpenetrating without defining a joint; they are approximate and computational.

Motion studies and the animation of joints are configured in the Animation workspace.

Interference checking detects overlapping bodies in an assembly and reports the volume of overlap.

Grounding a component fixes it in space; the first component in an assembly is typically grounded.

Joint origins can be redefined after creation; the joint's alignment depends on the selected origins and axes.

The Browser shows joints as nodes; suppressing a joint restores free motion of the connected components.

User parameters are named values usable in dimensions and feature inputs; model parameters are auto-created from features.

A parameter can be a unitless number, a length, an angle, or a string; expressions can reference other parameters.

Changing a driving dimension updates dependent features; failed features appear with an error in the Browser.

The timeline at the bottom of the canvas records feature history; features can be edited, reordered, or suppressed by dragging or right-clicking.

A base feature is created before the timeline and is not parametric; it is used for imported geometry.

Sketch constraints propagate; deleting a constraint may allow geometry to move and break downstream features.

Fully constrained sketches are recommended before extruding to avoid unexpected geometry changes.

Construction planes and axes are parametric references; they can be offset, angled, or created tangent to a face.

The marking menu (right-click hold) provides context commands; gesture support is configurable in Preferences.

Keyboard shortcuts can be assigned to tools; the S key opens the Toolbox search in many configurations.

The navigation bar includes ViewCube, orbit, pan, zoom, and fit; the ViewCube faces align to standard views (front, top, right, etc.).

Selection filters restrict picking to bodies, faces, edges, or sketches; the filter is set in the selection toolbar.

The Browser's visibility toggles (eye icon) hide or show bodies, sketches, and construction geometry without deleting them.

Isolate hides all but selected components for focused work; it is a display state, not a model change.

Themes and color schemes are set in Preferences > General; they affect the UI, not the model.

STEP (AP203/AP214) preserves solid geometry and is widely used for CAD interchange; IGES is older and often surface-based.

STL is a tessellated mesh; resolution (fine/medium/coarse) controls triangle density and file size.

3MF supports color and material data for additive manufacturing; OBJ supports mesh with texture coordinates.

DXF exports 2D sketch or drawing geometry for laser cutting or CNC; layers and units must be set correctly.

Drawings can be exported to PDF or DWG; PDF preserves layout for printing, DWG preserves editable vector data.

The Fusion cloud data hub stores versions; a version can be promoted to a milestone for archival.

A distributed design (external references) links components from other documents; changes propagate on update.

Rendering output resolution and background are set in the Render dialog; local rendering uses the workstation GPU/CPU.

Order features from largest to smallest; fillets and chamfers are typically added late so they do not complicate earlier features.

Avoid filleting edges that will be consumed by later cuts; apply edge treatments after the main form is complete.

Use symmetry where possible; mirror features reduce rebuild time and keep the model lightweight.

Suppress features to troubleshoot rebuild failures; a suppressed feature is excluded from the model but retained in the timeline.

A body can be split with Split Body using a plane, surface, or sketch; the result creates multiple bodies.

Combine joins, cuts, or intersects bodies; the target and tool bodies must be selected explicitly.

Scale uniformly or non-uniformly; non-uniform scaling can distort circles into ellipses and is generally avoided for mechanical parts.

Draft and shell interact: apply draft before shelling when the wall thickness must follow the drafted faces.

A drawing view is associative; moving or editing the model updates the view on rebuild.

Section views use a cutting plane; the hatch pattern and section depth are configurable.

Detail views enlarge a region of a parent view; the boundary is defined by a circle or rectangle.

Dimensions in drawings can be model dimensions (driven by the model) or drawing dimensions (added in the drawing).

Balloons reference item numbers in a parts list; the parts list is generated from the assembly's components.

Title blocks contain document metadata (part number, revision, scale, date); fields can be linked to properties.

Sheet formats can be saved as templates and reused for consistent documentation.

The Simulation workspace sets up static stress, modal, and thermal studies; materials, constraints, and loads are required inputs.

Mesh density affects accuracy and solve time; a finer mesh improves accuracy at higher cost.

The Manufacture workspace creates CAM setups, toolpaths, and post-processed G-code; tool libraries define cutter geometry.

A setup defines the workpiece (stock), coordinate system, and operation type (milling, turning, additive).

Toolpaths are simulated and checked for collisions before post-processing; the post configuration determines the G-code dialect.

A coincident constraint merges endpoints; a midpoint constraint places a point at the center of a line.

A tangent constraint between a line and an arc requires the line to touch the arc at exactly one point.

Equal constraints copy a dimension from one entity to another; changing one changes both.

A fix constraint locks geometry in place; over-constraining occurs when redundant constraints conflict.

Over-constrained sketches show a warning; remove redundant dimensions or constraints to resolve.

The sketch grid and snap settings aid placement but do not create constraints.

Spline handles control curvature; tangent or curvature constraints can smooth transitions between splines and arcs.

Bodies can be moved between components using the Browser drag or the Move/Copy command with a component target.

A component can be activated to edit its contents; the active component is indicated in the Browser.

Bodies can be converted to components or joined into a single body with Combine.

The origin of a component is fixed relative to its geometry; joints reference component origins or selected geometry.

A component can be copied with or without its children; copies can be independent or linked.

Body visibility and component visibility are independent; hiding a component hides its bodies in the viewport.

Visual style options include shaded, shaded with edges, wireframe, and hidden line; the style affects display only.

Environment and ground plane settings change the background and reflections in the viewport and render.

Camera settings include perspective and orthographic; orthographic is used for technical views.

The Render dialog sets output size, quality, and format (PNG, JPEG, TIFF).

Appearances can be applied to bodies, faces, or components; face-level appearances override body-level ones.

Fusion documents are stored in projects and folders in the cloud data hub; access is controlled by project permissions.

Versions are created on each save; the version history can be viewed and restored.

A milestone marks a version that is not automatically purged.

Export creates a local file; the native F3D format preserves the full feature history.

Import supports STEP, IGES, SAT, STL, OBJ, and DXF; imported solids may lack feature history.

Base view: the first view placed, defining orientation and scale for projected views.

Projected view: derived from a base view along an orthogonal direction.

Section view: cuts the model with a plane or sketch line to reveal internal features.

Detail view: a magnified region of an existing view with a boundary and label.

Auxiliary view: projected perpendicular to an inclined face or edge to show true shape.

Break view: removes a portion of a long part to shorten the view while preserving dimension values.

Expressions can include arithmetic operators and functions such as sin, cos, sqrt, and pi.

Units in expressions must be consistent; mixing mm and in requires conversion or unit-aware parameters.

A parameter name must be unique and can be referenced in any dimension field.

Changing a parameter triggers a rebuild of dependent features in timeline order.

A driven dimension cannot drive geometry; converting it to a driving dimension requires removing the conflicting constraint.

Joint limits define the allowed range of motion; the joint stops at the limit during animation.

Drive joints animate a joint through its range for visualization.

Contact sets can approximate collision between bodies but do not replace joints.

Interference detection reports overlapping volumes between selected bodies.

A rigid group treats multiple components as one rigid unit for motion.

The Rectangle tool offers two-point, three-point, and center rectangle variants.

The Circle tool offers center-diameter and two-point circle variants.

The Arc tool offers three-point, center-start-end, and tangent arc variants.

The Polygon tool creates inscribed or circumscribed regular polygons with a specified number of sides.

The Slot tool creates straight, center-to-center, and arc slots.

The Text tool places text as sketch geometry that can be extruded or engraved.

Extrude distance can be a value, a parameter, or a measurement to a selected object.

Revolve requires an axis and a profile; the axis can be a sketch line, edge, or construction axis.

Sweep requires a profile and a path; the profile is swept along the path.

Loft requires two or more profiles; rails and centerlines guide the shape.

Rib creates thin supporting walls from an open sketch; thickness and draft are inputs.

Hole creates simple, counterbore, countersink, and tapped holes with standard sizes.

A sketch plane can be a default origin plane (XY, XZ, YZ), a planar face, or a construction plane.

The sketch's local X and Y axes are defined by the plane; the normal is the sketch's Z direction.

Redefining a sketch plane moves the sketch and its dependent features.

A construction plane can be offset, angled, tangent, or created through points and lines.

Sketch orientation can be flipped to reverse the normal direction.

F3D is the native Fusion archive; it preserves the timeline, parameters, and component structure.

STEP is preferred for solid model exchange between CAD systems.

STL is a mesh format without units or color; it is used for 3D printing.

OBJ is a mesh format that can carry texture coordinates and materials.

DXF is a 2D vector format used for CNC and laser cutting.

PDF is used for drawing distribution and printing; it is not editable CAD geometry.

The Data Panel opens from the Application Bar and shows projects, folders, and documents.

The Browser lists the model structure and provides right-click context menus for each node.

The Toolbar contains the active workspace's tools, grouped into panels such as Create, Modify, and Assemble.

The ViewCube and navigation bar control the camera and standard views.

The Timeline at the bottom shows feature history and allows editing or reordering.

Horizontal and vertical constraints align geometry to the sketch axes.

Parallel and perpendicular constraints control the relationship between two lines.

Concentric aligns the centers of circles or arcs.

Collinear aligns two lines along the same infinite line.

Symmetry mirrors geometry about a selected line.

Curvature (G2) constrains continuity between splines or curves.

Join adds material to an existing body; Cut removes material; Intersect keeps only the overlapping volume.

New Body creates a separate body from the profile; New Component creates a component containing the new body.

Split Body divides a body using a plane, surface, or sketch.

Combine merges multiple bodies with join, cut, or intersect operations.

Move/Copy translates or rotates bodies and can create copies.

Dimensions in drawings can be associative to model geometry or independent drawing dimensions.

Text notes and leaders annotate views with manufacturing or assembly information.

Balloons reference parts list items and can be auto-generated.

The parts list is derived from the assembly's components and their properties.

A title block holds metadata such as part number, revision, and scale.

Appearances define color, reflectivity, and texture for display and rendering.

Physical materials define density, strength, and thermal properties used in analysis.

Scene settings control lighting, background, and environment.

Render output size and quality are set in the Render dialog.

Local rendering uses the workstation; cloud rendering offloads to Autodesk servers.

A component has its own origin and coordinate system and can contain bodies, sketches, and subcomponents.

A body belongs to exactly one component.

Components can be nested to form subassemblies.

The first component in an assembly is typically grounded.

Joints connect components and define their relative motion.

A closed profile is required for solid extrude and revolve operations.

Open profiles can be used for thin extrudes or surface creation.

Multiple profiles can be selected in one feature operation.

Profile selection can include regions bounded by intersecting sketch geometry.

Construction geometry is excluded from profile selection.

The timeline records features in creation order and can be scrolled to a previous state.

Features can be edited, suppressed, or deleted from the timeline.

Reordering features changes the rebuild order and may cause failures.

A base feature is created before the timeline and is not parametric.

Rolling the timeline marker back shows the model at an earlier state.

STEP and IGES are neutral formats for exchanging solid or surface geometry.

SAT (ACIS) is a solid modeling format used by some CAD systems.

STL and OBJ are mesh formats used for 3D printing and visualization.

DXF and DWG are 2D formats used for drawings and CNC.

F3D is the native format that preserves feature history.

Default units for new documents are set in Preferences.

Auto-save interval and recovery settings are configured in Preferences.

Gesture and marking menu support is enabled in Preferences.

Graphics settings control display quality and performance.

Theme and color settings affect the user interface only.