Fusion 360

Fusion 360 is our platform of choice for product design and mechanical modelling work where cloud-based collaboration and integrated CAM workflows offer a practical advantage — particularly for smaller manufacturers and product development teams who benefit from its lower infrastructure overhead compared to traditional desktop-installed mechanical CAD.

Parametric modelling in Fusion 360 follows the same principles we apply across mechanical platforms generally — clean feature history, models built to be edited later rather than just to look correct now, and assemblies constrained deliberately rather than just enough to display correctly.

Manufacturing drawing production from a Fusion 360 model integrates naturally with the platform's CAM capabilities where a client's workflow extends from design directly into CNC programming, keeping the design and manufacturing preparation connected within a single environment.

Fusion 360's cloud-based version history and collaboration tools support a genuinely distributed design review process, letting a client's team comment directly on a model iteration without needing matching desktop software installed, which is a practical advantage for smaller teams or startups without an established CAD infrastructure.

For product development teams iterating quickly through multiple design concepts, Fusion 360's timeline-based feature history makes it straightforward to branch and compare design variations without maintaining several fully separate files, provided the underlying model structure is built with that iteration in mind from early in the process.

Generative design tools available within Fusion 360, where a client wants to explore this approach, work best against a clearly defined set of load cases, constraints and manufacturing method restrictions provided upfront — the quality of a generative design outcome depends heavily on how well these inputs are defined, and we work with your engineering team to establish them properly before running a generative study.

Fusion 360's integrated simulation tools support early-stage design validation without needing to export geometry to a separate analysis package, which is a practical advantage during rapid concept iteration, though we're clear with clients about the difference between an early indicative simulation and a fully validated engineering analysis suitable for final sign-off.

Sheet metal design within Fusion 360 follows the same production-ready discipline we apply across every mechanical platform — bend allowances calibrated against your actual press brake and material, producing flat patterns ready for nesting rather than requiring manual correction once they reach the shop floor.

Assembly modelling for products with a significant number of purchased or off-the-shelf components benefits from sourcing accurate supplier models where available, rather than modelling every fastener and hardware item from scratch, which keeps the overall assembly both accurate and efficient to build and maintain.

For teams new to parametric CAD generally, not just Fusion 360 specifically, we take extra care in early projects to establish a feature history and modelling approach that will genuinely support future design changes, since a model built without this discipline from the outset becomes progressively harder to edit as a design matures.

Fusion 360's browser-based and desktop access options both suit different working styles, and we structure deliverables to work smoothly regardless of which access mode a specific team member on your side prefers to use day to day.

For product teams evaluating whether Fusion 360 or a traditional desktop-installed platform better suits their workflow, we're happy to advise honestly based on your team's actual collaboration style and infrastructure, rather than defaulting to a recommendation that happens to suit our own preference.

Data management within Fusion 360's cloud-based project structure benefits from a clear folder and naming convention established early, since a cloud environment without this discipline can become just as disorganised as a poorly managed local file server, despite the platform's collaborative advantages.