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Explore options for understanding how an assembly is structured.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
6 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
Fusion provides several ways to inspect an assembly to identify interferences and to better understand how it was created.
00:11
These include tools for measuring, showing references between components and joints, and finding the center of mass of an assembly.
00:19
As you use these options, you can also control the view by isolating components
00:24
and by adjusting the opacity and selectability of components.
00:28
On the Design workspace toolbar, Solid tab, click Inspect > Measure.
00:35
The Measure tool enables you to measure distances between faces to better understand the size of the components,
00:41
measure angles, and evaluate additional dimensions.
00:45
For example, in this design, you can find the overall height of the housing by selecting the top surface,
00:52
then rotating the view and selecting the bottom surface.
00:56
Close the Measure tool.
00:59
Click Inspect again and select Interference to check for complications in the assembly.
01:04
You can select individual components or use window selection options to group components.
01:10
Click Compute to calculate interferences and open the results in a new dialog.
01:16
While many of the interferences that come up will be simple issues,
01:20
such as bolt threads that do not quite align with the hole, in this example, there is one more significant interference.
01:27
Here, Spacer 2 interferes with Vane 1, resulting in a significant overlap of nearly 469 cubic millimeters.
01:36
Click OK to close the dialog.
01:39
Now that you have identified the interference, you can use the Section Analysis tool to locate it.
01:45
From the Inspect menu, select Section Analysis.
01:49
Select a face and then use the arrow manipulator to drag a section through the model.
01:54
As you drag the section plane, you can visually identify where the spacer and vane components overlap, enabling you to address this issue.
02:03
Click OK to save the section analysis to the Browser for later use.
02:08
From here, you can hide and restore its visibility as required.
02:13
To access another useful examination tool, select a component, then right-click and choose Select Referencing Joints.
02:21
This shows the joints connected to the component.
02:24
Expand the Joints folder to see which joints reference the selected component.
02:29
For example, you might see two or more different joints referencing a single component.
02:34
You can also work in reverse.
02:37
Select a joint, then right-click and choose Select Components.
02:43
This highlights the relevant components, both on the canvas and in the Browser, making it easy to identify connections.
02:51
While working in the assembly, there may be times when you want to see a component but prevent it from interfering with your selections.
02:58
For this, you have several options.
03:02
One option is to adjust the opacity of the component.
03:05
For example, select and then right-click the Housing, select Opacity Control, then change the level to 30%.
03:15
With reduced opacity, the component remains selectable, but you can click through it to select other items like faces, edges, or geometries.
03:24
If needed, you can change the selectability of a component by right-clicking it and selecting Selectable/Unselectable.
03:31
This enables you to select through the component to manipulate items or to actuate the assembly.
03:37
To make the component selectable again, right-click it and choose Selectable/Unselectable.
03:44
Another way to control the view is by isolating a component that you want to focus on.
03:49
Right-click the upper vane assembly component and select Isolate.
03:54
This hides the visibility of all other components.
03:58
To restore the view, right-click the same component and select Unisolate,
04:03
or right-click and select Unisolate All at the top level to show all components as they were before.
04:09
Finally, there is a tool for finding the center of mass for an assembly.
04:14
Expand the Inspect menu and select Center of Mass.
04:19
Select everything on the canvas, and then click OK.
04:23
Once the center of mass is calculated, it is shown in the model for visual reference,
04:28
enabling you to assess its position relative to the assembly.
04:32
The center of mass calculation is also saved in the Analysis folder and can be hidden or made visible as needed.
Video transcript
00:03
Fusion provides several ways to inspect an assembly to identify interferences and to better understand how it was created.
00:11
These include tools for measuring, showing references between components and joints, and finding the center of mass of an assembly.
00:19
As you use these options, you can also control the view by isolating components
00:24
and by adjusting the opacity and selectability of components.
00:28
On the Design workspace toolbar, Solid tab, click Inspect > Measure.
00:35
The Measure tool enables you to measure distances between faces to better understand the size of the components,
00:41
measure angles, and evaluate additional dimensions.
00:45
For example, in this design, you can find the overall height of the housing by selecting the top surface,
00:52
then rotating the view and selecting the bottom surface.
00:56
Close the Measure tool.
00:59
Click Inspect again and select Interference to check for complications in the assembly.
01:04
You can select individual components or use window selection options to group components.
01:10
Click Compute to calculate interferences and open the results in a new dialog.
01:16
While many of the interferences that come up will be simple issues,
01:20
such as bolt threads that do not quite align with the hole, in this example, there is one more significant interference.
01:27
Here, Spacer 2 interferes with Vane 1, resulting in a significant overlap of nearly 469 cubic millimeters.
01:36
Click OK to close the dialog.
01:39
Now that you have identified the interference, you can use the Section Analysis tool to locate it.
01:45
From the Inspect menu, select Section Analysis.
01:49
Select a face and then use the arrow manipulator to drag a section through the model.
01:54
As you drag the section plane, you can visually identify where the spacer and vane components overlap, enabling you to address this issue.
02:03
Click OK to save the section analysis to the Browser for later use.
02:08
From here, you can hide and restore its visibility as required.
02:13
To access another useful examination tool, select a component, then right-click and choose Select Referencing Joints.
02:21
This shows the joints connected to the component.
02:24
Expand the Joints folder to see which joints reference the selected component.
02:29
For example, you might see two or more different joints referencing a single component.
02:34
You can also work in reverse.
02:37
Select a joint, then right-click and choose Select Components.
02:43
This highlights the relevant components, both on the canvas and in the Browser, making it easy to identify connections.
02:51
While working in the assembly, there may be times when you want to see a component but prevent it from interfering with your selections.
02:58
For this, you have several options.
03:02
One option is to adjust the opacity of the component.
03:05
For example, select and then right-click the Housing, select Opacity Control, then change the level to 30%.
03:15
With reduced opacity, the component remains selectable, but you can click through it to select other items like faces, edges, or geometries.
03:24
If needed, you can change the selectability of a component by right-clicking it and selecting Selectable/Unselectable.
03:31
This enables you to select through the component to manipulate items or to actuate the assembly.
03:37
To make the component selectable again, right-click it and choose Selectable/Unselectable.
03:44
Another way to control the view is by isolating a component that you want to focus on.
03:49
Right-click the upper vane assembly component and select Isolate.
03:54
This hides the visibility of all other components.
03:58
To restore the view, right-click the same component and select Unisolate,
04:03
or right-click and select Unisolate All at the top level to show all components as they were before.
04:09
Finally, there is a tool for finding the center of mass for an assembly.
04:14
Expand the Inspect menu and select Center of Mass.
04:19
Select everything on the canvas, and then click OK.
04:23
Once the center of mass is calculated, it is shown in the model for visual reference,
04:28
enabling you to assess its position relative to the assembly.
04:32
The center of mass calculation is also saved in the Analysis folder and can be hidden or made visible as needed.
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