Got to watch a collaborated live class hosted by MakerBot and Fusion360. Jason Lichtman from Autodesk started with a basic overview of Fusion360, describing the many uses it has. Then started talking about the joint and simulation aspects, outlining some of the features and how to use it.
One tool that caught my attention was the As-Built Joint, which defines the movement of two given components. The difference between this and the normal joint tool is that with the As-Built, it takes your components and keeps them in the same position, only defining the directional movement. In contrast, the joint tool requires you to select two contact points where the parts are to align.
He then moved over to talking about Generative design, which I was really excited about. Generative design is a unique feature in Fusion360 that allows you to generate many design iterations by reading defined objects to avoid building. For example, let's say I want to design a bicycle frame; it only has five major points (wheels, handlebar, seat, and pedal setup) that I need to be defined, like a bolt hole to attach a wheel or a flat surface with special features to attach the pedal mechanism. Once I have those areas defined, floating in space independently, I can use the Generative Design feature to create the organic body shape that attaches all those defined areas in specific ways.
When creating a new generative design part, you need to define certain aspects of it; if not, it could place the material in places that don't even make sense. I already mentioned your defined features, but there is another selection where you DONT want material. Let's say you wanted an empty gap between the wheels of your bicycle; you would create a rough block in that space and set it as a "no go" zone. So the program knows not to place any of the finished models in those no-go zones. Additionally, you can create a general design for Fusion to work off by setting up a rough draft of the shape you want it to start from.
What I didn't know about GD (generative design) was that it creates many design iterations for you based on a slew of set parameters. You could have one design generated specifically to lower the weight, another could be for manufacturing capabilities, or another could be based on certain pressure points. Each iteration isn't restricted to just one area; it could be a wild combination of many settings. One of the things that piqued my interest was the manufacturing capabilities. You can set the specific way you plan or are open to making the part you want. For instance, lets say I want my bicycle machined on a 3 or 5 axis CNC mill, 3D printing, injection molding, die cast, or even laser cut on a plasma machine. GD would create a different design iteration for each desired manufacturing outlet, making it very easy to quickly generate your product while knowing it can actually be manufactured.
I don't have the time to go into many more features, but the whole idea behind this is quite amazing!