Project File Structure and Collaboration in Fusion

Project File Structure in Fusion

Overview

  • Purpose of the tutorial: To equip users with the skills to create a digital project, import data, create share links, and collaborate with others in Fusion.

Creating a Project File Structure

  • Setting up Fusion:
  • After setting up, create a new hub, which serves as the folder for all projects.
  • Data Panel:
  • Expand the data panel to see all projects, with pinned projects at the top for quick access.

Creating a New Project

  • Example Project Title: "C ad cert prep".
  • New projects are sorted in alphabetical order, pinning them can keep important projects at the top of the list.
  • Navigating to the Project:
  • Double click on the project to access.

Organizing Your Project

  • **Subfolders Creation:
  • Think about the data types needed for the project: fasteners, purchased parts, etc.
  • Suggested folder structure:
    • 01 Parts
    • 02 Assemblies
    • 03 Drawings

Uploading Data

  • Accessing the Parts Folder:
  • Double click on the "01 Parts" folder and select "upload".
  • Use upload dialog to select files or drag & drop data directly.
  • File Location Verification:
  • Ensure you are uploading files to the correct folder.
  • Selecting Files:
  • Navigate to downloaded data sets and select all relevant files for upload. Most files will be F3D (Fusion archive files) while others, like STEP files, are intermediate CAD formats requiring longer upload times.

Understanding File Formats

  • F3D Files:
  • Main file type for Fusion.
  • Intermediate Formats (e.g., STEP, Parasolid):
  • Uploading may take longer as these require translation before they can be opened.
  • They are treated as "dumb solids" without design history, meaning no features or sketches are included.
  • To capture design history, right-click on the top level and select "capture design history" after importing files.

File Management in the Data Panel

  • Version Information:
  • Each design displays a version number showing how it was created or imported.
  • External References:
  • Understanding F3Z files, which may contain multiple linked F3D files for an assembly.

Collaborating with Others

  • Generating a Share Link:
  • Can be created from the design menu or the right-click option.
  • Allows for sharing access (viewing, saving, and downloading) while remaining external to the design.
  • Inviting Collaborators:
  • Navigate to the "people" tab to manage project team members.
  • Permissions can be customized based on roles (e.g., viewer, editor, admin).
  • Access Management:
  • Changes made in permissions do not cascade automatically to subfolders; thus, permissions must be individually assigned.

Managing Users and their Permissions

  • Notification of Current Users:
  • Active users working on design files can be visualized through their icons represented by initials.
  • File reservations:
  • Locking files helps prevent data overwriting when working in collaborative environments.

Final Steps

  • Ensure that all actions into the Fusion software are saved correctly.
  • Continue to navigate through the tutorial for thorough understanding and best practices in file organization and collaboration.