Intro to CAD with Autodesk Fusion: From Idea to Real-World Part

Intro to Autodesk Fusion: Understanding the Core of Modern CAD

This workshop gives newcomers the practical skills to design real, functional parts from scratch with no prior experience required. We’ll start with the basics of how to think in 3D and then explore the key concepts that determine whether a design actually works in the real world. By the end, you’ll understand the principles that make for strong, clean, reliable models you can 3D print, machine, or use in your own projects.

You’ll learn:

• Sketching the right way: How to use lines, arcs, and profiles effectively and why the sketch is the backbone of every solid model.
• Constraints explained: Horizontal, vertical, coincident, equal, tangent, fixed… what they actually mean, why your geometry keeps jumping around, and how to finally make Fusion behave.
• Parameters & parametric workflows: Setting dimensions properly, creating user parameters, and building models that update cleanly instead of exploding.
• Understanding the timeline: What the timeline is really doing, how features depend on each other, how to reorder or repair a broken model, and when it’s time to roll the timeline back instead of starting over.
• Bodies vs. components: The single biggest beginner confusion - how to decide which you need, how joints work, and how to avoid merging everything into a single uneditable blob.
• Common beginner pain points & how to avoid the: Unintended constraints, missing profiles, broken extrusions, sketches that won’t fully constrain, timeline errors, and more.

This class is a mix of demonstration and hands-on practice. By the end, you’ll understand not just where the buttons are, but the underlying logic that makes CAD work, and you’ll be able to build clean, stable models for printing, machining, electronics enclosures, robotics parts, and anything else you can imagine.

All skill levels are welcome. Beginners encouraged.

FAQs

What can I do with Fusion?

3D CAD models can be used for 3D printing, all sorts of conventional manufacturing, or even to just get the dimensions of something down so it can be made right the first time without trial and error.

Do I need any experience with CAD or Autodesk Fusion?

No. This workshop is designed for complete beginners. If you've never opened a CAD program before, you're exactly who this class is for.

Do I need to bring a laptop?

Yes. Bring a laptop capable of running Autodesk Fusion. Windows and macOS are supported. Tablets and Chromebooks are not recommended.

Is Autodesk Fusion free?

Autodesk offers a free personal-use license for hobbyists and students. We’ll show you how to get set up if you don’t already have it.

Will there be hands-on help?

Yes. This is a small-group, interactive workshop. You’ll get direct guidance as you work through the exercises.

Is this class beginner-friendly?

Absolutely. We assume no background in CAD, engineering, or design.