Autodesk Fusion 4+

This is a review for both the desktop and mobile app for Fusion360. They are both great, the iOS app being a simple viewer only, where you can make markups in pen, but can't edit the design fully, you do this via the desktop. The iOS app has been a great tool to present projects in my iPad to clients. The desktop app is fully functional CAD CAM tool, that I learned to use in about 2 weeks using the Autodesk learning videos. I am using it to interface with architects and clients, who also use Revit, so anything I make in F360 plugs straight in. Having tried Rhino, Solidworks, and OnShape, I have found F360 to be the most fully functional and intuitive to use. Having my designs and all related files (PDFs, images, docs) embedded with each project group and synced (successfully!) on the cloud is simply amazing. Great product, very happy. I also needed support at one point for an error message, I posted a query on the F360 forum and got an official and thorough Autodesk solution nearly immediately, so that was a real selling point for me--support for issues quickly and completely. One VERY happy customer!

The provision of a free licence for hobbyists is an outstanding offer.
I use Fusion to design parts for my model railways. I use the desktop for design and I am then able to show my colleagues the progress on the app on my iPhone and to add any comments.
I find the “joints” function really useful to simulate hinges and gas struts for the major openings on the outdoor railway.

The “how to” videos are particularly useful when I find a limitation - it is usually my understanding rather than Fusion that is the limitation.

I have a personal account and have been using Fusion 360 for several years and there is very little functionality that is missing for my type of usage. The design history timeline and parametric modelling are particularly powerful. The ability to access designs from the app has proved very useful in the workshop where I can obtain model dimensions that I may have missed off the 2D drawing.

There’s a lot to learn but fortunately there’s plenty of online support to answer those ‘How do I …’ questions.

The only reason for missing a five star review is Autodesk’s apparent strategy of progressively limiting the personal licence over the years. Each free student licence is a free advert for Fusion 360 in the business the student will ultimately work in, but they are sailing close to the wind on the amount of functionality that hooks those potential product champions.