Hi everyone, we’re thrilled to release Parametric Model Maker v1.0.0, which now includes support for Autodesk Fusion 360 files!
We’ve integrated Fusion 360 to empower the many creators in our community who prefer visual modeling tools over code. This makes it easier for more people to create and share parametric designs.
Our commitment to OpenSCAD remains as strong as ever. We are expanding our focus, not shifting it, and will continue to improve support for both tools while exploring even more integration for the future.
How to use
Prepare F3D file
To make your model customizable, you need to set up its parameters correctly.
Open the Parameters Menu
First, ensure your model has Design History enabled (the timeline at the bottom). Then, go to the MODIFY menu and select Change Parameters.
Once your .f3d file is ready, you can upload it to create the customizable model.
Upload the F3D File
In the Raw Model Files section, upload your prepared .f3d file. Here you can also choose whether to keep the model “Open Source” (allowing others to download your .f3d file) or closed source. Note: If you encounter a timeout error during validation, your model may be too complex for real-time generation. Try simplifying the design in Fusion 360 and re-uploading.
Configure the Customizer
After the file is processed, click the model’s thumbnail to go to the Customize screen. Your favorited parameters will appear on the left.
By default, each parameter is a simple number input. To turn it into a user-friendly slider:
Click the settings icon () next to the parameter name.
In the Input setting dialog, define a Default Value, Minimum, Maximum, and Step Size.
Click Confirm. The input will now be a slider.
You can also click Edit 3MF Profile to control how the model is exported in 3MF format.
Remember to click the Upload button to save the settings.
To provide this Fusion 360 integration, we rely on a third-party API that has an operational cost. To keep this tool sustainable, we may have it consume MakerLab credits in the distant future. This feature is currently free to use. We are already working on ways to minimize these costs, and we are committed to making the feature as affordable as possible if and when we introduce charges.
For now, we just want you to try it out and start creating!
Chinese Version 中文版本
Chinese Version 中文版本
大家好。Parametric Model Maker v1.0.0 版本现已发布，本次更新增加了对 Autodesk Fusion 360 文件的支持。
To showcase this new feature, @benjaminkott has contributed an excellent example: a customizable stackable storage box. Thank you for sharing it with the community! Feel free to try it out:
This is so awesome! Haven’t expected this feature so soon (or at all). This means I don’t have to translate all my existing f3d models into scad anymore.
It’s great feature however is there any option to controll 3mf file that this generator creates ? I have more complicated model and users will have to split model to different plates by them selfs.
As far as my information goes, it´s currently not supported. But is something the development team is looking into. We also modified my sources to avoid using components for now, so it´s missing the dividers and label plate for now in the customizer.
Thanks for implementing this! I will probably try this out this week, as I have been waiting to design a customizable thing or two, but I didn’t really want to look into OpenSCAD. This is probably much simpler.
I think that depends on your model, some features are hard to make available in fusion as there are no real conditions available. So I think there is a lot of value in learning OpenScad.
On my profile, I have a few Fusion 360 models. I’ve been updating the ‘QR Code Stand’ model to make the QR code creation process (and its stand) fully customizable via the web.
So now I have:
QR Code Generator (OpenSCAD model already customizable through the MakerWorld web interface)
QR Code Stand (Fusion 360 model now customizable through the MakerWorld web interface)
I tried this quickly with an existing file of mine but it didnt seem to pick up all the parameters. Namely this one “UNumber” which drives a pattern doesnt appear when trying to configure on makerworld. Does it not get picked up properly if its unitless or something like that?
I made a simple example to test, and it seems the same problem again - cannot pickup a unitless parameter that was intended for number of pattern repeats. (or perhaps this just isnt supported?)
In this case missing the parameter “PatternNumber”
I would be too afraid to try this, as I have one of the few models that likely stress Fusion360’s computations with parameter changes. Nonetheless, it’s really cool to see this being implemented and would be helpful for new designs going forward.
Looks like I can fudge my way around the dimensionless parameter by making it have mm units, then dividing by mm when I make use of it in the pattern. Not ideal though!
This is remarkable! I never figured out scad maybe because i cant code, but i can parametric model with fusion. This just opens up a whole bunch of new concepts.
Great… Is there any plans to do the same for Solidworks files??? Solidworks uses an almost identical parameters menu, but I am unsure what third party API is needed to make this work.
You’re better than me. I started learning OpenSCAD and bailed after a couple of days. Just decided to include instructions in the description of the print instead.
Question is, does this still have the fusion360 restrictions on free and commercial use? And how many models will become subject to fusion360’s rules for the Free usage.
This is what I asked for when the support for OpenSCAD came out. It makes sense since more designers use Fusion.
Even though I can code, the time to learn and use openSCAD can be used on other things. Please keep improving it, even if one needs to pay for using it in the future.
) for each parameter you want users to control. Only favorited parameters will be used.
) next to the parameter name.
