Fusion 360 Cheat Sheet
A quick reference for designing parts in Autodesk Fusion 360. This is the handout from the Fusion 360 Basics class; see Classes and Instructors: Fusion 360 Basics for the class itself.
The core workflow
This is the process you will repeat for almost everything you build:
- Sketch a 2D shape on a plane or face.
- Extrude it into 3D (add material).
- Sketch on a face of your 3D object.
- Cut to remove material (extrude inward).
- Fillet to round edges and finish.
- Repeat steps 3 to 5 to add detail.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| S | Search bar (find any tool by name) |
| L | Line |
| C | Circle |
| R | Rectangle |
| D | Sketch Dimension |
| E | Extrude |
| F | Fillet |
| Q | Push/Pull |
| M | Move/Copy |
| Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z | Undo |
Tip: press S and type the name of any tool. It is the fastest way to find anything.
Mouse navigation
| Action | Control |
|---|---|
| Orbit | Middle mouse button |
| Pan | Shift + middle mouse button |
| Zoom | Scroll wheel |
| Reset view | Click the house icon on the view cube (top right) |
Practice project: phone stand
The class project. Dimensions are included so you can rebuild it at home.
Step 1: Base
- Create Sketch on the XZ plane (the floor).
- Draw a Rectangle: 70 mm x 80 mm.
- Finish Sketch.
- Extrude (Symmetric): 10 mm.
Step 2: Back support
- Create Sketch on the back face (the 70 mm x 10 mm face).
- Draw a Rectangle from the top-left corner: 70 mm wide x 60 mm tall.
- Finish Sketch.
- Extrude: 10 mm (away from the base).
Step 3: Phone slot
- Create Sketch on the top face of the base.
- Draw a Rectangle: 50 mm x 4 mm, positioned 5 mm from the back wall.
- Finish Sketch.
- Extrude as Cut: -8 mm (leaves a 2 mm floor).
Step 4: Fillet
- Select Fillet (or press F).
- Click the top edges of the back support; radius 5 mm.
- Optionally fillet the bottom edges of the base: 3 mm.
Dimensions reference
| Feature | Size |
|---|---|
| Base | 70 x 80 x 10 mm |
| Back support | 70 x 60 x 10 mm |
| Phone slot | 50 x 4 mm, 8 mm deep cut |
| Fillets | 5 mm (top), 3 mm (bottom) |
Stuck? Check here first
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Can't see my sketch | Click the Home icon on the view cube |
| Extrude is grayed out | Click Finish Sketch first |
| Extrude didn't cut | Undo, redo the extrude, and change Operation to Cut |
| Sketch lines are still blue | Add dimensions to fully constrain the sketch (it still works if you don't) |
| Can't select a face | Zoom in and hover until the face highlights, not an edge |
| Model disappeared | Check the eye icons in the Browser panel (left side) |
What to learn next
- Components: organizing multi-part models.
- User Parameters: named variables for dimensions.
- Patterns: repeating features in circles or grids.
- STL Export: File, Export, STL, so you can 3D print your design.
Resources
- Product Design Online (YouTube): beginner-friendly Fusion 360 tutorials.
- r/Fusion360: a Reddit community for questions and inspiration.
- The makerspace: come in and practice, and ask in #general on Discord if you get stuck.