Master Text Creation in Fusion 360

Master Text Creation in Fusion 360

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Understanding the Text Command in Fusion 360 2.1 Activating the Text Command 2.2 Selecting the Text Position 2.3 Defining Characters and Text Styling 2.4 Changing the Text Height 2.5 Rotating the Text 2.6 Styling the Text 2.7 Flipping the Text Direction 2.8 Choosing Fonts 2.9 Exploding Text 2.10 Editing Text and Styles
3. Working with Text in Fusion 360 3.1 Extruding Text 3.2 Cutting Text from 3D Geometry 3.3 Using Custom Fonts 3.4 Wrapping Text Around Objects
4. Conclusion

Understanding the Text Command in Fusion 360

The text command in Fusion 360 is a powerful tool that allows users to add text to their designs. Whether it's for adding labels, logos, or annotations, the text command offers a range of options for customizing and manipulating text within the design environment. In this article, we will explore the various features and functionalities of the text command in Fusion 360, helping you to master this tool and enhance your design capabilities.

Activating the Text Command

To access the text command in Fusion 360, you can either navigate to the sketch dropdown list or right-click on a sketch to access the sketch menu. Once activated, you will be prompted to select the origin plane or a pre-existing face or geometry as the location for your text. For now, let's select the XZ origin plane as our starting point.

Selecting the Text Position

After selecting the location for the text, you will be presented with a dialog box where you can define the characters and text styling. Simply click on the origin point or any desired position on the canvas window to specify the text position. It's important to note that you cannot directly type the text in the canvas window itself; it has to be inputted in the text dialog box.

Defining Characters and Text Styling

In the text dialog box, you can type out the desired characters for your text. For example, let's type "Product Design Online" as our text. Once entered, you have the option to style the text according to your preferences.

Changing the Text Height

One important aspect of text styling is defining the height of the text. It's worth noting that the height refers to the text boundary box, rather than the actual height of the characters. By adjusting the height value, you can control the size of the text along with its boundary box. Experiment with different heights to achieve the desired result.

Rotating the Text

The text command also allows you to rotate the text to any desired angle. You can either use the slider or manually input a specific degree to rotate the text. This feature comes in handy when you need to position the text at an angle or align it with other design elements.

Styling the Text

Fusion 360 provides options for making the text bold, italicized, or underlined. You can choose any combination of these styles to enhance the visual impact of your text. Simply check the desired style options in the text dialog box.

Flipping the Text Direction

In some cases, you may need to reverse the text horizontally or vertically. This option is particularly useful for situations like 3D printing stamps, where the text needs to be flipped. Fusion 360 allows you to easily flip the text in the desired direction with a simple selection.

Choosing Fonts

When it comes to selecting fonts, Fusion 360 offers a wide range of options. You can click on the drop-down selection in the text dialog box and choose from various font styles. There are even single line fonts available, which are specifically designed for tools like lasers and milling machines that require a single path to follow.

Exploding Text

In Fusion 360, exploding text refers to the process of outlining the characters with available sketch geometry. This allows for further manipulation of the text, such as extruding or cutting it from 3D geometry. To explode the text, simply right-click on it and select "Explode Text" from the options. This automatically creates sketch geometry based on the characters and chosen fonts.

Editing Text and Styles

Once you have exploded the text, it becomes sketch geometry, and you can edit it accordingly. However, it's important to note that once you have exploded the text, you cannot go back and edit the text characters or their styles. So, make sure to finalize the text and its styling before exploding it.

Working with Text in Fusion 360

Now that you have a solid understanding of the text command in Fusion 360, let's explore how you can work with text within the software. You can extrude the text to give it depth or cut it away from existing 3D geometry. Fusion 360 also allows you to use custom fonts by installing them on your machine. However, it's worth mentioning that there is currently no native way to wrap text around an object. Hopefully, this is a feature that will be added in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the text command in Fusion 360 offers a range of features and functionalities to add and manipulate text within your designs. From customizing text styling to extruding and cutting it from 3D geometry, Fusion 360 provides a comprehensive set of tools for enhancing your design workflow. While there are certain limitations, such as the inability to wrap text around objects, Fusion 360 remains a powerful software for incorporating text into your designs.