Fusion 360 - How to Change One Instance of a Component Pattern?

How do you change only one instance of a component pattern?
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0:00 Intro
0:39 Top down design scenario
3:48 Bottom up design scenario

[@baconlube]

Autodesk needs to be paying you. Excellent work!

[@3dhobbee]

Bookmarking this…Thanks!

[@Sevetamryn]

To my understanding: Copy / Paste New a component makes a complete copy of the component, including Sketches, breaking up and downstream. Copy / Past a Body from one component to a new component keeps the link to the sketch in source component. Therefore edits on the original sketch will propagate to the copied body.

[@danballarin]

I would have tried the "break link" option too, however I really appreciate seeing more than one way to do something. I didn't even know about the 2nd option you proposed! Thank you!

[@Fusion360School]

Hi, I did try to use the break link option. However, in this case, it threw up an error, saying that the selected component is associated with a pattern.

[@bradnelson3595]

Yes, on that last copied-in component, there was no downstream change when editing the original...at least the one time I tried it.

[@stefanguiton]

Excellent tip

[@jackskalski3699]

Love your videos. This video is 1 year old, is this somehow supported officially by now ?

[@zencow]

At 5:37, I think the recommended method to independently modify an imported component is to choose "Break Link". I believe you will (by design) not get any downstream changes of the original component at this point, but you will be able to edit the component without affecting the original. Another interesting option to look at is "Choose Version", which allows you to pick which saved version you wish to use. This would potentially create a bit of a part management nightmare, but you *could* change a component to use a previously saved variant of a design, instead of making separate saved files for each variant (maybe ok, if you only need to do it once). ;)

[@Fusion360School]

Hi, I did try to use the break link option. However, in this case, it threw up an error, saying that the selected component is associated with a pattern. Interesting advice on "choose version". Will need to try this out. As you mentioned, file management might not be easy!

[@zencow]

​@@Fusion360School Thanks for the report on Break Link with a Pattern of Components. That introduces some limitations! I suppose the manufacturing world uses separate parts with different part numbers for components that vary even in minor details (e.g. length, number of threads, or mounting hole count/spacing, etc...). Variations would have to be a built-in concept, so that Parameters could define part numbers/names of imported components as well as the variations in a base component design to eliminate the need of maintaining variations manually. Each component would need its own Parameter page for any (optional) value overrides. Even in the Electronics Design part of the program, it's very annoying (to me) that all the variations of something as simple as through-hole header pins are separately created parts, which are not consistently designed in the base libraries. These are auto-generated, yet, since they are likely created at different times, perhaps by different people, details like pin length or color don't match across the entire range of parts, where only the count should differ. I hope the folks at Autodesk think about this problem of variations and work out a decent solution.

[@Fusion360School]

@@zencow Configurations have been a much asked for feature. Hopefully, it will come soon.

[@NorMaker3d]

Good trick on the second part!! I thought about inserting the model as a component, and then the same one as a Derive to be modified, but it is not supported...😢 That would be a good way to keep downstream changes.

[@Fusion360School]

I completely forgot about the derive function! Will need to do some testing.

[@TrippyLighting]

Don't use copy/paste to copy the bodies geometry. Use the boundary fill operation. If you ask I'll tell you why ;-)

[@Fusion360School]

Hi, please do tell! By the way, are you TrippyLighting from the Autodesk Forum?

[@TrippyLighting]

@@Fusion360School Yes, that is my user name on the Fusion 360 forum. The problem with the copy/paste feature is that it cannot be edited. So lets say you have to perform a surfacing operation on the original geometry and then have to stitch that back into a solid. That solid now has a different internal ID. So the copy paste featutr later in the timeline turns yellow as it still references the original internal ID of that objec.. As you can't edit it to re-select and thus refer to the new ID of the geometry/object, you can only delete it and re-create all operations that were based on the copy/paste geometry. The boundary fill feature on the other hand can be edited and allows you to re-select the geometry.

[@Fusion360School]

@@TrippyLighting Wow, thank you, this is good to know. Also, I have never thought of using boundary fill that way. I just went to perform a boundary fill on a cylinder and it does work! In the past, I would only use boundary fill for voids or intersecting volumes. I am glad that you have stumbled upon my videos. I do frequently read the forum posts. I always pay close attention to yours. From your posts, it is quite obvious that you have great expertise in surfacing. If you don't mind, please do look at my other videos as well. Looking forward to your advice!

[@petr4720]

Hi, nice tutorials. I have one question. If you make let say 10 boxes as rec. pattern . Its possible to rotate those boxes as pattern in one axe with some step angle ? . I can do that, but i need to click on each box and set angle and axe by hand . Thanks for any tip

[@Moronicsmurf]

So how do you do this for a patterned feature?

[@Fusion360School]

Patterned features don't behave the same way as components. Changing an instance of a patterned feature will not affect other instances.

[@sidrykchewo]

Thanks! On a slightly different topic but related to components: is it possible to replace several instances at once with another component? Say, replace all M4x10 screws with M4x15 screws. I really miss this kind of function. In other apps instances or symbols etc. can easily be replaced with another instance. In f360, when you replace the body within the component, you end losing the joint since the constrain is related to the bodies (say midpoint). Any idea?

[@Fusion360School]

I am not aware of a method to mass replace components. Maybe the forum might be a good place to search or ask. Also, when it comes to joints, I am pretty much a novice. I'm afraid I won't be of much help here.

[@billyjoelization]

I just want a break link button on everything. Having to do things in fusion by copying and pasting new when I already have the exact thing in the design is stupid.

[@batmansmk]

This trick doesnt work for me.