3D Printing Essentials Usage Instructions

  1. Run Autodesk® Fusion®
  2. Run this Add-In
  3. Create a component in the Design workspace or open a Fusion design that contains a component.

Table of Contents

Design Workspace

Manufacture Workspace

Design Workspace

Add Parts

3D Print Panel > Scripts > Add Parts
  1. Click the Add Parts command to open a file selection dialog.
  2. Select one or more CAD, mesh, or Fusion files to import:
    • CAD Files: STEP (.step, .stp), SAT (.sat), IGES (.iges, .igs)
    • Mesh Files: STL (.stl), OBJ (.obj), 3MF (.3mf)
    • Fusion Files: Fusion Design (.f3d)
  3. Files will be imported into the active design. When importing many files, a progress dialog shows which part is being processed and can be cancelled; files already imported are kept.
Note: Import behavior can be customized in the Settings dialog:
  • Parametric Import: When enabled, CAD and mesh imports are recorded in the design timeline. F3D imports are not affected by this setting.
  • Mesh Repair: Repairs mesh files during import using Fusion's One Touch Fix. Choose Off to never repair imported meshes, Damaged meshes only to repair meshes that are not closed, not oriented, or have no volume, or All meshes to repair every imported mesh. All meshes is slower, but it also catches defects the damage check cannot detect, such as self-intersections. Repaired mesh bodies are labeled with a configurable suffix (set in Settings > Add Parts tab) so you can easily identify which meshes were repaired. Meshes that could not be repaired are left unlabeled.
Known Limitations:
  • Part Design not supported: The Add Parts command is not available in Part Design mode. Switch to Assembly Design or Hybrid Design to use this command.
Result: A new component will be created for each imported file. Components are renamed to match their file names. For 3MF files, the part names and assembly structure are preserved. Repaired mesh bodies will have a suffix added to their name (configurable in Settings).

Duplicate Components

3D Print Panel > Tools > Duplicate Components
  1. Select one or more components.
  2. Specify the arrangement type: Same Location or Arrange in XYZ.
  3. If you selected Same Location, enter the Number of copies.
  4. If you selected Arrange in XYZ, enter the quantity in X, Y, or Z and the Distance between components. The Distance value controls the gap between the bounding boxes of adjacent components (edge-to-edge spacing, not center-to-center).
  5. Use the per-axis Flip option to reverse the direction of duplication along an axis (e.g., duplicate in -X instead of +X).
  6. Set the per-axis Direction option to Symmetric to distribute copies on both sides of the original component:
    • For odd quantities (e.g., 5): Equal copies on each side (2 in +X, 2 in -X).
    • For even quantities (e.g., 6): One more copy in the positive direction (3 in +X, 2 in -X).
    • Combine with Flip to place the extra copy in the negative direction instead.
  7. Press OK.
Result: New component instances will be created based on your specifications. The running total (per selection and overall) is shown in the dialog as you adjust the quantities.
Known Limitations:
  • Part Design not supported: The Duplicate Components command is not available in Part Design mode. Switch to Assembly Design or Hybrid Design to use this command.

Minimize Bounding Box

3D Print Panel > Tools > Minimize Bounding Box
  1. Select one or more components.
    • If the design only has a single component, Fusion will auto-select it.
    • This command works with both solid bodies and mesh bodies.
  2. Select the target axis for alignment:
    • Z Axis: (Default) Aligns the shortest dimension to Z - ideal for SLS/MJF layer-based printing
    • Y Axis: Aligns the shortest dimension to Y
    • X Axis: Aligns the shortest dimension to X
  3. Press OK.
Result: The selected component(s) are rotated so that their oriented minimum bounding box (the smallest-volume box that encloses the geometry) becomes aligned with the world X, Y, and Z axes. This yields the smallest possible axis-aligned bounding box, and the shortest of the box's three dimensions is placed along your chosen axis. Note that the extent along your chosen axis is the shortest side of the minimum-volume box — the command does not independently minimize only the height along that axis. This function is a common pre-processing step for nesting parts within the build volume of an SLS/MJF 3D printer.
Note: The command uses Fusion's built-in Oriented Minimum Bounding Box algorithm for both solid and mesh bodies. For solid bodies, the occurrence-level orientedMinimumBoundingBox property is used. For mesh bodies, the command falls back to the mesh body-level orientedMinimumBoundingBox property, which provides equivalent results.
Known Limitations:
  • Part Design not supported: The Minimize Bounding Box command is not available in Part Design mode. Switch to Assembly Design or Hybrid Design to use this command.
  • Root component bodies: Bodies directly in the root component cannot be minimized. Move the body into a component first (right-click > Create Components from Bodies).

Optimize Orientation

3D Print Panel > Tools > Optimize Orientation
  1. Select one or more components.
    • If the design only has a single component, Fusion will auto-select it.
    • This command works with both solid bodies and mesh bodies.
  2. Configure the search parameters:
    • Search Resolution: Angular step size (5°–30°). Smaller values give more accurate results but take longer. 10° evaluates ~650 orientations; 5° evaluates ~2600.
    • Upskin Threshold: Upward-facing surfaces tilted less than this angle from horizontal are flagged as stair-stepping (default: 20°).
    • Downskin Threshold: Downward-facing surfaces tilted less than this angle from horizontal are flagged as stair-stepping (default: 15°).
    • Tessellation Quality: Controls the mesh density used for the orientation search (Low, Normal, High, or Very High).
  3. Use the Preview checkbox to toggle the viewport between the original and optimized orientations. This is a visual preview only — it does not affect whether the optimization is applied.
  4. Press OK. The optimization is applied to each selected component whenever a better orientation is found (regardless of the Preview checkbox state). If no improvement is found, the component is left in its original orientation.
How It Works:

The algorithm performs a brute-force upper-hemisphere search, evaluating every candidate build direction against the upskin and downskin angle thresholds. For each direction, it computes an area-weighted stair-stepping cost. The direction with the lowest cost is selected, and the component is rotated around its bounding-box center to align that direction with the Z-axis (build direction).

Result: The selected component(s) are rotated to minimize near-horizontal surface area (stair-stepping) relative to the build direction. The statistics panel shows the stair-stepping area before and after optimization, the percentage reduction, and the computation time.
Known Limitations:
  • Part Design not supported: The Optimize Orientation command is not available in Part Design mode. Switch to Assembly Design or Hybrid Design to use this command.
  • Root component bodies: Bodies directly in the root component cannot be optimized. Move the body into a component first (right-click > Create Components from Bodies).

Sinterbox

3D Print Panel > Tools > Sinterbox
  1. Select one or more components as Input Components. Selection is by component, not by body — every solid and mesh body inside a selected component is enclosed by the cage.
  2. Choose a Shape type:
    • Rectangular: A simple box-shaped cage with uniform wall thickness and evenly spaced bar openings on all six faces. Best for simple geometries and standard packing layouts.
    • Freeform: A contour-following lattice cage built from voxelized geometry that conforms closely to the body shape, reducing powder usage. Ideal for complex or organic geometries.
  3. Customize the sinterbox parameters. Which parameters are shown depends on the shape you picked:
    • Cage Thickness: Wall thickness of the cage shell (Rectangular only). Default 2 mm, or 0.06 in when the design uses inches or feet.
    • Bar Width: Cross-section width of the bars (default 2 mm). In Rectangular mode these are the ribs between openings; in Freeform mode these are the lattice beams.
    • Automatic Bar Spacing: (Rectangular, default on) Automatically computes bar spacing from the size of the enclosed parts so they cannot fall through the openings. Uncheck to enter a custom value.
    • Bar Spacing: Distance between bars, which is the size of each opening (Rectangular only; editable when Automatic Bar Spacing is off). It starts at four times the cage thickness.
    • Voxel Size: Resolution of the freeform voxel grid (Freeform only; default 10 mm, minimum 0.5 mm). Smaller values follow the contour more closely but increase computation time.
    • Min Beam Length: Spacing of the lattice grid (Freeform only; default 15 mm). Smaller values create a denser, stronger lattice; larger values create a lighter, more open cage.
  4. Optionally expand Offset Values to set the clearance between the enclosed parts and each cage wall: X Positive, X Negative, Y Positive, Y Negative, Z Positive, and Z Negative. Each defaults to 3 mm (0.125 in in inch or foot designs) and can also be dragged directly in the viewport using its arrow manipulator. These appear once you have selected at least one component.
  5. Optionally switch on Preview (off by default) to display a translucent green preview of the cage as you adjust parameters. While you drag an offset arrow, only the outer shell is drawn; the openings reappear when you release it.
  6. Optionally add a label to the sinterbox (Rectangular only):
    • Enable the Add Label checkbox to reveal the label settings.
    • Enter Label Text, then choose the Font (Arial by default), Text Height (5 mm), Text Depth (1 mm), and Label Padding (5 mm).
  7. Use Move Components into Sinterbox (default on) to nest the selected components inside the sinterbox component, keeping them where they are.
  8. Press OK.
Result: A new top-level component named "Sinterbox" is created. In Rectangular mode it contains a single solid body, also named Sinterbox; in Freeform mode it contains a mesh body of the same name. If "Move Components into Sinterbox" is enabled, each selected component is nested inside the new component with its position preserved, and any component left empty as a result is removed. This ensures the component can be 3D nested as a group. In a parametric design, the operations are collected into a timeline group named Sinterbox. When the command is run from the Manufacture workspace with an active setup, the new Sinterbox component is added to that setup and the components that moved inside it are removed from the setup's model list.
Note: The Label option is only available in Rectangular mode. Switching to Freeform hides Cage Thickness, Automatic Bar Spacing, Bar Spacing, and the whole Label group, and shows the Voxel Size and Min Beam Length inputs instead. No label is added in Freeform mode even if Add Label was checked before switching.
Label placement: The label plate is positioned automatically — on the front (−Y) face of the cage when the text fits there, otherwise on the left (−X) face, aligned to the bottom of the cage. The plate and the raised text are merged into the Sinterbox body, so the finished cage is still a single body. The label is not shown in the preview.
Known Limitations:
  • Part Design not supported: The Sinterbox command is not available in Part Design mode. Switch to Assembly Design or Hybrid Design to use this command.
  • Label may not fit: If neither candidate face is large enough for the label text (based on text height, text length, and padding), a Label Too Large message reports the plate size required and the face sizes available, and the sinterbox is created without a label. Use shorter text, a smaller text height, or less padding.
  • Freeform cages are mesh bodies: The Freeform lattice is created as a mesh body, so it cannot be edited afterwards with solid modeling tools. Rectangular cages are solid bodies.
  • Freeform preview performance: Live preview of the Freeform lattice can be slow on complex bodies. Disable Preview while adjusting parameters if the dialog becomes unresponsive.
  • Grounded or pinned components: With Move Components into Sinterbox enabled, components that are Ground to Parent or Pinned cannot be moved. The command lists them and stops without creating anything. Unground or unpin them in the browser and run the command again.
  • Typed offset values and preview: Typing a value into an offset field may not refresh the preview immediately. Drag the offset arrow or change the selection to refresh it. The created geometry always uses the values currently in the dialog.

Label

3D Print Panel > Tools > Label
  1. Choose a Label Source:
    • CSV File: Select a CSV file containing a list of label text (one label per row).
    • Manual Entry: Type labels directly into the Label Texts table, using the Add and Remove buttons to manage rows.
  2. Pick what to label using the Face/Mesh selector. For solid bodies the selection is a face, not the whole body; for mesh bodies it is the body itself:
    • Solid bodies: Select the face that will carry the label — planar or curved faces are both allowed. If the face is not planar, you must also pick a Plane/Face (a planar face or construction plane) for the text sketch; the command will not proceed without it. Optionally pick an Emboss Face when the emboss or deboss should land on a face other than the sketch face.
    • Mesh bodies: Select the mesh body, then pick a construction plane in Select Plane.
  3. Configure Text position settings:
    • Font and Text Height
    • Text Box Width and Text Box Height (the area the text is fit into)
    • Move in X / Move in Y (position offset) and Rotate text (angle)
  4. Configure the operation:
    • Solid bodies (Emboss / Deboss): Choose Emboss (raised) or Deboss (recessed), set the Depth, and optionally Flip Horizontally / Flip Vertically.
    • Mesh bodies (Extrusion): Choose Join or Cut, set the Distance, and optionally flip the text.
  5. Configure Arrange options:
    • Arrangement: Same Location or Arrange in X, Y, or Z
    • Component Spacing between the created components
  6. Press OK.
Result: A new component is created for each label. Each component contains a copy of the selected body with the corresponding label text applied (embossed/debossed for solid bodies, or joined/cut for mesh bodies). Components are renamed to include the label text. When run inside an active setup, the new components are added to the active setup. Dialog settings are remembered between sessions.
Multi-row labels: Use \n in a label (CSV cell or manual entry) to create multi-row labels (e.g., Line1\nLine2 will produce a label with two lines of text).
Known Limitations:
  • Part Design not supported: The Label command is not available in Part Design mode. Switch to Assembly Design or Hybrid Design to use this command.
  • Mesh body label extrusion is symmetric: When labeling mesh bodies, the text is extruded equally in both directions from the sketch plane (two-sided extrusion). If you use the Cut operation on a thin or concave body (e.g., a U-shaped part), the symmetric extrusion may remove material from the opposite side of the body. For best results, use Cut on surfaces with sufficient material depth behind them.
  • Mesh labeling in Manufacture: Within the Manufacture workspace, only solid body labeling (emboss/deboss) is supported. To label mesh bodies, edit the Manufacturing Model or switch to the Design workspace.

Pins and Holes

3D Print Panel > Tools > Pins and Holes
  1. Select a solid body as input to the Body to Split.
    • This command works with solid bodies only (not mesh bodies).
  2. Select a Construction plane or any of the default planes (XY, XZ, YZ) as the Splitting plane.
  3. Select your distribution type (Rectangular or Triangular).
  4. Enter the numerical inputs: Hole Spacing, Pin height, and Pin diameter (must be positive values).
  5. If necessary, activate the Flip Direction checkbox to control which body gets holes vs pins.
  6. Press OK.
Result: The input body will be split into 2 bodies with interlocking pins and holes. The body with holes will have 90% opacity by default. Body suffixes and opacity can be customized in the Settings dialog.
Note: This command requires parametric modeling mode.

Minimum Part Gap Analysis

3D Print Panel > Analysis > Minimum Part Gap Analysis
  1. Run the command to analyze the minimum distance between all bodies in the scene.
Result: Displays the minimum distance between all bodies, helping identify parts that may be too close together for successful 3D printing.
Known Limitations:
  • Pairwise computation time: The analysis measures every pair of bodies, which scales quadratically. For scenes with a large number of bodies (50+), the analysis may take some time to complete.

Minimum Wall Thickness

3D Print Panel > Analysis > Minimum Wall Thickness
  1. Select bodies to analyze (solid or mesh).
  2. Set the minimum wall thickness requirement (default: 5 mm).
  3. Choose the tessellation quality (Low, Medium, High, or Very High). This option only applies to, and is only shown for, solid bodies.
  4. Optionally enable Create Selection Sets to generate selection sets for the passing and failing bodies.
  5. Press OK.
Result: Analyzes selected bodies and generates a report showing which bodies pass or fail the minimum wall thickness requirement, along with the thinnest measured value for each body. Optionally creates selection sets for passing and failing bodies for easy re-selection.

Upskin / Downskin Analysis

3D Print Panel > Analysis > Upskin / Downskin Analysis
  1. Select a body to analyze. One solid or mesh body at a time — this command does not accept multiple bodies or a component.
  2. Configure analysis settings:
    • Mode: Upskin only, Downskin only, or both
    • Upskin Angle: Threshold angle for upskin detection
    • Downskin Angle: Threshold angle for downskin detection
    • Build Direction: X, Y, or Z axis
    • Tessellation Quality: Low, Medium, High, or Very High (for solid bodies)
  3. Press OK.
Result: Highlights upskin regions (green) and downskin regions (red) on the selected body. Upskin surfaces face upward and typically require adjusted print parameters (e.g., upskin exposure or laser power settings) but do not need support structures. Downskin surfaces face downward and generally require support structures to prevent sagging or failed overhangs during printing.
Note: The highlighting is a live preview shown only while the dialog is open; it is cleared when the command closes. Use the Fit All on OK option to fit the view to the body when you press OK. In the Manufacture workspace the build direction is always +Z (the Build Direction option is hidden).

Trapped Volume Analysis

3D Print Panel > Analysis > Trapped Volume Analysis
  1. Select one or more solid or mesh bodies to analyze.
  2. Press OK to run the analysis (no permanent changes are made), or Cancel to exit.
How Detection Works:
  • Solid Bodies: Uses Fusion's native shell topology. Internal void shells are identified as trapped volumes. Reports count and volume (cm³).
  • Mesh Bodies: Uses a negative volume detection algorithm (similar to Netfabb):
    1. Stage 1 - Shell Separation: Temporarily separates the mesh into individual shells
    2. Stage 2 - Negative Volume Check: Checks if any shell has a negative volume, indicating an internal/void shell with inward-facing normals
    This approach correctly identifies trapped volumes while ignoring through-holes and external features.
Result: Displays a report grouping the analyzed bodies into those with and without trapped volumes. For solid bodies with a trapped volume, the trapped volume count and total volume (cm³) are also shown; for mesh bodies, only whether a trapped volume exists is reported. While the dialog is open, the selected bodies are shown at 50% opacity for visual clarity, and the analysis is run when you press OK.
Known Limitations:
  • Mesh bodies — shell separation reliability: For mesh bodies, trapped volume detection relies on shell separation followed by a negative-volume check. In rare cases, non-manifold or open meshes may not separate correctly into distinct shells, leading to missed detections.
  • Mesh bodies — no volume reporting: Unlike solid bodies, mesh body analysis only reports whether trapped volumes exist (YES/NO) — it does not report the trapped volume count or volume in cm³.

Interlock Analysis

3D Print Panel > Analysis > Interlock Analysis
  1. Select two or more solid or mesh bodies to check for interlocking.
  2. Choose a tessellation quality (Low, Medium, or High) for the analysis.
  3. Press OK.
How Detection Works:

Uses 3D voxel-based Directional Escape Analysis. The algorithm voxelizes all selected bodies onto a shared 3D grid, then checks each pair of bodies across all 6 axis-aligned directions (±X, ±Y, ±Z). For each direction, it walks every column perpendicular to that axis and determines whether one body can slide past the other without collision. This correctly handles concave geometry (holes, channels, recesses). If any of the 6 directions allows escape, the pair is separable. If no direction allows escape, the pair is interlocked — like chain links that cannot be pulled apart after printing.

The analysis also detects collisions (overlapping bodies that share voxels) and reports them before interlock checking can proceed.

Result: Displays a report showing which body pairs are interlocked (cannot be separated) and which are separable. Interlocked pairs are flagged with a warning, as they cannot be separated after 3D printing. If bodies overlap (collide), the collision is reported and must be resolved first.
Sinterbox note: If your setup contains a Sinterbox, the analysis will report parts inside the sinterbox as interlocked. This is expected — the sinterbox is designed to enclose parts. Exclude sinterbox bodies from the selection or ignore interlock results involving the sinterbox.
Known Limitations:
  • Axis-aligned directions only: The analysis checks separation along 6 cardinal directions (±X, ±Y, ±Z). Bodies that could be separated by diagonal or curved sliding paths may still be reported as interlocked.

Z Removability

3D Print Panel > Analysis > Z Removability
  1. Select two or more solid or mesh bodies to analyze for vertical removability.
  2. Choose a tessellation quality (Low, Medium, or High) for the analysis.
  3. Press OK.
How Detection Works:

Uses 3D voxel-based analysis to check vertical removability:

  1. Meshes all selected bodies and voxelizes them onto a shared 3D grid (surface rasterization).
  2. Detects collisions: if two bodies share a voxel, the overlap is reported and the analysis stops.
  3. Builds per-body per-column Z extents (min/max Z for each XY column) using the actual voxelized geometry.
  4. Performs pairwise mutual-blocking check: body A blocks body B if, in any shared XY column, the highest voxel of A is above the lowest voxel of B. A pair is stuck when both bodies block each other.
Result: Displays a report showing stuck pairs — bodies that mutually block each other and cannot be separated by lifting vertically. If no stuck pairs are found, all parts can be removed by lifting straight up. If bodies overlap (collide), the collision is reported and must be resolved first. This is useful for SLS/MJF builds where parts must be unpacked from the build platform after printing.
Sinterbox note: If your setup contains a Sinterbox, the analysis will report parts inside the sinterbox as stuck. This is expected — the sinterbox is designed to enclose parts. Exclude sinterbox bodies from the selection or ignore removability results involving the sinterbox.
Known Limitations:
  • Vertical (Z) removal only: Only straight upward (+Z) removal is considered. Parts that could be removed by sliding sideways or along a diagonal path are not evaluated.

Create Arrange Template

3D Print Panel > Templates > Create Arrange Template
  1. Run the command from the Design workspace. No selection is required — the command writes a reusable template, it does not modify your design.
  2. On the Name tab:
    • Name — the template name. Use letters, numbers, spaces, underscores, hyphens, or periods (up to 128 characters, starting with a letter or number).
    • Overwrite Existing Template — leave unchecked to prevent accidentally replacing a template that already has this name.
    • Custom Description — leave the group checkbox unchecked to let the add-in write the description for you (it lists every setting plus a creation timestamp). Check it to type your own description instead.
  3. On the Objects tab:
    • Arrangement Type — 3D Arrange (True Shape) for powder-bed machines that stack parts through the full build volume, or 2D Arrange (True Shape) for single-layer platform packing. Changing this resets the remaining settings to that type's defaults.
    • Sorting Type — Priority, Volume, or Manual.
    • Placement — Center or Lower Left Corner.
    • Global Quantity (1–999) — copies of each part the template requests by default.
    • Rotation group — uncheck the group to disable rotation entirely. Otherwise set Global X / Y / Z Rotation to None, 90° increments, 180° increments, or Custom. The matching Rotation Increments field becomes editable only when that axis is set to Custom. Multi-Axis Rotations allows parts to be rotated about more than one axis at a time.
    • Unselected Components — what happens to parts the solver does not place: Move outside build volume or Lock position.
  4. On the Spacing tab, set Platform Clearance, Frame Width, and Ceiling Clearance. Enter Machine dependent to take the value from the machine definition, or a manual distance such as 2 mm. Then set Object Spacing (default 1 mm) and Voxel Size (default 0.5 mm).
  5. On the Solver tab:
    • Avoid Interlocking group — uncheck to allow interlocking parts. When enabled, choose a Method: Translational or Bounding Box.
    • Arrangement Criteria table — seven placement criteria in priority order (1 (High) down to 7 (Low)). Use the Enable checkbox to switch a criterion on or off, and select a row and use Move Up / Move Down to change its priority. By default Minimize Build Height and Maximize Bounding Box Overlap are enabled; the remaining criteria (Minimize Build Volume, Maximize Contact Area, Minimize Component Bounding Box, Minimize Component Height, Balance Z Layers) are off.
  6. Press OK.
Result: A new arrange template is written to your local Fusion template library in a 3D Printing Essentials folder (%APPDATA%\Autodesk\CAM360\templates\3D Printing Essentials on Windows, ~/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/CAM360/templates/3D Printing Essentials on macOS) as <Name>.f3dhsm-template. A message confirms whether the template was created or overwritten. The template then appears in the Arrange Template lists of the MJF / Binder Jet, SLS, and MPBF setup automations, in Arrange Template Comparison, and in Fusion's own Additive Arrange dialog.
Note: The template file is generated directly by the add-in, so it does not depend on any existing template being present. After it is written, the add-in validates the file by loading it back into Fusion; if the file is not valid, a previously existing template of the same name is restored unchanged. Only the template name is remembered between runs — all other settings return to their defaults each time the dialog opens.
Known Limitations:
  • OK stays disabled: until the Name field contains a value, and while any axis is set to Custom with a rotation increment of zero or less.
  • Existing names: if a template with the same name already exists, the command reports the conflict instead of replacing it unless Overwrite Existing Template is checked.
  • Fixed criteria list: the Arrangement Criteria table always contains the same seven criteria. They can be reordered and enabled or disabled, but not added to or removed.
  • Local library only: templates are written to the local library. Saving directly to the cloud library is not supported.

Create Orientation Template

3D Print Panel > Templates > Create Orientation Template
  1. Run the command from the Design workspace. As with Create Arrange Template, nothing in your design is changed — the command only writes a template.
  2. On the Name tab, enter a Name, choose whether to allow Overwrite Existing Template, and either accept the automatically generated description or check Custom Description to write your own.
  3. On the Parameters tab:
    • Smallest Rotation — the coarsest rotation the orientation solver may apply, entered as an angle such as 180 deg. Smaller angles search more orientations.
    • Use Precise Calculation — on by default; trades speed for a more accurate support estimate.
    • Support Overhang Angle — the critical angle below which a surface is treated as needing support, entered as an angle such as 40 deg.
    • Platform Clearance, Frame Width, and Ceiling Clearance — enter Machine dependent to use the machine value, or a manual distance such as 2 mm.
    • Fit to Platform — on by default; keeps the oriented part within the platform bounds.
  4. On the Ranking tab, weight the criteria the solver uses to score candidate orientations. Each criterion can be set to Very high, High, Medium, Low, Very low, or Not used:
    • Support Volume — default Very high.
    • Support Area — default Not used.
    • Bounding Box Volume — default Very low.
    • Part Height — default Medium.
    • Center of Gravity Height — default Medium.
  5. Press OK.
Result: An Automatic Orientation template is written to the same local library folder as arrange templates (3D Printing Essentials) as <Name>.f3dhsm-template, and a message confirms whether it was created or overwritten. The template appears in the Orientation Template list of the MPBF Setup Automation and in Fusion's Automatic Orientation dialog.
Note: This command writes an orientation template for Fusion's own Automatic Orientation solver. It is different from Optimize Orientation, which immediately rotates selected components using the add-in's own stair-stepping search.
Known Limitations:
  • OK stays disabled until the Name field contains a value.
  • Existing names: a name that already exists is reported instead of replaced unless Overwrite Existing Template is checked.
  • Local library only: templates cannot be written directly to the cloud library.

Arrange Template Comparison

3D Print Panel > Templates > Arrange Template Comparison
  1. Ensure you have components in your design (Assembly or Hybrid Design — not Part Design).
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. Select a Vendor, Machine, and Print Setting. Only SLS, Multi Jet Fusion, and Binder Jetting machines are listed, since those are the technologies where true-shape 3D packing applies.
  4. Choose the templates to compare in the Arrangement Templates group:
    • Filter Templates — type part of a name to shorten the list.
    • Select All Visible / Clear All Visible — check or uncheck every template matching the current filter.
    • Templates to Compare table — tick the Compare checkbox for each template you want in the study. Templates come from the Fusion library, your local library, and the cloud library.
  5. Set Part Quantities exactly as in the setup automations: a Global Quantity, Combine Identical Components, optional CSV import, and a per-component table. Set a component to 0 to leave it out of the study.
  6. Optionally open Slice Analysis (for charts) to control the cross-sectional charts in the report:
    • Layer Thickness (default 0.1 mm) — layer height used for the slice profile. It does not affect packing.
    • Slice Voxel Size (default 2 mm) — voxel size used when tessellating the packed parts.
    • Tessellation Quality — Low, Normal, or High.
  7. Leave Keep result builds in document unchecked (recommended) so each trial build is measured and then removed. Check it if you want to inspect the resulting setups yourself.
  8. Press OK. Each template is packed in turn, with progress shown in a dialog you can cancel at any time.
Tip: Selecting more than 20 templates prompts a confirmation, because every template runs a full packing operation and a large study can take a long time.
Result: Each selected template packs the same parts on the same machine, and an HTML report is written to %APPDATA%\Autodesk\3DPrintingEssentials\TrueShapeStudyReport.html and opened in your browser. The report contains:
  • Summary cards for templates compared, copies requested, unique part types, build volume, total part volume, and slice layer thickness
  • A comparison table listing each template's settings (arrange type, sorting, placement, rotations, spacing, voxel size, frame, ceiling, avoid interlocking, unselected handling) alongside its results: copies packed, build height, layer count, density over the full build volume, density up to the packed height, maximum cross-sectional area jump, and layer uniformity
  • Green highlighting on the best result in each results column, among the builds that placed at least one copy
  • A cross-sectional area vs. layer chart for each template
Note: The study runs in temporary manufacturing models and setups in the Manufacture workspace. Unless Keep result builds in document is checked, everything it creates is deleted when the study finishes, so your design and your setup list are left as they were. Vendor, machine, print setting, template selection, filter, slice settings, and the keep-builds option are remembered between runs.
Known Limitations:
  • Powder-bed technologies only: SLS, MJF, and Binder Jetting machines are listed. FFF, SLA/DLP, and metal powder bed fusion machines are not.
  • Charts need internet access: the report loads its charting library from the internet. Without a connection the tables still render, but the charts stay blank.
  • Cloud templates: templates in the cloud library cannot be inspected for their settings, so their settings columns show a dash. Their packing results are still measured.
  • Cancelling mid-study: a cancelled study reports only the templates that finished.

FFF Setup Automation

3D Print Panel > Scripts > FFF Setup Automation
  1. Ensure you have components in your design.
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. Select a Vendor and Machine from Fusion's machine library.
  4. Select a Print Setting for your chosen machine.
  5. Configure optional processing steps:
    • Orientation: Enable to automatically orient components. Select an orientation template and optionally filter the list by name. Use Create Orientation Template to author your own.
    • Arrangement: Enable to automatically arrange components on the build plate. Select an arrangement template, which you can author with Create Arrange Template. Set Max Setups for multi-setup packing.
    • Support: Enable to automatically generate supports. Select a support template.
    • Toolpath Simulation: Enable to simulate the additive toolpath after setup creation.
  6. Optionally enable Generate Report to see a summary when finished.
  7. Press OK.
Result: Creates an FFF setup in the Manufacture workspace:
  • Creates a new Manufacturing Model
  • Creates an additive setup with the selected machine and print setting
  • Orients components using the selected template (if enabled)
  • Arranges components on the build plate (if enabled). If not all parts fit, additional setups are created automatically up to the max setups limit
  • Generates supports using the selected template (if enabled)
  • Simulates the additive toolpath (if enabled)
  • Displays an HTML summary report (if enabled)
Note: All dialog settings are remembered between sessions. The automation supports cancellation at any time.
Known Limitations:
  • Cloud template classification: Templates stored in the Fusion Cloud library cannot be inspected for their contents (arrange, orient, or support type). As a result, all cloud templates appear in all template dropdowns regardless of their actual type. To work around this, give your cloud templates descriptive names and use the name-based filter field to narrow the list.

SLA/DLP Setup Automation

3D Print Panel > Scripts > SLA/DLP Setup Automation
  1. Ensure you have components in your design.
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. Select a Vendor and Machine from Fusion's SLA/DLP machine library.
  4. Select a Print Setting for your chosen machine.
  5. Configure optional processing steps:
    • Orientation: Enable to automatically orient components using a selected template, which you can author with Create Orientation Template.
    • Arrangement: Enable to arrange components on the build plate. Set Max Setups for multi-setup packing.
    • Support: Enable to automatically generate supports using a selected template.
  6. Optionally enable Generate Report to see a summary when finished.
  7. Press OK.
Result: Creates an SLA/DLP setup in the Manufacture workspace:
  • Creates a new Manufacturing Model
  • Creates a setup with the selected machine and print setting
  • Orients, arranges, and generates supports based on enabled options
  • Supports multi-setup packing when arrangement is enabled — additional setups are created for overflow parts
  • Displays an HTML summary report (if enabled)
Note: All dialog settings are remembered between sessions. The automation supports cancellation at any time.
Known Limitations:
  • Cloud template classification: Templates stored in the Fusion Cloud library cannot be inspected for their contents (arrange, orient, or support type). As a result, all cloud templates appear in all template dropdowns regardless of their actual type. To work around this, give your cloud templates descriptive names and use the name-based filter field to narrow the list.

MJF / Binder Jet Setup Automation

3D Print Panel > Scripts > MJF / Binder Jet Setup Automation
  1. Ensure you have components in your design (Assembly or Hybrid Design — not Part Design).
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. In the collapsible Setup group, select a Vendor (e.g., HP, Desktop Metal, Digital Metal) and Machine from the library.
  4. Still in Setup, select a Print Setting for your chosen machine:
    • HP Jet Fusion machines use HP - MJF
    • HP Metal Jet machines use HP - BinderJet
    • Digital Metal machines use PX100 settings matched to the model (186 or 70 series)
    • Other vendors use Generic Binder Jet
  5. Configure Automatic Orientation (optional). Hover the group name for a summary. When enabled, each part is rotated before nesting so that near-horizontal surfaces are minimized relative to the build direction, reducing the stair-stepping effect typical of powder-bed fusion builds:
    • Enable/disable the feature with the group checkbox.
    • Set Search Resolution (5°–30°) — the angular step size for the orientation search. Smaller values give more accurate results but take longer.
    • Set Upskin Threshold (5°–45°) — upward-facing surfaces tilted less than this angle from horizontal are flagged as stair-stepping.
    • Set Downskin Threshold (5°–45°) — downward-facing surfaces tilted less than this angle from horizontal are flagged as stair-stepping.
    • Select Tessellation Quality (Low / Normal / High / Very High) — controls the mesh density used for the orientation search.
  6. Configure Arrangement:
    • Enable/disable Arrangement with the group checkbox.
    • Optionally filter arrangement templates by name.
    • Select an Arrange Template from the Fusion, local, or cloud template library. Use Create Arrange Template to author your own, and Arrange Template Comparison to see which template packs your parts best.
    • Set Max Printers (1–100) — upper limit on how many additive setups the automation will fill. The default is 10.
  7. Set Part Quantities. The group has its own checkbox, and it is only shown while Arrangement is enabled — copy counts only apply when parts are being nested in the build volume. Turn the group off (or turn Arrangement off) to build a single copy of each component instead:
    • Global Quantity (0–999) — applies the same copy count to every component in the table (default: 1). Set it to 0 to clear every row, then enter quantities only for the components you want in this run.
    • Combine Identical Components — when checked, multiple instances of the same component share one quantity row. Uncheck to list each instance separately (e.g. Component1:1, Component1:2).
    • Select CSV File — import quantities from a CSV file. Format: ComponentName, Quantity (no header required). Matching is case-insensitive and supports instance suffixes.
    • Component Quantities table — override individual components after setting a global quantity. A component left at 0 is excluded from the run, so you can keep every component listed in the table and still print only a subset. At least one component must be set to 1 or more.
  8. Configure Pack Density Optimization (requires Arrangement — the group is disabled when arrangement is off):
    • Enable/disable Pack Density Optimization with the group checkbox.
    • Max Build Density (%) — upper limit for build density by height after 3D nesting in the build volume (default: 12%). If density exceeds this limit after arrange, object spacing is increased and nesting is retried. Each retry rebuilds the packing from scratch at the new spacing, which is faster than re-running the existing arrange operation. Object spacing learned from a full packing is reused on subsequent setups; the final partial packing uses template spacing to maximize density.
    • Max Iterations — how many arrange attempts to make before accepting the result (minimum 2, default 5). If the density limit is still exceeded on the final iteration, the last result is kept and reported.
    • Gap increase/iter (voxels) — how much object spacing grows on each retry, counted in whole voxels of the selected arrangement template (default: 1). Spacing is stepped in whole voxels because a change smaller than the voxel size cannot alter the packing result. The read-only text below this control shows the selected template’s voxel size and object spacing, and the resulting object-spacing increase each iteration. It updates when you change the arrange template or the gap multiplier. The bundled SLS and MJF templates use a 4 mm voxel and 4 mm object spacing, so the default increase is 4 mm. When the template cannot be read locally (Cloud templates, or Fusion Library templates with no local copy), a 4 mm voxel default is used for spacing steps and the message says so.
  9. Optionally enable Generate Report to see a summary when finished.
  10. Press OK.
Tip: If you are using Automatic Orientation, select an arrangement template that does not rotate parts or only rotates them around the Z-axis. Otherwise, the arrangement step may override the optimized orientations and you will lose the benefit of minimized stair-stepping.
Result: Creates MJF or Binder Jet setups in the Manufacture workspace and packs the requested copy counts:
  • Creates a new Manufacturing Model from your design components
  • Runs Automatic Orientation to minimize stair-stepping before nesting (if enabled)
  • When arrangement is enabled:
    • 3D-nests the requested number of copies of each component in the machine build volume using the selected arrange template
    • Adjusts object spacing and retries arrange (up to the iteration limit you set) when Pack Density Optimization is enabled and build density exceeds the limit
    • Distributes copies across multiple setups (printers) until all requested quantities are placed or the max printers limit is reached
    • Names each setup and Manufacturing Model with a quantity multiplier, e.g. MJF Setup1 - Jet Fusion 1200 (Qty: 5), when the same nesting can be repeated across multiple setups
    • Reports build height and build density (by height) per setup
    • Components that cannot fit the build volume are placed in a separate Manufacturing Model - Never Fitting Components
  • When arrangement is disabled, a single setup is created with one representative of each component (no automatic nesting)
  • Displays an HTML summary report showing copies requested, copies placed, unplaced copies, printers required, and per-setup breakdown (if enabled)
Note: All dialog settings (including quantities and CSV path) are remembered between sessions. If you saved pack-density settings from an earlier version, previous Target Build Density and Density Tolerance values are migrated automatically to Max Build Density (their sum). The automation supports cancellation at any time (Ctrl+Z to undo).
Known Limitations:
  • Maximum quantity per component: Fusion's additive arrange limits each component to 999 copies per arrange operation. Quantities above 999 in the dialog or CSV are capped automatically.
  • Cloud template classification: Templates stored in the Fusion Cloud library cannot be inspected for their contents (arrange, orient, or support type). As a result, all cloud templates appear in all template dropdowns regardless of their actual type. To work around this, give your cloud templates descriptive names and use the Filter Templates field to narrow the list.

SLS Setup Automation

3D Print Panel > Scripts > SLS Setup Automation
  1. Ensure you have components in your design (Assembly or Hybrid Design — not Part Design).
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. In the collapsible Setup group, select a Vendor (e.g., EOS, Formlabs, Sinterit, Farsoon) and Machine from the SLS machine library.
  4. Still in Setup, select a Print Setting for your chosen machine:
    • EOS machines use EOS P print settings (e.g. EOS P - 0.06mm)
    • Formlabs machines use Formlabs SLS settings (matched to Fuse 1 vs Fuse 1+)
    • Other vendors use Generic SLS settings
  5. Configure Automatic Orientation (optional). Hover the group name for a summary. When enabled, each part is rotated before nesting so that near-horizontal surfaces are minimized relative to the build direction, reducing the stair-stepping effect typical of powder-bed fusion builds:
    • Enable/disable the feature with the group checkbox.
    • Set Search Resolution (5°–30°) — the angular step size for the orientation search. Smaller values give more accurate results but take longer.
    • Set Upskin Threshold (5°–45°) — upward-facing surfaces tilted less than this angle from horizontal are flagged as stair-stepping.
    • Set Downskin Threshold (5°–45°) — downward-facing surfaces tilted less than this angle from horizontal are flagged as stair-stepping.
    • Select Tessellation Quality (Low / Normal / High / Very High) — controls the mesh density used for the orientation search.
  6. Configure Arrangement:
    • Enable/disable Arrangement with the group checkbox.
    • Optionally filter arrangement templates by name.
    • Select an Arrange Template from the Fusion, local, or cloud template library. Use Create Arrange Template to author your own, and Arrange Template Comparison to see which template packs your parts best.
    • Set Max Printers (1–100) — upper limit on how many additive setups the automation will fill. The default is 10.
  7. Set Part Quantities. The group has its own checkbox, and it is only shown while Arrangement is enabled — copy counts only apply when parts are being nested in the build volume. Turn the group off (or turn Arrangement off) to build a single copy of each component instead:
    • Global Quantity (0–999) — applies the same copy count to every component in the table (default: 1). Set it to 0 to clear every row, then enter quantities only for the components you want in this run.
    • Combine Identical Components — when checked, multiple instances of the same component share one quantity row. Uncheck to list each instance separately (e.g. Component1:1, Component1:2).
    • Select CSV File — import quantities from a CSV file. Format: ComponentName, Quantity (no header required). Matching is case-insensitive and supports instance suffixes.
    • Component Quantities table — override individual components after setting a global quantity. A component left at 0 is excluded from the run, so you can keep every component listed in the table and still print only a subset. At least one component must be set to 1 or more.
  8. Configure Pack Density Optimization (requires Arrangement — the group is disabled when arrangement is off):
    • Enable/disable Pack Density Optimization with the group checkbox.
    • Max Build Density (%) — upper limit for build density by height after 3D nesting in the build volume (default: 12%). If density exceeds this limit after arrange, object spacing is increased and nesting is retried. Each retry rebuilds the packing from scratch at the new spacing, which is faster than re-running the existing arrange operation. Object spacing learned from a full packing is reused on subsequent setups; the final partial packing uses template spacing to maximize density.
    • Max Iterations — how many arrange attempts to make before accepting the result (minimum 2, default 5). If the density limit is still exceeded on the final iteration, the last result is kept and reported.
    • Gap increase/iter (voxels) — how much object spacing grows on each retry, counted in whole voxels of the selected arrangement template (default: 1). Spacing is stepped in whole voxels because a change smaller than the voxel size cannot alter the packing result. The read-only text below this control shows the selected template’s voxel size and object spacing, and the resulting object-spacing increase each iteration. It updates when you change the arrange template or the gap multiplier. The bundled SLS and MJF templates use a 4 mm voxel and 4 mm object spacing, so the default increase is 4 mm. When the template cannot be read locally (Cloud templates, or Fusion Library templates with no local copy), a 4 mm voxel default is used for spacing steps and the message says so.
  9. Optionally enable Generate Report to see a summary when finished.
  10. Press OK.
Tip: If you are using Automatic Orientation, select an arrangement template that does not rotate parts or only rotates them around the Z-axis. Otherwise, the arrangement step may override the optimized orientations and you will lose the benefit of minimized stair-stepping.
Result: Creates SLS setups in the Manufacture workspace and packs the requested copy counts:
  • Creates a new Manufacturing Model from your design components
  • Runs Automatic Orientation to minimize stair-stepping before nesting (if enabled)
  • When arrangement is enabled:
    • 3D-nests the requested number of copies of each component in the machine build volume using the selected arrange template
    • Adjusts object spacing and retries arrange (up to the iteration limit you set) when Pack Density Optimization is enabled and build density exceeds the limit
    • Distributes copies across multiple setups (printers) until all requested quantities are placed or the max printers limit is reached
    • Names each setup and Manufacturing Model with a quantity multiplier, e.g. SLS Setup1 - Fuse 1+ 30W (Qty: 5), when the same nesting can be repeated across multiple setups
    • Reports build height and build density (by height) per setup
    • Components that cannot fit the build volume are placed in a separate Manufacturing Model - Never Fitting Components
  • When arrangement is disabled, a single setup is created with one representative of each component (no automatic nesting)
  • Displays an HTML summary report showing copies requested, copies placed, unplaced copies, printers required, and per-setup breakdown (if enabled)
Note: All dialog settings (including quantities and CSV path) are remembered between sessions. If you saved pack-density settings from an earlier version, previous Target Build Density and Density Tolerance values are migrated automatically to Max Build Density (their sum). The automation supports cancellation at any time (Ctrl+Z to undo).
Known Limitations:
  • Maximum quantity per component: Fusion's additive arrange limits each component to 999 copies per arrange operation. Quantities above 999 in the dialog or CSV are capped automatically.
  • Cloud template classification: Templates stored in the Fusion Cloud library cannot be inspected for their contents (arrange, orient, or support type). As a result, all cloud templates appear in all template dropdowns regardless of their actual type. To work around this, give your cloud templates descriptive names and use the Filter Templates field to narrow the list.

MPBF Setup Automation

3D Print Panel > Scripts > MPBF Setup Automation
  1. Ensure you have components in your design.
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. Select a Vendor (e.g., EOS, Renishaw, SLM Solutions, Trumpf, DMG MORI, Additive Industries) and Machine from the MPBF machine library.
  4. Select a Print Setting for your chosen machine.
  5. Configure optional processing steps:
    • Orientation: Enable to automatically orient components. Select an orientation template and optionally filter the list by name. Use Create Orientation Template to author your own.
    • Arrangement: Enable to automatically arrange components on the build plate. Select an arrangement template, which you can author with Create Arrange Template. Set Max Setups for multi-setup packing.
    • Support: Enable to automatically generate supports. Select a support template.
    • Toolpath Generation: Enable to generate additive toolpaths and simulate the first setup after creation.
  6. Optionally enable Generate Report to see a summary when finished.
  7. Press OK.
Result: Creates an MPBF setup in the Manufacture workspace:
  • Creates a new Manufacturing Model
  • Creates an additive setup with the selected MPBF machine and print setting
  • Orients components using the selected template (if enabled)
  • Arranges components within the build volume (if enabled). If not all parts fit, additional setups and Manufacturing Models are created automatically up to the max setups limit
  • Generates supports using the selected template (if enabled)
  • Generates toolpaths and simulates (if enabled)
  • Parts too large for the build volume are identified and placed in a separate Manufacturing Model
  • Displays a summary report (if enabled)
Note: This command requires the Manufacturing Extension. If the extension is not available, a prompt will offer to learn more about it. All dialog settings are remembered between sessions.
Known Limitations:
  • Manufacturing Extension required: The MPBF Setup Automation requires the Autodesk Manufacturing Extension to be active. Without it, the command cannot create metal powder bed fusion setups.
  • Cloud template classification: Templates stored in the Fusion Cloud library cannot be inspected for their contents (arrange, orient, or support type). As a result, all cloud templates appear in all template dropdowns regardless of their actual type. To work around this, give your cloud templates descriptive names and use the name-based filter field to narrow the list.

Settings

3D Print Panel > Settings (available in Design, Manufacturing Model, and Manufacture workspaces)

The Settings dialog allows you to customize various options for the 3D Printing Essentials add-in:

Add Parts Tab

  • Parametric Import: Enable/disable timeline history during imports
  • Mesh Repair: Repair imported meshes — Off, damaged meshes only, or all meshes
  • Repaired Mesh Suffix: Suffix added to repaired mesh names

Pins and Holes Tab

  • Pins Suffix: Suffix added to the body with pins
  • Holes Suffix: Suffix added to the body with holes
  • Holes Opacity: Opacity of the body with holes (0-1)

Updates Tab

  • Automatically check for updates: When enabled, the add-in will automatically check for updates when Autodesk Fusion starts. You can still manually check for updates using the "Check for Updates" command.

Check for Updates

3D Print Panel > Check for Updates (available in Design, Manufacturing Model, and Manufacture workspaces)
  1. Click the Check for Updates command.
  2. The add-in will check the Autodesk App Store for newer versions.
Result: If a newer version is available, you will be notified with information about the update and instructions to download it from the Autodesk App Store. If you have the latest version, a confirmation message will be displayed.
Note: The add-in also automatically checks for updates periodically when Fusion starts (can be disabled in Settings > Updates tab).
Manufacture Workspace

Tessellate

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Tessellate
  1. Select components to tessellate, or use the Select all checkbox to add every component in the Manufacturing Model that contains solid bodies.
  2. Configure the Refinement Settings:
    • Refinement: Choose a preset (High, Medium, Low) or Custom. The default is taken from the active setup's print setting. Editing any value below switches Refinement to Custom.
    • Surface Deviation: Maximum distance from the original surface
    • Normal Deviation: Maximum angle between face normals
    • Max Edge Length: Maximum face edge length
    • Aspect Ratio: Height to width ratio of mesh faces
  3. Use the Preview checkbox to see the tessellation result live before committing.
  4. Press OK.
Result: Selected solid bodies are converted to mesh bodies with the specified tessellation quality.

Scale

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Scale
  1. Select solid or mesh bodies to scale.
  2. Choose the Scale Origin:
    • Point: Scale all selected bodies relative to a single point. Select a vertex, sketch point, or construction point (defaults to the design origin).
    • Individual Centroids: Scale each body relative to its own center, so each body keeps its position while changing size.
  3. Choose the Scale Type:
    • Uniform: Scale equally in all directions
    • Non-Uniform: Scale independently in X, Y, and Z
  4. Enter the scale factor(s) (0.001 - 1000).
  5. Press OK.
Result: Selected bodies are scaled by the specified factor(s). Dialog settings are remembered between sessions.
Note: This command only works on bodies within a Manufacturing Model.

Mirror

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Mirror
  1. Select components to mirror.
  2. Select a mirror plane or planar face.
  3. Choose whether to add new copies to the active setup.
  4. Press OK.
Result: Mirrored copies of the selected components are created.
Note: This command only works on components within a Manufacturing Model.

Sinterbox

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Sinterbox

Same dialog and behavior as the Design workspace Sinterbox command, for use within a Manufacturing Model.

An additive setup must exist before the command will open; otherwise it reports that no setups were found. Select components from the active Manufacturing Model, and when you press OK the new Sinterbox component is added to the active setup's model list while the components nested inside it are removed from that list, so the setup contains the cage as a single item.

Label

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Label

Same functionality as the Design workspace Label command, with an additional option to add new labeled components to the active setup. Inside an additive setup the selector is named Face and accepts solid faces only — mesh bodies cannot be picked here. Label mesh bodies from the Design workspace or while editing the Manufacturing Model instead.

Optimize Orientation

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Optimize Orientation

Same functionality as the Design workspace Optimize Orientation command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context. Useful for minimizing stair-stepping on parts before arranging them in the build volume.

Component List

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Component List
  1. Ensure you have an active setup with components.
  2. Run the command to see a summary table of components and their quantities.
  3. Configure the Capture component images options:
    • Enable or disable image capture with the group checkbox. When disabled, the exported HTML will not include component images.
    • First instance: Isolates and zooms into a single instance of each unique component. The resulting image shows only that component, cleanly framed against a blank background. This is ideal for identifying individual parts.
    • All: Shows all instances of a component in the context of the full build layout without changing the camera view. This is useful for seeing how many copies of each part are placed and where they sit relative to other parts.
  4. Click Export HTML to save the report, or Cancel to close without exporting.
Result: Generates a list of all components in the active setup's Manufacturing Model. The exported HTML report includes the component name, quantity, volume, bounding box dimensions, and a comments field for each component. An overview screenshot of the full build layout is always captured and displayed at the top of the report regardless of the image capture setting.

Minimum Part Gap Analysis

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Minimum Part Gap Analysis

Same functionality as the Design workspace Minimum Part Gap Analysis command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context. Uses setup bodies if a setup is active, otherwise uses the manufacturing model or design bodies.

Minimum Wall Thickness

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Minimum Wall Thickness

Same functionality as the Design workspace Minimum Wall Thickness command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context.

Upskin / Downskin Analysis

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Upskin / Downskin Analysis

Same functionality as the Design workspace Upskin / Downskin Analysis command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context.

Trapped Volume Analysis

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Trapped Volume Analysis

Same functionality as the Design workspace Trapped Volume Analysis command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context. Supports both solid and mesh bodies with the two-stage detection algorithm for reliable mesh analysis.

Interlock Analysis

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Interlock Analysis

Same functionality as the Design workspace Interlock Analysis command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context. Select bodies from the Manufacturing Model or active setup to check for interlocking.

Z Removability

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Z Removability

Same functionality as the Design workspace Z Removability command, available for use within a Manufacturing Model context. Useful for verifying that parts in a powder bed build can be unpacked vertically after printing.

Slice Analysis

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Analysis > Slice Analysis
  1. Ensure you have an active additive setup with bodies.
  2. Configure analysis parameters:
    • Voxel Size: Size of each voxel cube in millimeters. Smaller values are more accurate but slower.
    • Layer Thickness: Slice thickness in millimeters.
    • Tessellation Quality: Low, Medium, or High (for solid bodies).
  3. Press OK.
How It Works:

The algorithm tessellates all bodies (solid and mesh) in the active setup, voxelizes them onto a shared isotropic 3D grid, solid-fills the interior using column Z-parity, then counts filled voxels at each layer height to compute cross-sectional area.

Result: Opens an interactive HTML report in your browser showing a graph of cross-sectional area (cm²) vs layer number. The report includes metadata such as the number of bodies analyzed, total layers, layer thickness, voxel size, and Z range. This is useful for identifying layers with large cross-sections that may cause thermal issues during powder bed fusion printing.
Known Limitations:
  • No build volume pre-check: The analysis does not verify that parts are inside the machine's build volume before running. Make sure all parts are arranged within the build volume to get accurate results. Parts outside the build volume will still be included in the calculation and may skew the cross-sectional area data.
  • Manufacture workspace only: This command requires an active additive setup in the Manufacture workspace. It is not available in the Design workspace.
  • Voxel resolution vs. speed: Very small voxel sizes produce more accurate results but dramatically increase computation time and memory usage. The grid is automatically capped at 2000 voxels per dimension or 200 million total voxels.

Center On Platform

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Center On Platform
  1. Ensure you have an active additive setup with a machine assigned.
  2. Select one or more components from the active Manufacturing Model.
  3. Optionally set a Platform clearance (Z offset in mm) to leave a gap between the component and the platform surface.
  4. Choose the Move as Group option:
    • Enabled: Selected components maintain their relative positions and move together as a group.
    • Disabled: Each component is centered individually (they may overlap at the center).
  5. Press OK.
Result: Selected components are centered on the additive build platform in X and Y, and positioned at the platform surface in Z (plus any specified clearance). The command accounts for the machine's platform origin offset, ensuring correct centering for all machine types including those with centered coordinate systems (e.g., Renishaw AM250) and corner-origin systems (e.g., most FDM printers).

Move By Keyboard

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Move By Keyboard
  1. Select components to move.
  2. Set the translation increment (default: 5 mm) and rotation increment (default: 90°).
  3. Use keyboard controls:
    • Translation: Press X, Y, or Z to move in positive direction; hold ALT + key for negative direction
    • Rotation: Hold R + press X, Y, or Z to rotate; hold ALT + R + key for opposite rotation
  4. Press OK to commit changes.
Result: Selected components are moved/rotated by the specified increments. Final positions are committed via Manufacturing Model snapshots.

Support from Template

Additive Tab > Prepare Panel > Support from Template
  1. Activate an additive setup in the Manufacture workspace. The command needs an active additive setup to add the support operations to.
  2. Run the command to open the dialog.
  3. Optionally type in Filter Templates to narrow the list by name.
  4. Pick a Template. Only support-only templates are listed, each labelled with the library it came from and the folder it lives in, for example [Fusion] Supports > Bar Support or [Local] 3D Printing Essentials > My Supports.
  5. Select one or more Bodies to support. Both solid and mesh bodies can be selected, and at least one is required.
  6. Press OK.
Result: Every support operation defined by the template is created in the active additive setup, with the bodies you selected already assigned as the operation input, so you do not have to set the target on each operation by hand. The support structures are then generated for each of those operations, and the setup is activated and fitted in the viewport so the machine and the finished supports are visible. The template you picked and the filter text are remembered for the next run.
How templates are classified: Templates from your Local library are inspected directly, and only those whose operations are all support operations are offered. Templates from Fusion's shipped library are classified by folder, so templates under a Supports folder are listed while those under Arrangements, Orientations, or Holes are not.
Known Limitations:
  • Active additive setup required: if no additive setup is active, the command reports this and the dialog does not open. Activate a setup in the Manufacture workspace first.
  • Support templates required: if no support-only template can be found in either library, the command reports this instead of opening. Add a support template to your Local library.
  • Local and Fusion libraries only: templates stored in the cloud library are not listed, because their contents cannot be inspected to confirm they are support-only.
  • Unrecognised body inputs: if an operation created by the template does not expose a body input this command recognises, the operation is still created but its target is left empty. A message lists the affected operations and their available parameters so the target can be set manually.
  • Support generation time: the command waits for every support structure to finish generating before it returns, which can take a while for large or complex parts.

Post Configurator

Additive Tab > Manage Panel > Post Configurator
  1. Open the Post Configurator.
  2. Configure post processor settings for your FFF machine.
  3. Save the custom post processor.
Result: Creates or modifies custom post processors for use with FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) machines.

Generate PRM

Additive Tab > Process Sim Panel > Generate PRM
  1. Create and activate a Metal Powder Bed Fusion (MPBF) additive setup with a machine assigned. The Generate PRM command only appears when the active setup uses MPBF technology.
  2. Run the command to open the configuration dialog.
  3. Configure the Machine parameters:
    • Laser Power (default 215 W)
    • Absorption Efficiency (default 0.35) — the fraction of laser energy absorbed by the part (0–1).
    • Laser Beam Diameter (default 0.0875 mm)
    • Laser Speed (default 675 mm/s)
    • Layer Thickness (default 0.04 mm)
    • Hatch Distance (default 0.16 mm) — the gap between adjacent laser passes.
    • Recoater Time (default 15 s)
    • Interlayer Rotation Angle (default 67°) — the angle the hatch pattern rotates each layer (positive = anticlockwise).
  4. Select the Material from the dropdown (e.g., Inconel 625, AlSi10Mg, Ti-6Al-4V, Stainless Steel 316, Cobalt Chrome, and others).
  5. Choose the Powder Properties:
    • Automatic Scaling: Powder properties are derived automatically from the solid material.
    • Custom Scaling: Reveals the Custom Scaling Factors group, where you can set the powder-relative scaling for Thermal Conductivity, Specific Heat, Elastic Modulus, and Emissivity.
  6. Press OK and choose where to save the .prm file.
How It Works:

The command runs a two-stage additive process simulation — a thermal simulation followed by a linked mechanical simulation — then exports the calibrated results as a PRM (Process Reference Model) file. A progress dialog tracks the thermal and mechanical stages.

Result: A .prm parameter file is generated at the location you choose. This PRM file can be used as a custom parameter set for additive process simulation studies, calibrated to your specific machine and material parameters.
Note: The PRM generation is a long-running operation. The progress dialog cannot be cancelled once started. Solver details are written to the Text Commands palette, which opens automatically.
Known Limitations:
  • MPBF setups only: Generate PRM is only available when the active setup uses Metal Powder Bed Fusion technology. The command button is hidden for other setup types (FFF, SLA/DLP, SLS, MJF, etc.).

Display Component Colors

All Tabs > Inspect Panel > Display Component Colors
  1. Click the button to toggle component color display on/off.
Result: Toggles the display of component colors in the canvas. When enabled, each component is displayed with a distinct color for easier identification.
Keyboard Shortcut: Shift + N

Display Mesh Face Groups

All Tabs > Inspect Panel > Display Mesh Face Groups
  1. Click the button to toggle mesh face group display on/off.
Result: Toggles the display of mesh face groups in the canvas. When enabled, different face groups within mesh bodies are displayed with distinct colors.
Keyboard Shortcut: Shift + F

Netfabb for Fusion

Additive Tab > Actions Panel > Netfabb for Fusion
  1. Ensure you have an active setup with bodies.
  2. Click the Netfabb for Fusion button.
Result: Transfers all bodies within your active Setup to the latest installed version of Autodesk Netfabb for advanced mesh repair and analysis.
Note: This command is only available on Windows and requires Autodesk Netfabb to be installed.