How to Create a CAD Model from a Photo in Fusion 360! FF96

Using a picture of a part in Fusion 360 with the attached canvas and calibrate tools to create a CAD model of a knife handle from scratch in Fusion 360!

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Reach us / CNC Info:

[mikemattera]

Before you take your picture, lay a ruler next to the object. It makes it easy to set the scale in Fusion.

[RobertWelchman]

For smaller parts, especially planar parts, I like to use a flat bed scanner and put them right on the glass. As long as everything is flat on the glass. There are no parallax errors or lens distortion either! Also, if the dpi is embedded in the picture, fusion usually gets the scaling right without ever having to calibrate.

[KenColangelo]

Go with a telephoto zoom lens for no perspective/fisheye distortion. Or drop it on a flatbed scanner.

[waterfordrs]

To calibrate, if you don't have distinct points on an object to select and measure, you can include a reference object in the photo as well, say a cube or even the calipers or a ruler with

Scale one you scale the other.

[LukeAinsworth]

Didn't know about extrude from object. Very handy!

[Phantomfourninezero]

I'm a Laser Quest arena designer who really enjoyed the custom shape creator in Bryce 7. That software is no longer supported and Bryce is crashing regularly. This tutorial has pushed me to use Fusion for my next project. Thank you so much for making such an easy to follow tutorial. I can now create my custom shapes in 3D!!!

[PhilipStubbs]

Better than arcs with tangency would be splines joined with constant curvature.

[jothain]

Thanks for the counter bore tip. I've noticed it multiple times when sketching, but I haven't actually noticed that it could be used from other part plane as you did. This will come handy in future as I've personally always created confusing amount of sketches in my drawings.

[turbocobra]

Great to see this done natively in Fusion... quite a few steps... I have had decent luck using the "Trace" feature in Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, save as DXF vector from either of those and import to fusion

[dotdissonance]

Always love this technique! Much easier in Fusion than older CAD programs. I would add, think like the designer than made the part initially. Designers don't usually pick long odd dimensions, so if the part is from Europe, and you measure it to be 2.02234mm, odds are it's just 2mm. Also, I rarely find splines when reverse engineering functional, non-artistic parts (Even curvy S shapes are usually tangent arcs) so arcs are the right way to go here.

[SustainableCraig]

Great tutorial. I took a screenshot of your knife handle and went through the exercise myself step by step. This will be super helpful in the future.

[ClaytonwFirth]

Spline would have been my choice for developing this.

[Demoni]

Some great fusion tricks, thank you! I think using an scanner and placing the flat side of the handle down on the bed would give you an very good image to trace.

[ragimondo]

unsure why if someone is such an expert they would watch a tutorial. Helped me out no end cheers.

[kylefutet]

Attached Candice is very quickly becoming one of my favorite fusion features

[GadsdenMerrill]

I also like to start with b-splines and add in arcs, lines, and constraints to get it just right.

You can also do another attached canvas with a side view if the fillets aren't good enough.

[SierraLimaOscar]

I've made it work from an iPhone photo, but whenever I can, I use an 85mm lens - makes life a lot easier. Any lens that is referred to as "portrait lens" works well for this.
Also to do a simple, yet asymmetrical, outline like this splines give a better result. For more complex shapes I use the same method with Bezier curves in AI or CorelDraw and import a DXF of the curve into Fusion.

[Lorenz.Machine]

I'v done the same thing on 3 different parts recently.
i first mark 2 points on the object (for scaling later) then take scans of it in a normal household scanner.
bigger parts i take multiple scans of and put it all together.
you still get perspective problems but its not too bad.

[swamihuman]

Thx (again), John, for a nice video, w/ some gems along the way.

Now, as you noted, there are certainly other ways to do this. And, in fact, some commenters offered up some good suggestions. Here's my take...

- Automatic bitmap to vector "tracing" can be useful in a number of cases, but it generally does not create the most optimal splines. Sometimes, they're not even "acceptable", depending on the requirements of the project. On the other hand, sometimes they're "good enough". Experience and personal assessment will apply.
- Capturing the image can be done w/ camera, or 2D scanner. To minimize lens distortion when using a camera, I look directly down on the object; get as high up as practical; and zoom in.
- Engineering accuracy vs. "functional" vs. aesthetic will dictate what method(s) to use in the reverse engineering.

[25+ yrs of experience - B.S.E.E.: Elec. Eng., w/ emphasis on computers/robotics; 3D writer/teacher/mentor; and current 3D printing lab manager/trainer/instructor at Factur makerspace in Orlando, FL. I love this stuff!:)]

[YCMcnc]

Started using that attached canvas & calibrate feature after your first vid on it, started putting 6" scale in pictures for calibration reference. Nice work, as always. 👍👍