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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 markings...... Scale one you scale the other.

Love the part at the end with the counterbore and keeping it on one sketch plane. Thanks!

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.

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

Instant like and sub. Great tutorial! In speed, clarity, usefulness and so on. Thank you and keep them coming!

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!!!

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.

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

This has helped me immensely. Thank You.

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.

This was super helpful! I always struggled with attached canvases!

You make it look easy. Thank you, this video had shed a lot of light in my future cad designs.

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

Your videos are very handy for beginners like me. Keep going!

This is what I've been looking for, so to replicate film props seen on screen. Thank you :)

Fun project John. Videos have been really good recently, just the right amount of "what and why"

I made gears for my chainsaw like this, but I learned something new about the counter bores and including them on the original sketch. Very handy for future things. Thanks!

This works really slick John! Thank you!

Thanks for sharing! It's nice to see some practical applications as I'm still super new to the software.

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. 👍👍

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.

So many useful tips that I've been doing the hard way for so long. Super useful! Thank you

That last tip was well worth the watch, cheers

Great video. I don't know if it's because I'm starting to get the hang of F360 or if it's because you slowed down when you're teaching but this video was extremely useful to me and I'm just a beginner. Some of the earlier videos that I watched went by too fast and I couldn't follow them. Either way, much appreciated.

The most useful thing I found this works for is modeling flange surfaces like crankcase halves.

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.

This is exactly what I have been looking for thank you!

Made a guitar pick box using this method! Came out perfect. Thanks!

Great tutorial! Thank you so much. Was very easy to repeat the process for the part I was trying to make. As an absolute beginner, appreciate it very much.

I'm just learning and this taught me so many things!

Whoa...! That was awesome! I have been following along on a few of your tutorials, only solidly picking up tips and be able to repeat them. I actually got this one... woo..lol. I have only drafting experience with the old green live top! Been hand drawing everything for 45 years... so yeah I am way behind. But KUDO'S to you brother for taking your time to share!!! Loved it!

This was really great, thanks!

This helped a lot. Thank you.

you make it looks easy! thanks bro!

Great lesson!

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.

Just awesome!

*from a beginner's perspective* Instead of tangent-ing the arcs, you can also fillet them. I just move the arrow when filleting the arcs and when I see fit, I close the fillet command! But I saw that you used the fillet command after drawing the sketch, which it can also work! Nice video!

Really enjoyed your video! Would it be possible for you to expound on the process, perhaps showing how you mirror your handle, and creating a toolpath with in fusion 360 with speeds and feeds?

Amazing! ToT and AvE are proud

Great video... hope someday to have your speed and fluidity. A definite save into my Fusion library!

Excellent verbal and visual presentation of doing this. You really took the time to go slow enough for me to follow and take notes, as I have never done this before.

Looks pretty good

great video helped me ALOT!!!

that very last trick you did was awesome, thank you

Certainly a handy tool to use.

nice! so, how do you make a mirror image of that thing so you have the other side to it?

Great tutorial!

great software, great teacher!

I love your videos I have commented on a few other videos regarding some of the design problems I am having with my framelock folder I'm designing. Just started using fusion about 6 days ago and have a pretty awesome design thanks to your videos but would love some help with the grind on the knife. I have just been using press pull and perhaps I should be using something like sweep to move the cut along a curve? I would love to talk with you about it when you have the chance

Video helped a lot thank you!

this is uber useful, thanks

Turning up the transparency of the canvas really helps with sketches

Thanks for the video. Good step by step direction

Realy helpful video. Thank you

I wish I had watched this video weeks ago, So many features i wish i knew we're possible.

nice. i use a scanner to get the picture. somewhat eliminates the perspective problems.

to handle the perspective distortion use a tele-lense from far away and zoom all the way in.. that minimizes the distortion.

Thanks 4 your help.

Spline would have been my choice for developing this.

Great job. I learn something today . thanks

Awesome stuff 👍👏

Nice job.

How do you make solids from splines? I can't get the desired shape from loft or sculpt.

yawwww thanks so much, I didn't know how to scale my canvas before this!! thanks!

you have help me out so much thanks :)

Great tutorial thank you

Perfect amount of info

You might be able to use a panorama shot to mitigate the perspective distortion a bit

You can add a picture to each plane then merge them making a somewhat 3d image to work with.

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 animator/modeler/programmer/tech writer/teacher/mentor; and current 3D printing lab manager/trainer/instructor at Factur makerspace in Orlando, FL. I love this stuff!:)]

Simple and great

Been trying to do something similar. Used flatbed scanner then Inkscape trace bitmap to turn image into SVG outline. Put SVG into Fusion then extrude. Problem is that Fusion refuses to fillet. Looks like outline is too complex.

Excellent !

Doing this in CatiaV5 with "sketch tracer" since years 2002 lol!!

Can you do this also from a scanned object? so a flat plate scanned on a flatbed? should be almost 1 on 1?

I use to scan the part in a flat bed scanner or a copying machine with the lid open..

Thank you!

Cool 360 video

Thanks, John! Well-timed...I have a repair part I need to make on my 3D printer for a pole lamp, and this method should make it a lot easier to get it right. If you are looking for ideas for future vids, how about one on the assembly feature? I know most of your parts are single component, or components joined with joints (like the clamps), but I'm currently designing a cart for a TIG welder and I need to position components relative to each other, without them touching each other. For example, two cross bars in the base frame that are each attached to the side rails, but not to each other, yet I need the space between them to be specified. I did it by making a temporary spacer component, then deleted it, but there must be a better way. Ditto with positioning the wheels (casters in front, wheels on axels in the back) so they sit on the same plane, so I can fit the wheel support brackets in the right size and position. Again, made a temporary reference component, but not fun or efficient...is there a better option? Thanks for the vids...very useful for education, ideas, and motivation to try new things! -- Mike

Thank you it's helpful pls, how could I do works of MDF decoration with area 90 x 210 cms in fusion, like importing an image of it into fusion and make everything i need to do even generating the G codes. I like to do MDF door face, wardrobe door faces. thanks a lot

Alpha transparency really helps when tracing

Good stuff 👍

You can also put the part on a document scanner

If only fusion could convert scalar images to vector format directly it would be super easy. There is software that will do that, but edge detection is critical so lighting, and contrast need to be perfect for it to work right.

I like it, I saw something in industrial engineering with Solidworks is interesting

is it possible to draw with beizer curves in the fusion 360?

Great, but maybe, you have to use a cv spline especially when you dealing with an organic surfaces.

Try fit point splines instead of the arc for the sides of the handle. Much easier to get the shape you want.

ty

you can reduce parallax error by using a telephoto lens and get as far away from the object as possible

thank you :-))) it helped me to replicate exactly one item !!!!!!!!!

I love that calibrate feature and hate there is no simple Bézier curve. I think I rather do nit in Corel Draw and just import the vector sketch.

thanks !