PCB design group

Created by Antonio Ghio on 17 February, 2020

Fusion360 Electronic Design (formerly Eagle) might seem like it's only good for new designs, but keep trying.

Hi folks,


Just thought I'd vent a bit.


Been trying to upload a design to Fusion360 that was an old Eagle project of mine. I was a heavy Eagle user and wanted to see if I could migrate something. I've discovered that what Autodesk have done to Eagle is so 'almost' its maddening. Infuriating, actually. All in the name of allowing integration with a 3D modelling package.


I have spent about 6 or 7 hours now (most of my spare time for the week...) trying to get through the impenetrable documentation to get a design into F360 so that I can get the board file to connect with a single part on the board, such the ONE (1) part in my library gets put on the board as a 3D part. Only. One. Part. Half a dozen times I got almost there. Just enough success to keep me trying.


The pain trying to get the parts, library, and design to line up right to allow the new part variant to trickle through has been immense. Finally I decided that I'd just replace the existing part on the board with a new one I created. Now it seems I can't place the part on the board anymore without ripping up and re-routing the whole damn thing. The green, part stopping forcefield can't be turned off... Not that I can find. I just want to place the part and re-route only what I have to, which, in theory, is very little. But no.


Brilliant.


I give up now. What a waste of effort. "F360 Electronic Design" is only useful for new designs. I wouldn't bother trying to get old stuff in there. And heaven help anyone that needs to rework an old board design in F360.


Thanks for listening.


UPDATE: Rant aside, it's only impenetrable until you know the answer, then it's dead simple. The Eagle design vs 3D PCB in F360 has many niggles. I haven't fully solved the problems above, but I've figgered the last bit, namely reworking old boards with different parts. And along the way, I found a switch to make your poly pours filter through to the 3D PCB ---> Turn the thermals off on the polygon properties. At least that worked for me.


I have yet to find a complete resource to assist with the 3D side of the new Eagle package. If anyone knows, please advise.