Assemblies
Joints
In Fusion 360, joints are used to define relationships between components, enabling you to simulate how they move relative to each other. Joints determine both movement and degrees of freedom (DOF) between parts, allowing you to create assemblies with realistic motion.
The table below summarises different joints and their degrees of freedom (DOF)
Rigid
Locks two components together, ensuring that they stay fixed relative to each other.
0
0
Rotational motion: None.
Translational motion: None
Revolute
Commonly used for hinges, such as a door or a rotating shaft.
0
1
Rotational motion: Around a single axis.
Translational motion: None.
Slider
Useful for parts like pistons or drawer sliders.
1
0
Rotational motion: None.
Translational motion: Along a single axis.
Cylindrical
Ideal for screws or other parts where you need both sliding and rotational movement.
1
1
Rotational motion: Around a single axis.
Translational motion: Along that same axis.
Pin-slot
Parts that slide and rotate, like a pin moving in a slot or a track.
1
1
Rotational motion: Around a defined axis.
Translational motion: Along a defined path or slot (not necessarily linear).
Planar
For parts that need free movement in a plane but restricted in height, such as sliders on a surface.
2
1
Rotational motion: Around an axis perpendicular to the plane.
Translational motion: Along two perpendicular axes within the plane (free motion in a plane).
Ball
Used for joints that need multi-directional rotation, like a universal joint or a ball-and-socket joint.
0
3
Rotational motion: Around all axes (free rotation).
Translational motion: None.
Some CAD Tips
When doing Joints in Fusion 360, remember to choose the appropriate snap point! Usually the fusion 360 will show you the available snap point on the plane (on the edge and the center of the plane) and these snap points are good enough. You just need to select the appropriate snap points and the set the offset to achieve the effect that two planes are planar or conform to some other joints!
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