Export and Import Autodesk Fusion 360 Designs

IMAGINiT Tricks Tutorial: Learn about the process for handing off a design and what options are available — without having to add them to your A360 project.

Editor's note: This tutorial courtesy of IMAGINiT Technologies.

In this tutorial, I’ll explain how to export an Autodesk Fusion 360 design, creating an independent copy that can be imported by another user. I will also show the available file types within Fusion 360. (Please note that Fusion 360 is rapidly changing every day; this information is accurate as of build number 2.0.1957).

First things first — let's talk about the native file types in Fusion 360.

• F3D: Archive file for a single design. One file type for what we would traditionally call a part or assembly file.
• F3Z: Archive file for a distributed design (all xref designs included; multiple F3D files). This packaged file contains everything needed to open the design. If you rename this file to a ZIP file you can open and see all of the files. (The files probably won't make much sense, but trust me, they are there and functional.)

Options of file types available in the Fusion 360 wheelhouse include the following.
Export options for Fusion 360:

• IGES, IGS = Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
• SAT = ACIS
• SMT = Autodesk Shape Manager Text Files
• STEP = ISO 10303-21
• F3D / F3Z = Autodesk Fusion 360 Archive Files
• Import options for Fusion 360
• WIRE = Autodesk Alias
• DWG = AutoCAD DWG Files
• F3D / F3Z = Autodesk Fusion 360 Archive Files
• CAM360 = Autodesk Fusion 360 Toolpath Archive Files
• SIM360 = Autodesk Sim360 Archive Files
• IAM / IPT = Autodesk Inventor Files
• CATPRODUCT / CATPART = CATIA V5 Files
• DXF = Drawing Exchange Format
• FBX = Autodesk Kaydara File
• IGES / IGS / IGE = Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
• PRT = NX File
• OBJ = ASCII File
• X_B = Parasolid File
• X_T = Parasolid File
• ASM / PRT = Pro/ENGINEER and Creo Parametric Files
• G = Pro/ENGINEER Granite Files
• NEU = Pro/ENGINEER Neutral Files
• 3DM = Rhino File
• SAB / SAT / SMT / SMT = ACIS
• PRT / ASM / SLDPRT / SLDASM = SolidWorks Files
• STE / STEP / STP = STEP Files
• STL = Stereolithography CAD file
• SKP = Sketchup

To export a file for sharing, you have a number of great options. The choice of which to use will be based on preference and whether you are trying to share a single design (.F3D) or a distributed design (.F3Z).

Sharing Single Designs with No References

Let’s start with the easy one! Exporting a single design is most easily done directly in Fusion 360. However, if you like the more complicated way, that will work as well (this is explained below). To use this method, you must have a single design with no references to other files.

1. In Autodesk Fusion 360, expand the File menu > Export.



2. In the Export dialog box, expand the Type drop-down list>Archive Files (*.f3d).
3. Select Save to my computer and assign the folder to save to.



4. Click Save. The file is stored on your local drive and shared with other users that can import the file.

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