Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Resources for the GUBMES CAD Competition (and beyond!)

Hello everyone, we hope you are having a lovely Spring Break!

We also hope you are excited to enter your projects into the GUBMES CAD Competition, because we are super excited to see what you create!

So excited!

Do you have some great ideas, but aren't quite sure yet where to start with the CAD? No problem, we've got you covered! 🙌

If you don't have a lot of prior experience with CAD or with Fusion 360, or if you are hoping to upgrade your skills, we have some great resources to share. The great thing about these resources is that, not only can they help you make a super fun project for the CAD Competition, they are useful for projects that you will work on in uni and industry as well!

You definitely don't need to go through all the resources on the list to get up and running with Fusion 360, just taking a look at a few of them should be more than enough to jump in and get started! You can always refer back to the list, or look stuff up on the web, if you find yourself wondering how to use a certain feature.

If you know of any great resources that aren't included here, feel free to leave a comment and let us know! We may also update the lists on this blog post to include more resources later. We try to include a variety of sources on this list - such as blog posts, videos, youtube playlists, online courses, and Instructables. There are lots of resources from Autodesk, which provides pretty stellar documentation and guides for their products, as well as some resources from independent creators.

If you are still on the fence about whether you should enter the competition, here is a brief list of very good reasons to enter a project:

1. Get skilled up for next year's classes, and for working in industry. Learning how to use the extensive tools in CAD software is a wonderful investment into your future.

2. Would be a great addition to the Projects page of your CV or portfolio. You will have a public Thingiverse project page that you can share, which will contain not only the CAD files of your amazing project, but impressive renderings, and you can even add other things such as: animations, videos, other documentation, and/or engineering drawings, if you'd like.

3. Prizes 🤩 and/or bragging rights 😉and cute certificates!

4. We will feature your work on our website and social media if you opt-in on the Google Form. You can forever be immortalised as part of the first-ever GUBMES CAD Competition.

5. "CAD" sounds like the word "Cat" and cats are really cool, so it's a sign. If you enter the competition, you'll be a cool cat with a cool CAD. (And maybe you'll win a free pair of light-up cat ears - or a DIY kit to build them)

So what are you waiting for?

Make sure to follow us for more updates and announcements!

Enter the competition here: https://forms.gle/prXywSjeZ1KQzWJg8

---

CAD Resources Lists - Table of Contents:

1. What is CAD and Why is it Important?

2. Intro to Fusion 360 + Online Courses & Video Playlists

3. Fusion 360 Modeling - Basics, Tips & Tricks

4. Assemblies and Joints in Fusion 360

5. Renders in Fusion 360

6. Animations in Fusion 360

7. Eyeglass CAD Tutorials

What is CAD and Why is it Important?

• How CAD has Transformed the Engineering Design Process - Interesting Engineering

• Why is CAD so Important? - ECPI University Blog

• How Industries Use CAD: Engineering - Scan2CAD

• 3D Modeling Basics - Instructables

• How Freelance Mechanical Engineers Use 3D Modeling for Design - cad crowd

Intro to Fusion 360 + Online Courses & Video Playlists

• Self-paced learning for Fusion 360 - Courses

• Really good collection of self-paced courses by Autodesk, highly recommend taking a look. Many of the resources listed on this page are from this series, because it is just that good!

• Start with: Getting started in Fusion 360 -> Self-paced Course

• Foundational concepts -> Self-paced Course

• Introduction to 3D modeling -> Self-paced Course

• Comprehensive introduction course to basics of 3D design

• Autodesk Instructables 3D Design Class

• Autodesk Fusion 360 - Solidworks Transition Guide - Video Playlist

• Part of: SOLIDWORKS transition guide -> Self-paced Course

• Autodesk Fusion 360 - Top 10 Tips for SolidWorks Users - Video Playlist

• Autodesk Fusion 360 - Essentials For New Users - Video Playlist

• Autodesk Design Academy - Introduction to 3D Modeling for Manufacturing - Online Course

• Keyboard Shortcuts: Fusion 360 Hotkeys

Some Videos:

Some fairly comprehensive guides for beginners from Youtubers:

Fusion 360 Modeling - Basics, Tips & Tricks

Some Links:

• Fairly Essential Skills (for working in industry, in my personal experience):

• Introduction to 3D modeling -> Self-paced Course

• Sketching and parameters -> Self-paced Course

• Advanced part modeling techniques -> Self-paced Course

• Helpful:

• Principles of digital prototyping -> Self-paced Course

• Conceptual modeling fundamentals -> Self-paced Course

• Designing with a mesh -> Self-paced Course

• Some Tips:

• 60 Fusion 360 tips in 60 minutes

Some Videos:

Assemblies and Joints in Fusion 360

Some Links:

• Creating Assemblies -> Self-paced Course

• Mechanical assemblies fundamentals -> Self-paced Course

• This includes details on how to make Drawings as well, super important for working in industry!

• Autodesk Fusion 360 - Assemblies and Joints - Video Playlist

Some Videos:

Renders in Fusion 360

Some Links:

• Intro to rendering in Fusion 360

Some Videos:

This guide is cool because it mentions using joints with motion studies and applying that to rendering turntables, as well as lighting. (However, note that it does include Cloud Renderings with Motion Studies which may not be free with the educational license):

Animations in Fusion 360

Some Links:

• Tutorial: Animating a design

Some Videos:

Eyeglass CAD Tutorials

Some Articles & Instructables:

• Folding Sunglasses Made in Fusion 360 - Instructables

• This guide is especially cool because it shows examples of renderings and animations.

• How To Make Sunglasses Using Fusion 360 in 10 Minutes? - Instructables

• The predecessor to the "Folding Sunglasses Made in Fusion 360", this one does not include folding arms, however, it is a good tutorial if you're trying to make something quick!

• 3in1 Sunglasses - Instructables

• Cool sunglasses mod with a built in USB drive and pen in the arms- worth taking a look at if interested. CAD is just for replacing the arms of a broken pair of sunglasses, not the entire frame

• Make Your Own 3D Printed Glasses - Instructables

• Uses TinkerCAD instead of Fusion 360, which is a perfectly good option too! Using Fusion 360 is not a requirement of the competition, just a suggestion. :)

• Custom Fitted 3D Print Glasses - Instructables

• Also does not use Fusion 360, uses a program called Rhinoceros instead. I think the step-by-step process in this guide is pretty nice, simple yet well documented.

Some Videos:

---