Fusion 360 users now have access to Autodesk AnyCAD technology, previously available only in Autodesk Inventor. Announced at Autodesk University earlier this month, AnyCAD for Fusion 360 is currently available in preview to subscribers.
AnyCAD, introduced in 2015, allows almost any type of CAD data to be associatively integrated into Inventor—and now, Fusion 360. Not only will this allow for seamless compatibility between Inventor and Fusion 360 files, but it will also enable the bi-directional linking of other non-Autodesk formats. AnyCAD for Fusion 360 currently supports SOLIDWORKS files, and will soon support Creo, NX, IGES, and STEP files as well.
Autodesk’s blog post announcing AnyCAD for Fusion 360 provides a comparison to Keurig coffee makers and their infamously proprietary coffee pods. CAD tools have historically faced a similar problem—incompatible files and formats that serve only to hinder users. Sometimes, you just want a cup of coffee.
“Everyone stands to benefit from this update,” said Autodesk’s Stephen Hooper. “AnyCAD in the Product Design Collection allows you to put your data at the center of a single, connected ecosystem. It provides seamless access to the advanced tools and technologies our customers need to fully embrace the future of making things.”
In addition to AnyCAD for Fusion 360, subscribers to Autodesk’s Product Design and Manufacturing Collection (which includes both Inventor and Fusion 360) also have a preview of the new Autodesk Nesting Utility. According to the blog post, Nesting Utility is integrated directly into the Inventor interface and “allows manufacturers to optimize the use of materials such as sheet metal, plastics, composites, wood and more for part production.”