Fusion 360: Lego Brick

Introduction to Digital Fabrication Fusion 360: Lego Brick

Objectives and Overview

In this lesson, we will be designing a lego brick in Fusion 360. This project will continue your exploration in using some of the functions of the Sketch tools, Create tools within Fusion 360. This tutorial will walk you through creating the 2×2 lego brick.

Lesson Objectives

Learn basic concepts of using the Sketch Tools
Learn basic concepts of using the Create Tools

Step 1

Open up Fusion 360 and let’s start by creating a new sketch. Create⇩ > Create Sketch Choose the XZ Plane to start a sketch on.

Step 2

Next, create a 2-Point Rectangle by using the keyboard shortcut ‘R’. You want to make a square so make sure the length and width are the same measurement. Let’s make a 15.8mm square.

As you hold left-click drag outward, a text box with the dimensions of the length and width will highlight blue; Type 15.8 and click ‘Tab’ to lock the measurement in each box. Click Enter.

Step 3

Click the ESC key or Finish Sketch in the top right corner to complete the sketch. Next, you’re going to add depth to our square by extruding the sketch. Create⇩ > Extrude (or use keyboard shortcut E) > Select the Sketch (it’ll highlight blue) > Extrude 9.6mm

Step 4

Now you’re going to start sketching the studs for the brick. Create a new sketch on top of one side of the square. You’re going to create construction lines to help guide us to place the stud. Press ‘L’ on the keyboard to create a line and then click ‘X’ to turn the line into a construction line. Starting at the top left corner, create a construction line that is 3.9mm long. Make another construction starting at the end of the previous line downwards that’s 3.9mm long.

Click the ESC key or Finish Sketch in the top right corner to complete the sketch.

Step 5

Next, you’re going to extrude the stud by extruding the sketch. Create⇩ > Extrude (or use keyboard shortcut E) > Select the Sketch > Extrude 1.7mm

Step 6

Now instead of creating the remaining studs individually, we’re going to use the Rectangular Pattern. Create⇩ > Pattern > Rectangular Pattern.

Select Features as the Pattern Type. This will allow you to create a pattern with a sketch and any operations added to the sketch such as the extrusion for the stud.

Select the Direction of the Pattern. We want the pattern to go around the block so we’re going to select two sides of the block. Click the lines indicated in the photo below.

Input the Quantity (2) and Distance (8mm) click “OK”

Voilà! You should now have 4 studs on top of the brick.

Step 7

Next we have to make the bottom of the brick hollow by using the Shell command. Modify⇩ >Shell

Select the bottom view create a shell with 1.49mm inside thickness.

Step 8

Next we’re going to create the snaps inside the shell so that we can stack the bricks.Create a sketch in the interior face of the block. Using a construction line draw a diagonal line from the midpoint to midpoint of the crossing studs