New manufacturing techniques and innovative materials are making us rethink infrastructure creation, but they've also raised a need for closer structural health monitoring. Autodesk Research collaborated with MX3D to create the world's first 3D-printed steel bridge, and then with Dar Al-Handasah to 3D print a series of bridges from sustainable (recycled and recyclable) material. We drove the effort to add "smarts” to both bridges via sensor networks that capture data about their use. The bridges were modeled as digital twins using innovative visualization technology that has been integrated into Autodesk Platform Services and Autodesk Tandem software. These twins visualize the stress on the bridges' structures as people walk across them. Given the popularity of the 5-meter Dar bridge exhibited at Autodesk University 2022 in New Orleans, we wanted to show more details of our work on these iconic projects, and how they might influence the future of smart and sustainable infrastructure.

Additive manufacturing allows for a plethora of new manufacturing possibilities. But what about sustainability possibilities? Sustainability is a huge topic and one that rightly is garnering more and more attention. The latticing of parts that additive manufacturing allows can provide huge performance benefits, but also environmental benefits. Autodesk and One Click Metal have worked on combining the Autodesk Fusion 360 Volumetric Lattice tool with One Click Metal's hardware capabilities, to showcase the benefits of using lattices for Laser Powderbed Fusion (LPBF) manufacture, and how this can be used to improve the sustainability of 3D prints. This industry talk will discuss the concept of lattices, the benefits of using lattices for LPBF manufacture, the challenges of printing them, and, most importantly, how they can be used in 3D printing to reduce waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions, and promote eco-friendly manufacturing practices.

Additive manufacturing has opened the doors to large scale production of geometry previously thought impossible. Today, the challenge isn't manufacturing; it's how to quickly and easily design products that can leverage the unique benefits of 3D printing. Thankfully, Autodesk is leading the industry with cutting edge implicit modeling tools that enable you to design better products more quickly, more easily and more affordably. In this hand-on lab, you'll dive deep into the world of volumetric lattice in Fusion 360 and how it enables you to design the product of your dreams. You'll start by learning the basics of how the technology works and how to lattice a sample part. Then, you will put your new skills into practice and lattice an actual part. After covering foundational skills, you will use intermediate methods to create more complex lattices with ease. Finally, you will explore advanced and even expert techniques that push the limits of what is possible. If you design or engineer consumer products and want to take your designs to the next level and beyond, this hands-on LAB is for you!

In 2025, technology trends in design, construction, and facilities management are converging around artificial intelligence (AI), Automation, Integration, & Customization, and Sustainable Design—with a focus on enhancing efficiency, safety, and user experience. Key areas include the integration of AI in design, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, drones, robotics, wearable technology, and Sustainable Design initiatives. This session will bring together the leaders in design construction and facility management to discuss the current trends and look to the future of technology in 2026.

What’s the difference between topology optimization and generative design—and why does it matter when building advanced components? In this hands-on lab, we’ll explore the tools and workflows that helped Elara Aerospace design a launch-ready, record-breaking rocket built to survive the extreme forces of spaceflight. You’ll follow guided exercises in Autodesk Fusion software, learning how to harness both generative design and topology optimization to reduce mass, increase strength, and improve overall performance under tight constraints. We’ll walk through how to define loads, constraints, and materials. We’ll cover how to interpret and compare outcomes. And we’ll explore post-process geometry for manufacturability. You’ll gain practical experience in setting up a generative design study, comparing it with topology optimization, and understanding when and why each approach is appropriate. By the end, you’ll understand the theory—and have built and optimized a component for spaceflight-level performance.

Learn how generative AI can revolutionize product engineering and lifecycle management. This session will focus on key challenges in the manufacturing product lifecycle, such as the reliance on 2D drawings and PDFs, the time-consuming nature of model creation and analysis, and the complexity of assembly modeling. With a focus on practical applications, we'll discuss how generative AI can address these challenges by transforming engineering workflows and enhancing efficiency. And we'll look at the impact that generative AI (powered on Amazon Bedrock) has on the manufacturing lifecycle. We'll explore Autodesk Fusion 360 software, and we'll showcase the potential of integrating a chatbot or plug-in within Fusion 360 that can assist designers in rapidly building models and accelerating the design process.

Booleans are a foundational part of content creation, yet it was frowned upon to use traditional polygon booleans in media and entertainment projects. To solve this problem, Autodesk rebuilt their booleans from the ground up within 3ds Max software, creating a new, powerful, and trusted solution in the Boolean Modifier that unlocks exciting new workflows and capabilities. In this session, you'll learn about how and why this new system was created for 3ds Max, which benefits it provides, and how you can use it to its maximum potential in your own work to create amazing content for film and TV, games, XR, or 3D printing projects.

The Autodesk Factory Experience at AU is where attendees get a hands-on experience of the concept-to-production process using Autodesk Fusion software. Last year, the Autodesk team designed and developed a customizable keypad for Autodesk apps, using PCBs, 3D printing, injection molding, and sheet fabrication. Attendees had explored the mini-factory floor and tailored their own keypads with computer numerical control (CNC)-engraved keys with frequently used Autodesk app commands. The AU 2024 Factory Experience: Keypad 2.0 Sustainability Redesign is focused on Autodesk's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency in manufacturing. This overview will cover insights into common product design and manufacturing challenges that many companies face in their efforts to reduce energy consumption and prioritize eco-friendly, nonpolluting processes that are safe for employees, communities, and consumers—with help from brilliant Fusion design social influencers, sustainability partners, and amazing Autodeskers!

In this cross-industry collaboration between Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) and the Autodesk Technology Centre in Birmingham, England, we're solving the challenges NWG has maintaining water infrastructure. By employing advanced manufacturing techniques—such as laser scanning, reverse engineering, and hybrid manufacturing—NWG can work with its supply chain to repair broken parts and extend the operating lives of the assets they maintain. NWG is responsible for many assets that were manufactured decades ago, and the original design data is no longer available, causing excessively long lead times for replacement parts. As a result, the downtime for key national infrastructure water systems is prolonged and costly. We will show how this important collaboration between the water and manufacturing industries will reduce the downtime and extend product life, improving NWG's resilience, and ultimately saving money for customers.

This case study explores how Curiosity 3D—an Autodesk Learning Partner—is using the power of Autodesk Fusion software and 3D printing to revolutionize education in India by making online education hands-on. The idea was born at a time when the world stopped—the COVID-19 era. Universities and schools were shut, but education found a way and went online, and learning became e-learning. However, this was at the expense of practical hands-on learning experiences. Learn how Curiosity solved this by shipping 3D printers to students' homes! While Fusion was taught online, students 3D-printed projects at home. The design and make journey never stopped. This session will take you through examples of similar innovative strategies that are driving education in emerging markets like India. It will also explore how market challenges—such as limited lab infrastructure, accessibility, and affordability—can be overcome while maintaining hands-on experience and effectively preparing for the future of work.

Everyone loves a quick-fire class full of productivity and power-user tips and tricks. Fusion 360 software is a big product, with lots of environments to master. No matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran, there are always new tips to learn from different perspectives. Come along for an action-packed 90 minutes of learning, and accelerate the process of mastering Fusion 360.

Human bone is a unique material that grows based on the mechanical loading applied to it. This can cause problems for astronauts, as the loading through their bones is reduced and conditions such as osteoporosis can set in. Surgical implants, which are often used to stabilize bone fragments following a fracture, can inadvertently create similar problems, by reducing the force transferred through the bone itself. This can permanently reduce bone mass and increase the risk of future fracture. This class will discuss the ongoing research into this problem, and will demonstrate how researchers are using generative design in Fusion 360 software to explore new designs for these implants that better aid the natural bone-recovery process.

In this session, we’ll discuss how design for additive manufacture (DFAM) can influence the performance of additively manufactured parts. This session will focus primarily on laser powder-bed fusion, but concepts can be transferable to other additive techniques. We’ll explore lattices, hollow geometries, and thin walls as common features in lightweight designs, including the challenges that these can pose in design, post processing, and actual performance. Autodesk Research is currently undertaking research to characterize how as-built features perform (mechanically) compared to idealized conditions—generic bulk-material values found in literature. This will enable better representation of these features at the design stage to facilitate more accurate simulation and optimization. Attendees will leave more familiar with DFAM, considerations during the design process, and the impacts these have on overall part performance.

Desktop-scale 3D printing has become ubiquitous in many industries today. As this growth continues, the demand for ever-larger printed parts has increased exponentially. The move to large-format additive manufacturing (AM[ad1] ) is not as simple as just scaling up. Large-format AM delivers a whole new set of challenges not widely understood by the average designer or engineer. In this class, we will demonstrate how to create 3D-printing toolpaths in Fusion 360 software for both typical desktop-scale 3D prints, and large-scale robot-based printing using the new Fusion 360 robot post processor. We will compare and contrast these two workflows and discuss the additional strategies necessary for successful large-format AM. To close the class, we will summarize the three major categories of difficulties faced and how to mitigate them when moving into large-format additive: access to software tools and simulation solutions; process physics and material properties; and machine selection and equipment.

In this class, we’ll cover four topics of automotive manufacturing: mold simulation and CAM, factory planning, automated manufacturing, and emerging design and manufacturing technology. We’ll begin with the challenges that automotive tooling companies face, and how the use of new technology and increased machine utilization can address the needs of more-complex and accurate tooling. From there we’ll move to factory planning and ways in which to address the challenges that drive change in manufacturing facilities; the problems that arise because of change; and the use of a unified digital model to manage this. We’ll then look at how manufacturing productivity can be increased using intelligent automation, and how it can improve consistency and component reliability. And we’ll finish discussing the use of emerging technology like generative design and additive and hybrid manufacturing, as manufacturers look to improve performance and efficiency of vehicles to meet sustainability and regulatory requirements.

This session will explore a practical, classroom-tested workflow for integrating advanced electronics and mechanical design using Autodesk Fusion software. Using a mechatronics case study—a Raspberry Pi Pico-controlled NERF turret—you'll learn to streamline multidisciplinary design, enhance collaboration, and prevent integration challenges. See how Fusion can simplify electronics PCB and mechanical design integration, optimize prototyping, and support real-world educational outcomes. Gain practical methods for improving your electronics-mechanical workflow efficiency.

Difficult and costly importation of equipment. Lack of customized parts. Unavailable spare parts, especially in the remote areas where supply chains may be disrupted. These are some of the daily challenges faced by the staff of MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières—Doctors Without Borders). The 3D Printing for All project aims to democratize access to 3D printing and solve some of those challenges by getting 3D printing in MSF's projects, and developing procedures and guidelines on how to use it safely and efficiently. Describing design needs, context, and technical parameters for a CAD expert to make a design is critical to the production of the products that solve problems in the field. For the most part, the people who have the problems to solve do not have engineering backgrounds—and yet they have to provide precise information. Throughout the implementation of the project, we've experienced this communication gap, learned valuable lessons on how to minimize the number of iterations, and saved material and time involved in putting a product in use.

In this enlightening talk, Renishaw, a recognized leader in precision measurement and process control solutions, will explore the power and potential of Autodesk Fusion software in programming the company's innovative manufacturing technologies. As the digital manufacturing revolution continues to transform industries, it is vital to understand how to harness critical data on the shop floor. Renishaw will explore practical applications, demonstrating how Fusion 360 can be used to optimize their process control solutions, enhancing precision, reducing waste, and boosting productivity. Additionally, the talk will spotlight how Fusion 360 can drive Renishaw's advanced metal additive manufacturing equipment, facilitating the design-to-production process and enabling more-intricate, powerful, and lightweight designs. Attendees will gain insights into the future of manufacturing, where software like Fusion 360 and hardware from Renishaw intertwine to create innovative solutions.

Learn how to build a rocket reaching the altitude of more than 100 kilometers using Autodesk Fusion software! Welcome to Elara Aerospace, a team of ambitious students who ignite innovation and take aerospace exploration to new heights. Our mission? To build the first student rocket with a bi-liquid methalox engine capable of reaching an altitude of more than 100 kilometers. Through collaborative, agile, and rapid product development, we are designing highly complex aerospace parts to build a rocket that has the ability to conduct experiments in the upper atmosphere. Using the Autodesk Fusion platform—which seamlessly combines design, simulation, rendering, and manufacturing in one accessible platform—we've accelerated our workflow and made collaboration easier than ever. With a unique blend of skills and passions, we push boundaries and break new ground in the industry alongside different backgrounds and cultures. Boundless curiosity and unwavering determination are working together to shape the future of aerospace.

Automation and AI in the Manufacturing industry can be a game-changer. These technologies can enhance the capabilities of a shop, allowing it to take on more complex projects that may have been previously out of reach. Automation can help in handling tedious or repetitive parts of the design and make process, such as quoting, toolpath programming, feeds and speeds management, and more to improve performance. AI can offer design optimizations, recommendations and DFM feedback for additive and subtractive workflows. Hear directly from the partners delivering these workflows in Fusion.