Brad Tallis
Learn how to navigate the Fusion interface with tips on workspaces, toolbars, data panel, timeline, and viewport controls—plus pro tips for efficiency.
Hi, I’m Brad Tallis, Founder of CAD Ed LLC, and I’m excited to kick off our Getting Started with Fusion series—a set of short, practical videos designed to help you learn Fusion step by step. Whether you’re brand new to Fusion or just want to sharpen your skills, this series will walk you through creating a fishing reel from start to finish. So let’s dive in and get started!
When you first open Fusion, the interface can feel like a lot—but once you understand its layout and tools, you’ll see how intuitive and powerful it really is.
Why the Fusion interface matters
Fusion isn’t just a CAD tool—it’s a unified platform for design, simulation, manufacturing, and electronics. That means the interface is your gateway to everything from sketching concepts to programming CNC toolpaths. Knowing where things live and how to navigate efficiently saves time and reduces errors.
Workspaces: Your starting point
In the upper-left corner, you’ll find Fusion’s workspaces. These divide functionality into areas like:
- Design – Create and edit 3D models.
- Simulation – Run stress and performance analysis.
- Manufacture – Generate CAM toolpaths for CNC machining.
- Drawings – Produce detailed documentation.
- Electronics – Design PCBs and integrate them with mechanical components.
Each workspace has its own toolbar and sub-menus. For example, in Design, you’ll see Solid, Surface, Mesh, and Sheet Metal tabs—giving you quick access to specialized tools.
The data panel
Located on the left, the Data Panel is your project hub. It lets you view, organize, and load designs, manage versions, and collaborate with your team. Think of it as your file manager inside Fusion.
The toolbars and commands
Across the top sits the primary toolbar, home to menus like:
- Create – Add new geometry.
- Modify – Edit existing features.
- Assemble – Build assemblies.
- Inspect – Measure and analyze.
Hover over any command to see its function, and note the keyboard shortcuts—like E for Extrude and H for Hole. Some commands have flyout menus, such as Pattern, which offers multiple patterning options.
Structure browser
On the left side, the Structure Browser organizes your components and parts. Here you can:
- Toggle visibility.
- Activate specific components.
- Rearrange assembly structure.
Expand the Document Settings flyout (gear icon) to configure units for length and mass properties—critical for accuracy.
Timeline
At the bottom, the timeline shows every feature used to build your model—like a recipe for your part. You can roll back, edit, or reorder steps to refine your design. Need to change a fillet radius or shell thickness? Just click the feature in the timeline and update it.
Viewport navigation
The main viewport displays your 3D model. Here’s how to move around:
- Pan: Hold the middle mouse button and drag.
- Zoom: Scroll the mouse wheel (centered on your cursor).
- Orbit: Hold Shift + middle mouse button to rotate the view.
You can also use the ViewCube in the upper-right corner to snap to top, front, side, or isometric views. Click the Home icon to fit the model back to screen.
Visual settings
At the bottom of the viewport, you’ll find icons for:
- Visual styles: Switch between Shaded, Wireframe, etc.
- Environment background: Choose different themes.
- Graphics effects: Toggle shadows, reflections, anti-aliasing (note: these impact performance).
- Object visibility: Control which work features display.
- Camera settings: Use Perspective with Ortho Faces for realistic 3D views that auto-switch to orthographic when needed.
Preferences
Click your avatar in the upper-right corner to access Preferences. Here you can:
- Set default units.
- Enable Automatic Save on Close.
- Adjust modeling orientation.
- Explore design options like Scale Entire Sketch at First Dimension.
Hover over any setting for a tooltip explanation. These preferences let you tailor Fusion to your workflow.
Quick exercise: Create a box
To practice, create a simple box:
- Go to Create > Box.
- Select an orange plane.
- Click to define the first corner, then the opposite corner.
- Click OK in the Box dialog.
Now use Pan, Zoom, and Orbit to explore your model. Try the ViewCube and Home icon to reset your view.
Fusion interface pro tips
- Use keyboard shortcuts early—they save time.
- Customize your toolbar for frequently used commands.
- Keep the Data Panel organized for faster file access.
- Adjust graphics settings if performance slows on large assemblies.
Understanding the Fusion interface isn’t just about comfort—it’s about efficiency. When you know where tools live and how to navigate quickly, you spend less time hunting and more time designing. The Fusion interface is built for speed and clarity, so once you learn the basics, you’ll move through projects with confidence.
Next up: In the next post, we’ll cover how to start sketching in Fusion—your first step toward creating parametric models.