Recently, it has moved on even further with history and parametric based modelling as well as CAM and now 2D drawing-based documentation. It’s also moved on rapidly from offering direct modelling for solids to bringing together t-splines technology for organic and complex form design.

It’s been done very publicly, rather than with beta software behind closed doors and NDAs. Launching two years ago, Fusion 360 has become one of the most interesting systems to watch develop.

This saw a combination of cloud-enabled software that uses the cloud to do what it does best - centralise data, enable project collaboration and, in a few cases, improve computation capability.

Fusion became part of Autodesk’s cloud-based plans and the future of the system became the core of the company’s 360 initiative. Then somewhere along the line, things changed. It was delivered as a traditional software system - download, install, go. Partly an experiment to see how its community of users would use such tools, and partly a reaction against the (at least then) new moves from SpaceClaim and Siemens in that direction. It began as a technology preview on Autodesk Labs, offering Autodesk’s take on the direct modelling movement. The tweaked interface now combines solid and t-splines modelling into a single toolbar

For mac download Fusion Paradox