Electronics Workspace#

This section covers Fusion's Electronics workspace for schematic and PCB design. It starts with document types and the schematic-to-board workflow, then schematic capture, libraries (symbols, footprints and devices), board layout, routing with the autorouter and polygons, and ERC and design rules.

It also covers manufacturing outputs such as Gerber, drill, ODB++, BOM and pick-and-place files, 3D PCB with ECAD-MCAD sync, and SPICE simulation basics. A separate page describes the limits of the free Personal use plan. It suits beginners new to schematics, with later pages for intermediate and advanced users.

Pages in this section#

1. Electronics Overview (beginner): Understand Fusion Electronics document types, the schematic-to-board workflow, the command line, and how it relates to EAGLE.
2. Schematic Capture (beginner): Place parts, draw nets and buses, use labels, power symbols and multiple sheets to capture a clean schematic in Fusion Electronics.
3. Libraries, Symbols, Footprints and Devices (intermediate): How Fusion Electronics libraries are structured, and how to build or edit symbols, footprints, 3D packages and devices.
4. ERC, Design Rules and DRC (intermediate): Run electrical rule checks on the schematic, configure design rules for your fabricator, and clear DRC errors on the board.
5. Board Layout (intermediate): Define the board outline, place components sensibly, manage layers and route traces manually in Fusion Electronics.
6. Routing, Autorouter and Polygons (advanced): Route traces interactively, use the autorouter with sensible settings, and create copper pours (polygons) that connect and isolate correctly.
7. 3D PCB and ECAD-MCAD Sync (intermediate): Switch a board to 3D, fit it into an enclosure, and keep the electronic and mechanical designs synchronized.
8. Manufacturing Outputs (intermediate): Generate Gerber, drill, ODB++, BOM and pick-and-place files from Fusion Electronics and verify them before ordering.
9. SPICE Simulation Basics (intermediate): Understand what SPICE simulation does, how to prepare a schematic for it, and the common analysis types; verify availability in your version.
10. Electronics Limits in Personal Use (beginner): What the free Personal use plan restricts in Fusion Electronics (sheets, layers, board area), with a note on conflicting published figures.

Before you start#

Autodesk has reworked the Electronics interface several times (for example, "Push to 3D PCB" was replaced by Switch > 3D PCB with a pull-style sync). The guide follows the current Autodesk help. The Personal-use limits page covers what the free plan restricts, with a note on conflicting published figures.

Confirmed vs not confirmed#

Not confirmed in Autodesk's documentation: the Personal-use limits on sheets, signal layers and board area, how over-limit designs behave, and whether the autorouter and SPICE simulation are available on Personal use. Test these in your own install.