Blender is used for various projects ranging from game asset design to 3D animations to 3D printing. It can also be used to some extent in mechanical engineering and the development of physical products. But there are other options, such as fusion 360, which may be better alternatives.
Fusion 360 is a fantastic tool for creating hard surface objects and models that could be used for production, manufacturing, or architecture. Fusion 360 is easier to use for creating closed, hard surface models and designs that are more suitable for 3D printing and physical product design. However, Blender is more flexible regarding digital product design and is the better choice for game design and animation.
As with many comparisons, this is not an apples-to-apples contest, and each software is used with a different primary purpose in mind. Fusion 360 is a great tool for physical products, while Blender remains a top choice for digital ones.
What Are Blender And Fusion Used For?
On the surface it appears as though Blender and Fusion 360 are very similar applications that both allow you to create detailed 3D models. However, spend 10 minutes in each of these programs, and you will quickly notice the differences.
No two software applications are identical, and Blender is a very different application overall compared to fusion.
Blender is primarily used for digital asset design and creation. This means that the tools and features of the Blender software are geared more towards industries like game design and 3D animation.
It can also be used for other tasks and workflows due to its incredible versatility. For example, an add-on called the 3D print toolbox will allow you to create 3D models for 3D printing more easily.
The is also a compositor in Blender that allows an artist to edit any images of the scenes they have rendered. They can also use the compositor to import images into Blender and perform some node-based photo editing.
Then there is the secret video editor that Blender has stored away, which is not immediately accessible from the default template, allowing you to edit your rendered animations or even import your own video files for editing.
On the other hand, Fusion 360 is a multi-purpose cloud-based platform that is designed to be an integral part of mechanical engineering workflows for product design, manufacturing, and construction.
It is a natural fit for 3D printing, in particular, the printing of metal parts, as it allows for the precise design of fixtures and fittings for larger models.
Fusion 360 also allows designers to create models and test them in simulations, reducing the need to prototype the design and cutting both cost and time from the production cycle.
Is Fusion 360 A Form Of CAD Software?
Among other things, Fusion 360 is considered to be a form of CAD software. CAD is short for computer aided design and refers to an application that allows for the design of physical products either as 2D drawings or as 3D models.
These products are designed using CAD software and then sent through the build process, where they are tested on various parameters, including material strength and usability.
Fusion 360 leans more towards the 3D modeling side than it does 2D drawing. If you want to create better technical drawings for your products, then you will want to try AutoCAD, a product from AutoDesk.
What About Blender?
Blender is capable of performing some of the workflows that are attributed to computer aided design, but it is not itself regarded as a form of CAD software.
While CAD is used for logical workflows creating 3D models with mathematical precision, Blender is a form of creative software that allows artists to experiment with their designs and make alterations where they see fit, not just where required.
Accessibility Of The Software
Because Blender and Fusion 360 are ultimately different software with different applications, it’s best to generalize any comparisons here to two factors; accessibility and usability.
Starting with the accessibility of the software, this represents how easy it is to go from hearing about the application to when you begin using it on your device.
For Blender users, this is as simple a process as you can hope for. Visit the main website at blender.org and press the big blue button on the home page. This takes you to the download page, where you can choose the operating system.
Then press the blue button again to begin the download process, and once you have finished downloading, install the software as you would any other software to begin using.
Note as well that no registration is required throughout the process of acquiring Blender. The software is a desktop application that only requires 200MB of storage, so an internet connection is only required for the download stage, and the software itself is free. So no personal or financial details are required to access Blender.
Fusion 360 is accessed from the AutoDesk website, and the exact page can be accessed using the link here.
Like any AutoDesk product, you can pay either a monthly subscription, an annual license, or a full three-year plan. While Fusion is experience, it is also one of the cheapest applications that you can get through AutoDesk despite being a very powerful tool.
The one year license, for example will set you back $545, but this is pocket change compared to other applications like AutoCAD, which costs $1865 for the same period.
Usability Of The Software
When we refer to the application’s usability, we look at the user interface and the ability to access the various features and tools rather than the available tools. Remember that Blender and Fusion are used for different tasks, so comparing the tools is not as beneficial.
Blender has seen tremendous gains in terms of its user interface in recent updates. It has adopted a workflow-based workspace system, with each workspace dedicated to a specific stage in the modeling process.
The application is also hotkey heavy, with hundreds of tools in Blender assigned their own hotkeys for easier access if you don’t want to go hunting through the menus.
However, the Blender experience is still far from perfect, and many tools are still more difficult to locate than they perhaps should be. This is true, particularly for animation tools.
Because Fusion 360 is more specialized software, its user interface can be more streamlined than Blender, as not as many tools need to be displayed on the screen at any one time.
The fact that fusion 360 is a cloud-based system means that it is dependent on your internet connection to function effectively.
In theory, this should not be much of an issue as most software users will have an internet connection strong enough to run the software. But even we have experienced internet blackouts which sometimes have prevented us from using the software.
Thanks For Reading The Article
We appreciate you taking the time to read through the article, and we hope you found the information you were looking for. If you want to learn more about how Blender compares to other applications, check out some of the articles listed below.
