We are excited to announce the beta program of the Design Automation API for Fusion! This cloud service brings Fusion’s powerful design and manufacturing capabilities to the web via an API, unlocking a world of possibilities for users, hardware and software partners, and developers.
By moving the well-established Fusion Developer API from the desktop to the cloud, this service provides access to more than 7,000 granular function endpoints through a pay-per-use compute model.
Because the service operates with your user credentials on live Fusion projects - alongside your standard Fusion interface - the capabilities it enables are truly remarkable. From sketching, CAD modeling, and mesh editing to subtractive and additive CAM, 2D and 3D nesting, the API spans almost the entire end-to-end design and manufacturing workflow that Fusion has to offer.
What is the Design Automation API?
Used by millions of architects, engineers, and designers, Autodesk’s Design Automation API offers the automation capabilities of AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, and 3ds Max as pay-per-use cloud services. Essentially, nearly any task you can script on your desktop application can now be deployed at scale using the Design Automation API.
Because the Design Automation API is fully cloud-based, you can complete work faster and more reliably, and it seamlessly integrates with business systems. This enables end-to-end workflows that accelerate processes, improve flexibility, and unlock new opportunities.
What is the Design Automation API for Fusion?
The Design Automation API for Fusion extends this powerful concept to Fusion, allowing you to automate most of Fusion’s Design and Make processes. Simply submit a Fusion script to Design Automation for Fusion, and it will execute it in the cloud using the data you already store on Fusion Team.
This way, you can offload time-consuming and repetitive tasks from your desktop installation of Fusion into the cloud or integrate Fusion functionality seamlessly into PLM or MES workflows.
Core Capabilities
The Design Automation API for Fusion is a foundational component of the Fusion Industry Cloud, offering a powerful platform for third-party integration. Key capabilities include:
- Full Support for the Fusion Developer API:
The Design Automation API for Fusion offers comprehensive support for the Fusion Desktop API. Nearly anything you can automate in the Fusion desktop client today can now be executed without a graphical user interface in the cloud.
- Seamless Integration with Fusion Team Data:
Automations executed via Design Automation for Fusion have direct access to your Fusion Team data. You can read and analyze native Fusion designs, modify or create new designs, assemblies, or manufacturing setups and store automation outcomes directly in your Fusion Team hub, ensuring project data remains up to date, accessible, and properly versioned.
- Connected to Autodesk Platform Services:
Leverage Design Automation for Fusion alongside other Autodesk services, including CAD translators for seamless file conversion, webhooks for automated workflows and the Autodesk Viewer for advanced visualization.
- Scalable, Parallel Processing:
Design Automation for Fusion allows you to run multiple automation jobs simultaneously - tasks that would typically need to be executed sequentially on a desktop computer can now be processed in parallel in the cloud, significantly increasing efficiency.
- Secure and Reliable Execution:
Security is a core priority. The Design Automation API for Fusion uses TypeScript as its scripting language and executes all scripts in a secure sandbox environment, both locally during development and in the cloud.
Use Cases
Given the foundational nature of the Design Automation API for Fusion, its applications are incredibly diverse, including:
- Automation-Driven Workflow Enhancements
Integrate Design Automation for Fusion into PLM, PDM, or MES workflows to automate design modifications and process adjustments, improving operational efficiency.
- Automated CAM Operations
Use Design Automation for Fusion to automate CAM programming, enabling faster, more accurate part quoting, which streamlines your sales process.
- AI & LLM Integrations
As a web-based API, the Fusion Industry Cloud is perfectly suited for AI integrations, including state-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs). This enables AI-driven automation that bridges digital intelligence with real-world manufacturing operations.
- Offloading Time-Consuming Tasks
Free up valuable time by offloading computationally intensive tasks like toolpath generation, post-processing, flat pattern nesting or additive 3D packing.
- Product Family Customization
Automate the customization of product family design portfolios, ensuring consistency and reducing manual effort.
- Efficient Batch Processing
Streamline batch processing for design file adjustments, parameter updates, data analysis and manufacturing planning.
Early Adopters
A manufacturing platform is only as strong as the businesses that build on top of it. We’re excited to showcase some of the first companies leveraging Design Automation for Fusion:
Toolpath.com
Since its inception, Toolpath.com has been deeply integrated into the Autodesk Fusion API ecosystem. Their AI-driven CAM toolpathing and quoting engine is a game-changer for machinists and is helping address the industry-wide skills shortage.
We’re excited to see how fast Toolpath.com was able to leverage our new API and deepen its integration with Fusion. The upcoming release will offer a one-click data transfer from Toolpath.com to the Autodesk Fusion Industry Cloud.
Generate a quote and receive a fully programmed Fusion CAM project for review - just by forwarding an email.
Authentise
We’re thrilled to share that Authentise, a leading provider of data-driven manufacturing software, is already utilizing the Design Automation API for Fusion. The upcoming update to Flows, Authentise's additive manufacturing workflow management platform, is fully leveraging this technology. Read more about how Authentise and Fusion are streamlining additive manufacturing workflows in this press release.
Free Access During Beta
The Design Automation API for Fusion is free for fair use during the limited beta period. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore Fusion’s cloud automation capabilities - at no cost.
Join the Beta Program
We invite you to join the beta program for Design Automation for Fusion and experience firsthand the transformative benefits it offers.
- Get Started with our comprehensive tutorial.
- Provide Feedback to Help Us Improve
- Send your comments and suggestions to da4f@autodesk.com.
- Join the Autodesk Fusion API & Scripts forum for additional support: visit forum
Stay tuned for more updates and innovations as we continue to push the boundaries of design and manufacturing automation.
