Video summary
The video tutorial guides viewers through the process of designing a flashlight bulb using Autodesk Fusion 360, beginning with the creation of a new file named "Bulb." The first step involves sketching an L-shaped profile on the right plane, which serves as the base for the main body of the bulb. By utilizing perpendicular constraints and construction lines aligned with the origin, the creator establishes precise dimensions for the initial shape, setting specific diameters such as 0.4 inches and 0.59 inches to define the width at different heights. This profile is then revolved a full 360 degrees around its central axis to generate the primary cylindrical body of the bulb through a join operation.
To refine the geometry further, the tutorial demonstrates how to add curvature by creating a new sketch featuring a fit point spline on the far left side of the design. After drawing this custom curve and closing the shape with straight lines connecting back to the origin, another revolve command is used to create a second body that forms the rounded end of the bulb. The process continues by cutting away material from the rear section; this is achieved by projecting existing geometry onto a new sketch plane, defining an angled profile relative to the centerline, and revolving it as a cut feature to hollow out or shape the back of the component.
The final stages focus on adding intricate details and finishing touches to complete the bulb design. The creator sketches triangular patterns on the front face by projecting circles from previous steps and using mirror tools along with perpendicular constraints to create symmetrical lines that form small triangles. These features are extruded as cuts, which are then replicated around the entire circumference of the bulb using a circular pattern command set to eight instances for full coverage. The very last step involves adding a dome shape at the back by sketching half a circle and revolving it 180 degrees to join with the existing model, resulting in a complete and detailed flashlight bulb ready for rendering or manufacturing.
Read the full video transcript
All right, today we're going to create
the bulb for the flashlight. This is
what the finished product will look
like.
Start by creating a new file.
Save as the bulb.
And we're going to start with a sketch
on the right plane. So, create sketch
on the right plane.
And
I'm going to start right at the origin.
Go up or across.
Essentially create an L.
Each of these should be perpendicular
lines. If they're not, you can go up and
add a constraint.
And then I'm going to add one more line
to the left here. Go past here. And I'm
going to make that
um
I'm going to going to make that a
construction line.
Okay, and then I'm going to dimension
this.
So, this line right here is .1 in.
Didn't get that one perpendicular, so
hold on.
I'll undo that.
And I'm going to go ahead and add a
constraint here and here.
Make that perpendicular.
All right. So, now this is .1 in.
This one will be .5
in.
And then I'm going to click on this Oh,
I need to make this
construction line coincident with my
origin. So, I'll come up here, make this
coincident, choose the construction line
and the origin. Notice how the
construction line turns black.
Go back to
uh sketch dimensions.
Click on the construction line and then
the first
horizontal line.
And if you move it to the right, you'll
see that you're measuring from the
construction line to that first
horizontal line. Actually, we're going
to revolve this around that construction
line. So, I actually want to measure
this as a diameter. Right now, I'd be
measuring it as a radius. So, when I
right click, I'm going to choose
diameter dimension.
And notice how now the end of that arrow
goes down below the construction line.
So, that it's actually going to
dimension a diameter, not a radius.
And that diameter would be
.4 in.
Let's bring this
Okay. So, then I'm going to do the same
thing for this top one.
So,
click on the
construction line,
go to that top horizontal line.
Didn't quite get it.
Let's see.
So,
click here.
And
there.
Okay, and then right click.
Diameter, and this diameter will be .59.
Okay.
All right. So, you should essentially
have a little
uh
like an L here with a long edge.
Um
with the diameter of .4, .59, and then
0.1 and 0.5.
So, finish sketch
and then go to revolve instead of
extrude.
For my profile, I'm going to select that
whole profile there.
For my axis, I will select that
construction line.
And you'll see that it would default to
rotating it 360°
around that axis. If I wanted it less,
for example, if I just wanted 100°, it
would just rotate it 100 revolve it
100°, but I do want it to be 360°. I
want to revolve it all the way around
that construction line. It's a new body,
and I will hit okay.
All right, so now I'm going to do a new
sketch with a spline. So, I will come
back here
and create a new sketch on my right
plane.
And this is going to be a spline. So, uh
a fit point spline. I'm going to kind of
scroll in here to start the spline
somewhere
in in this zone here, but on the far
left. So, I'm going to
uh make it coincident with this line
here starting
on the far left of my bulb.
And just kind of spline this down here
to
there. Everyone's spline will be a
little bit different. And that's okay.
I hit enter.
And then I'm going to close that shape
with
uh two lines. So, start at the end of
that spline, go to the origin, and then
go up here. And you should have a closed
thing. If you don't like how your spline
looks,
you can change and move these
you know, move the black line
the circles to change it.
So, once you have your spline like you
want, you hit finish sketch
and you will again choose revolve. My
profile will be that entire profile.
Make sure that it's a closed sketch.
And then I'm going to revolve it around
here.
So, the bottom of the sketch. You're
going to create a um a new body or join
and hit okay. So, there is my
end of my bulb.
Now, we're going to cut out part of this
backs.
Look at the right plane. I'm going to
create a new sketch
on the right plane.
I'm going to start by um projecting this
line into my new sketch. So,
come over here and do project
this back line here.
Hit okay. So, that is now in my sketch.
And then let's scroll in. I'm going to
start
at there um
at the end of that line. Go across.
Angle down.
Back to the projected line.
And I guess I can close that.
And hit escape.
All right.
Then I'm going to go ahead and create a
construction line
in the center here. So, I'm going to
start at that origin.
Have this come straight out.
Escape.
Let's choose that choose that line. Make
that a construction line.
Okay, and then we'll go ahead and
dimension this again as a diameter. So,
I'm going to come up here to that first
horizontal line.
Right click. Diameter dimension.
And that diameter should be
uh
0.28.
The top diameter we don't have to
dimension because it should be
coincident with
the bulb, so it should be 0.4.
Um this length here is also going to be
0.28.
And then this right here will be 0.07.
And that should be fully defined.
If not, um then you might have to make
something coincident or make this
uh
90°, but do what you need to do to get
that fully defined.
And then we will go and revolve again.
So, we're going to choose that profile
to revolve, and my axis will be
that construction line I did.
I do want it to go around 360°, but this
time the operation will be cut, not
join. I'm actually going to revolve cut.
And so it cuts away that part.
And there is
what is left.
All right, so now I'm going to go and
look at the front
of my bulb, and I'm actually going to
create a sketch on this part right here.
So, going to
scroll into there, right click on this,
and create a sketch.
I'm going to start with a line.
So, I want to create a line from
Actually, I'm going to start by um
creating a couple projections. So, let's
project
and include this.
And we'll go ahead and include this.
And then we're going to create
um a line
from the top circle to that bottom
circle.
And this is going to be a construction
line.
So, choose on that.
Make that a construction line.
All right.
Then
I don't want that chosen anymore.
I'm going to um
create um
a line that goes from this purple, the
outside circle,
down to the midpoint
of my construction line.
And what I will do is mirror
Oops, did I get mirror? No, it's
circular pattern. I want to do a mirror
of this line.
And I'm going to mirror it about my
construction line.
And then I'm going to make these two
lines perpendicular. So, I'm going to
choose
this and this and make those
perpendicular.
So, we have
um a little
kind of like a triangle with this um in
here.
And if I wanted to, I could actually
trim and get rid of that, but I don't
need to.
So, we'll go and then um
extrude and we're going to choose that
little triangle.
And I'm going to actually cut it.
So, we can cut and it can we can say um
well, one side and
all.
Just make sure that you've cut it there
and hit okay.
And then the next thing I'm going to do
is I'm going to circular pattern that
cut all the way around. So, I'm going to
go
to my pattern, choose a circular
pattern.
I don't want a face here, I want a
feature.
So, So, going to choose this feature.
Let's see, I can choose that feature
right there.
Um
my axis
will be right there, and then how many
do I want?
I'm going to give it maybe eight eight
of them around there.
And we're going to do it full. We're
going to do um
Yep.
And so, now I have my little cuts for my
bulb.
And then the last thing I need to do is
add a dome shape back here. So, I'm
going to go and look at the back of
this.
I will right click and start a sketch.
I'm going to project
this circle.
And [music] I will actually go and just
cut that circle in half there.
Finish the sketch.
And then I will do
um
And I could do a revolve. I can choose
this.
That half profile.
And the axis will be right here.
And this time we only want 180 degrees.
So, we don't want it to revolve all 360.
And we'll join that and hit okay.
And there is your
bulb.