Computer Aided Manufacturing — Fusion 360

Course Description

ETI2414C — Computer Aided Manufacturing — Fusion 360 is a 4-credit, integrated lecture-and-laboratory course in the Engineering Technologies: Engineering Tech Industrial (ETI) taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course provides students with working proficiency in Computer-Aided Design / Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and CNC programming, applying these topics through Autodesk Fusion 360. Students develop competencies in parametric solid modeling, CAM toolpath generation, post-processing to G-code, and CNC machine setup on Haas mill and lathe machining centers. The "C" lab indicator denotes that lecture and laboratory sessions are integrated and meet together, with hands-on work in the CNC shop forming the majority of contact time.

The course sits in the Mechanical Design and Fabrication specialization of the Engineering Technology A.S. degree at Pensacola State College, where it is currently offered as a single-institution course in the SCNS inventory. Pensacola State is a Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC), which provides students access to current industrial Haas controls and equipment, training resources, and Haas Scholarship eligibility. The shop facility supporting this course includes seven Haas CNC machining centers, CNC plasma cutting, and laser processing equipment. Because the course is taught at a single Florida College System institution, this guide reflects the specific implementation at PSC; faculty at other institutions adopting comparable CAM coursework should expect to adapt outcomes, equipment context, and software platform references accordingly.

The course is the second CAM-focused course in the typical MECH-AS sequence at PSC, following an introductory CAD course (ETI 2411C, generally taught in SolidWorks) and an engineering graphics foundation (EGN 1123). It is followed by ETI 2419C (Advanced CAM) as the fourth-semester capstone. Course designation is AS-only; the course is not articulated as part of an A.A. transfer pathway. Lab fees apply.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Create and modify parametric solid models in Fusion 360 using sketches, constraints, dimensions, and feature operations (extrude, revolve, sweep, loft, fillet, chamfer, shell, pattern).
Construct assembly models with joints and motion constraints, and produce engineering drawings with appropriate views, dimensions, and notes.
Define a CAM setup in Fusion 360, including stock definition, work coordinate system (WCS) placement, fixture/workholding definition, and machine selection.
Generate 2.5D milling toolpaths — face, 2D contour, 2D pocket, drill, bore, slot — with appropriate tool selection and cutting strategy.
Generate 3D milling toolpaths for roughing and finishing including adaptive clearing, parallel, scallop, and horizontal strategies.
Calculate appropriate cutting parameters (spindle speed, feed rate, depth of cut, chip load, stepover) for common engineering materials including aluminum, mild steel, and plastics.
Run toolpath simulation and verification in Fusion 360 to detect collisions, gouges, and unmachined stock before posting code.
Post-process toolpaths and produce G-code / M-code output suitable for Haas control execution, and interpret the resulting program at the line level.
Perform CNC mill setup on a Haas vertical machining center: install workholding, locate stock, set work offsets (G54), set tool length offsets, and load tools to the carousel.
Perform CNC lathe setup on a Haas turning center: chuck setup, tool turret loading, tool offsets, and program origin.
Apply shop safety practices, including PPE, machine guarding, lockout/tagout, chip and coolant handling, and emergency stop procedures.
Compile a project portfolio documenting CAD designs, CAM setups, simulation captures, posted programs, and finished machined parts for each major project.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on instructor emphasis and shop scheduling, students may also:

Complete Autodesk Associate Product Design and Manufacturing certification through Autodesk Design Academy curriculum.
Operate CNC plasma cutting or laser processing equipment available in the PSC shop.
Apply Fusion 360 generative design to produce topology-optimized components and evaluate manufacturability of generative results.
Use the Sheet Metal workspace in Fusion 360 to produce flat patterns and bend tables.
Explore Fusion 360 surface modeling for free-form or organic shapes.

Major Topics

Required Topics

Fusion 360 Environment: Interface and workspace navigation; data panel and version control; project organization; user preferences for CAD/CAM workflow.
Parametric Sketching: Sketch entities; geometric and dimensional constraints; sketch dimensions; user parameters and equations.
Solid Modeling: Extrude, revolve, sweep, loft, hole, thread; modify features (fillet, chamfer, shell, draft, pattern, mirror); construction geometry (planes, axes, points); editing the feature timeline.
Assembly and Joints: Component creation and grounding; rigid, revolute, slider, pin-slot, planar, ball joints; motion studies and interference checking.
Drawing Creation: Orthographic and isometric views, section views, detail views; dimensioning per ASME Y14.5; title blocks; basic GD&T application.
CAM Workspace Foundations: Manufacture workspace; setup definition (stock, WCS, fixture); machine library; tool library management; post-processor selection.
2.5D Milling Toolpaths: Face, 2D contour, 2D pocket, drill, bore, thread mill, slot, engrave.
3D Milling Toolpaths: Adaptive clearing (high-efficiency roughing), pocket clearing, parallel, contour, scallop, horizontal, pencil; rest machining.
Lathe (Turning) Toolpaths: Profile roughing and finishing; face; groove; thread; drill on centerline; part-off.
Cutting Parameters: Surface footage (SFM) and RPM; feed rate and chip load; depth of cut and stepover; material-specific feeds and speeds for aluminum, steel, plastics; tool life considerations.
Tooling: End mill geometries (square, ball, bull-nose, chamfer); insert tooling for lathe; coatings (TiAlN, AlCrN); tool holders (ER collet, end-mill holders, shrink-fit basics).
Toolpath Simulation and Verification: Simulation playback; stock visualization; collision and gouge detection; comparison to model.
Post-Processing and G-Code: Posting to Haas mill and lathe formats; reading and interpreting G-code blocks; common G-codes (G00, G01, G02/G03, G54, G43, G80–G89); M-code function (M03/M04/M05, M06, M08/M09, M30).
CNC Mill Setup — Haas VMC: Workholding (machinist vise, parallel bars, soft jaws, fixture plate); tramming the vise; edge finding and probing; setting work offset (G54); tool height setting; carousel loading.
CNC Lathe Setup — Haas Turning Center: Chuck and jaw selection; part loading; turret indexing; tool offset setting; X and Z origin; bar puller / part-off considerations.
Haas Control Operation: Power-on and zero-return; MDI mode; program load and run; single-block testing; feed and rapid overrides; cycle start and feed hold; alarm clearing.
Shop Safety: Required PPE (ANSI Z87 safety glasses, hearing protection, no loose clothing or jewelry); machine guarding and door interlocks; lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147); chip and coolant handling; first-aid response.
Project Portfolio: Documentation standards; before/after photos; setup sheets; posted program archives; reflection on results and improvements.

Optional Topics

Sheet Metal Modeling: Flange, bend, unfold; flat pattern generation; bend tables.
Surface Modeling: Patch, ruled surface, sweep surface; sculpt environment basics.
Generative Design: Setting up a generative study; load and constraint definition; manufacturing constraints; reviewing outcomes.
CNC Plasma Cutting: Process basics; nesting; lead-in/lead-out; cut quality factors.
Laser Processing: Engraving and cutting parameters; vector preparation; safety considerations specific to lasers.
Autodesk Design Academy Modules: Self-paced training tracks aligned to Autodesk certifications.

Resources & Tools

Primary CAD/CAM Software: Autodesk Fusion 360 (current release; education license available to students at no cost)
CNC Equipment: Haas VF-series vertical machining centers; Haas ST-series and TL-series turning centers; ancillary CNC plasma cutting and laser processing equipment in the PSC Mechanical Design and Fabrication shop
Training Resources: Autodesk Design Academy; Fusion 360 in-application Learning Panel; Haas Tip-of-the-Day video library; Haas operator manuals for VF and ST/TL series
Reference Texts: Mastering Autodesk Fusion 360 (current edition); Machinery's Handbook (Industrial Press) as a feeds-and-speeds reference; CNC Programming Handbook (Peter Smid)
Tooling Inventory: Square end mills, ball end mills, drills, taps, lathe insert tooling, deburring tools
Workholding: Machinist vises, parallels, soft jaws, V-blocks, fixture plates, lathe chuck jaws
Measurement Tools: Digital calipers, micrometers (0–1", 1–2"), height gage, edge finders, dial indicators
Standards and Codes: ASME Y14.5 (dimensioning and tolerancing); ANSI/ISO tool nomenclature; OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart O (machinery and machine guarding) and Subpart S (electrical safety)
Professional Organizations: Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME); National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA)

Career Pathways

Completion of ETI2414C supports entry-level employment and continued advancement in CNC machining, CAM programming, and mechanical design roles. The 4-credit lab-integrated format and project portfolio approach build practical, demonstrable competencies sought by Northwest Florida manufacturers and broader Gulf Coast aerospace and defense employers.

CNC Machinist (BLS SOC 51-4011) — Operates CNC mills and lathes in production or job-shop environments.
CNC Setup Technician — Reads programs, installs workholding and tooling, qualifies first articles for production runs.
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer (BLS SOC 51-4012) — Develops CAM programs from engineering drawings and solid models.
CAD/CAM Technician — Bridges design and manufacturing functions, generating production-ready toolpaths from engineering data.
Mechanical Design Technician — Supports engineering staff with model creation, drawing production, and design-for-manufacturability input.
Manufacturing Technician — Generalist role across CNC, fabrication, assembly, and quality functions in small to mid-sized shops.

Florida and regional employer context. Pensacola and the broader Northwest Florida / Gulf Coast region host a concentrated mix of aerospace MRO, defense, marine, and energy manufacturing employers including Naval Air Station Pensacola and the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast detachment (aviation depot-level maintenance), ST Engineering MRA (aircraft maintenance at Pensacola International Airport), L3Harris Technologies, BAE Systems shipyard operations (Jacksonville and adjacent Mobile, Alabama), GE Vernova / GE Renewable Energy wind-related operations, and Ascend Performance Materials (Cantonment). Broader Florida aerospace and defense employers actively recruiting CNC and CAD/CAM technicians include Lockheed Martin (Eglin AFB and Orlando), Northrop Grumman, and Boeing-related operations on the Space Coast.

Special Information

Course Format and Position in Curriculum

ETI2414C is delivered as an integrated lecture-and-laboratory course meeting in the CNC shop. The 75-contact-hour structure typically allocates roughly 15 hours of lecture and 60 hours of supervised laboratory work over a 16-week semester, with the laboratory time dominated by hands-on CAD/CAM project work and Haas machine setup and operation. The course is offered in the spring semester at Pensacola State.

Within the Mechanical Design and Fabrication specialization of the Engineering Technology A.S. degree, ETI2414C is preceded by EGN 1123 (Engineering Graphics) and ETI 2411C (Mechanical Design CAD, generally taught using SolidWorks). It is followed in the same specialization by ETI 2419C (Advanced Computer Aided Manufacturing) as the fourth-semester capstone, where 3- and 5-axis toolpath work, tool and fixture design, and Mastercam are introduced.

Certification Preparation

The course aligns with several industry-recognized credentials students may pursue:

Autodesk Certified User (ACU) — Fusion 360: Entry-level Autodesk credential covering sketching, modeling, assembly, and drawing fundamentals.
Autodesk Associate Product Design and Manufacturing: Stepped credential aligned with Autodesk Design Academy curriculum integrated into the course.
NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) Machining Level I credentials: Process-based credentials in CNC milling and CNC turning that align with the lab competencies developed in this course.
Haas operator familiarity: While not a formal certification, Pensacola State's HTEC designation gives students documented exposure to current-production Haas controls, valued by regional employers running Haas equipment.

Transferability Notice

ETI2414C is designated AS-only at Pensacola State College, indicating it does not satisfy A.A. transfer requirements. As a course currently offered at a single SCNS institution, transferability to other Florida College System schools or to the State University System (SUS) is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Students intending to use credits earned in this course toward another program should consult an advisor at the receiving institution.

AI Integration

Modern CAD/CAM platforms including Fusion 360 incorporate AI-assisted features that students will encounter throughout the course:

Generative design within Fusion 360 applies topology optimization to produce part geometry that meets specified load, constraint, and manufacturing requirements. Students may explore generative design as an Optional outcome and should understand that generative output is a starting point for engineering review, not a finished part — outputs require evaluation for manufacturability, structural verification, and inspection planning.
AI-assisted toolpath generation in the Fusion Manufacturing Extension can propose machining strategies and parameters. As with generative design, the operator remains responsible for verifying toolpaths through simulation, dry runs, and first-article inspection before committing to production cuts.
Academic integrity in CAD/CAM coursework: AI tools can help students debug code, explain G-code blocks, and identify optimization opportunities. The shop work itself — setup, dry-run validation, first-article verification, finished-part inspection — must be done by the student. AI-generated explanations are useful when the student can then verify the explanation against the actual machine behavior; they are not a substitute for shop practice.

The engineer's or technician's responsibility for the final manufactured part is not transferable to a software tool, AI-assisted or otherwise. Students completing ETI2414C should leave the course understanding both the leverage that modern AI-augmented CAM provides and the verification discipline that responsible practice requires.