The "Peace of Mind" Local Save Workflow for Fusion 360.
ZenExport is a Fusion 360 Add-In that replaces the native Cloud Save (Ctrl+S) with a powerful local asset manager. It forces a disciplined, organised folder structure on your hard drive, keeping your IP safe and your versions sane.
- 🚫 Ctrl+S Override: We intercept the native save command. No more "Cloud Save" dialogs. One press, one local backup.
- 🧠 Smart Context Binding:
- Setup a project once. ZenExport remembers which local folder belongs to which open tab (even "Untitled" ones!).
- Switch tabs, press Save, and it goes to the right place. Every time.
- 💾 Incremental Versioning: auto-saves as
Project_v01.f3d,Project_v02.f3d... never overwriting history. - 🚀 Intelligent Hashing: Checks your design's DNA (Timeline, Bodies, Parameters). If nothing changed, it skips the save.
- 📦 Full Package Export:
- 📄
.f3d(Parametric Source) - 🛠️
.step(CAD Interchange) - 🗿
.stl(Resultant Mesh for every visible body) - 🖼️
_preview.png(Viewport Snapshot)
- 📄
- 📂 Auto-Open: Opens the project folder after every save so you can grab your files immediately.
- Download this folder.
- Move it to your Fusion 360 API folder:
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\Autodesk\Autodesk Fusion 360\API\AddIns\ - (Ensure the folder is named
ZenExportand containsZenExport.pyinside)
- Windows:
- Restart Fusion 360.
- Go to Utilities > Scripts and Add-Ins, select
ZenExport, and ensure Run on Startup is checked.
Open a new design. Press Ctrl+S.
- ZenExport will ask: "Where should this project live?"
- Select a parent directory (e.g.,
Desktop/MyProjects). - Confirm the Project Name (e.g.,
TurboEncabulator). - Action: It creates
.../TurboEncabulator/CAD/v01/and runs the export.
Make some changes. Press Ctrl+S.
- Action: ZenExport detects the design changes and instantly creates
v02in the same folder. No prompts. - If no changes were made, it tells you and skips the save.
- Close Fusion.
- Re-open your
TurboEncabulator_v02.f3dfile. - Press
Ctrl+S. - Action: ZenExport recognizes the file name and resumes saving to your existing project folder as
v03.
- If you have an "Untitled" tab that you previously set up as "Project A":
- ZenExport uses a GUID (Session ID) to remember it belongs to "Project A".
- Pressing Save will correctly update "Project A".
ZenExport enforces this clean layout:
MyProject/
├── CAD/
│ ├── v01/
│ │ ├── MyProject_v01.f3d
│ │ └── MyProject_v01.step
│ └── v02/
│ ├── MyProject_v02.f3d
│ └── MyProject_v02.step
├── Models/
│ ├── ComponentA.stl
│ └── ComponentB.stl
└── _preview.png
- Tabs stay "Untitled": Since we bypass the Cloud Save, Fusion 360 doesn't update the tab name. Rely on the file system names!
- Local Only: This script does NOT upload to the Autodesk Cloud.
"Order is the sanity of the mind, the health of the body, the peace of the city."