Top Plugins and Extensions for Fusion 360

If you use Fusion 360 regularly, you know the base tools only get you so far. The right plugins change how fast you work and what you can deliver.

Here's what actually makes a difference.

1/ Visualization and Client Presentation

KeyShot for Fusion 360

Connects your Fusion 360 geometry directly to KeyShot’s standalone rendering engine via LiveLinking.

Why it matters: It separates the rendering load from your modeling session and allows you to update geometry without losing material assignments or lighting setups.

Best for: High-end product shots and marketing visuals where the native Fusion renderer lacks speed or material depth.

SimLab Composer Integration

Exports your Fusion models to interactive VR experiences, 3D PDFs, and WebGL formats.

Why it matters: It moves client communication beyond static images by letting stakeholders "walk through" a design or rotate a product in a browser without needing CAD software.

Best for: Client reviews, interactive presentations, and VR design verification.

2/ Woodworking and Furniture Design

JoinerCAD

Automates the conversion of solid bodies into production-ready furniture panels with hardware and joinery.

Why it matters: It uses a "skeleton design" method where you model the outer shape, and the plugin automatically generates the individual boards, laminates, and edge banding.

Best for: Cabinetry, custom furniture, and millwork shops reducing design-to-cut time.

MapBoards Pro

Flattens 3D bodies into 2D layouts for CNC or laser cutting while keeping the link to the original model.

Why it matters: It is a lighter, faster alternative to full nesting suites for users who just need to get parts onto a sheet and export a DXF quickly.

Best for: Small to medium woodworking projects and quick fabrication layouts.

3/ Manufacturing and Fabrication

Nesting & Fabrication Extension

The official Autodesk extension for multi-sheet nesting, grain direction control, and material optimization.

Why it matters: It detects material properties and thickness automatically, allowing you to nest parts from multiple documents into a single production run with advanced yield reporting.

Best for: High-volume fabrication where material waste directly impacts profit margins.

SendCutSend Integration

Uploads parts directly from Fusion 360 to the SendCutSend service for instant laser cutting quotes.

Why it matters: It removes the friction of exporting DXFs, checking tolerances manually, and uploading files via a browser; you get real-time cost feedback inside your design environment.

Best for: Prototyping and metal fabrication without owning industrial laser cutters.

4/ Data and Process Management

Bommer

Builds and manages custom Bills of Materials (BOM) directly within the Fusion 360 interface.

Why it matters: It eliminates the manual error of copying data to Excel by allowing you to edit custom properties (like vendor, finish, or cost) on the model itself and export clean spreadsheets.

Best for: Teams managing complex assemblies with purchased parts and specific manufacturing data.

ParametricText

Allows you to create text in sketches that is driven by user parameters.

Why it matters: Native text tools in Fusion often break when dimensions change; this plugin ensures labels, serial numbers, or part tags update dynamically as you resize your model.

Best for: Template files, part marking, and customizable product designs.

Choosing what fits your work

Not every plugin makes sense for every project. Match tools to your actual bottlenecks, not feature lists.

Start with one or two that address your most frequent friction points. Add more as workflows evolve.

Bonus: Speed up rendering without leaving your workflow

If rendering is your bottleneck, Rendair handles visualization faster than most plugins can process.

Upload your Fusion 360 exports, get presentation-ready renders in minutes. No new software to learn, no render farm setup.

Start creating – try it free