Phone photos → 3D-printed Gridfinity bin.
Photograph your tools on a printed template. The app traces each outline, packs them into the smallest Gridfinity bin that fits, and hands you a parametric Fusion 360 model ready to slice.
Launch the app →You'll need
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Autodesk Fusion 360
Free for personal use. Download from Autodesk →
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A 3D printer
Any FDM printer that handles standard Gridfinity bins (PLA, PETG, or ABS).
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Paper + a regular printer
Print the ArUco-marker template once on plain paper.
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A phone camera
Any modern phone. Moderate angles are fine — perspective gets corrected automatically.
Step 0 · Install the Fusion 360 add-in (one-time)
Download the add-in, extract the ZIP, and copy two folders into
your Fusion API directory. INSTALL.txt inside has
the exact paths for Windows and macOS — under a minute of setup.
① Install the Fusion 360 add-in
Download the ZIP, extract it, then double-click the installer for your OS. Takes about 30 seconds. Fusion 360 must already be installed and opened at least once.
⬇ Download Fusion add-in (.zip)
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Extract
pic-to-bin-fusion.zip. -
Double-click the installer for your OS:
- Windows:
install_windows.bat - macOS:
install_macos.command
- Windows:
- In Fusion 360, press Shift+S, switch to the Add-Ins tab, select pic_to_bin, and click Run. Check "Run on Startup" so the button shows up every session.
- In a Design workspace, the new button appears under Solid → Create → Gridfinity Pic-to-Bin.
Manual install (if the installer doesn't work)
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Open your Fusion 360 user-API folder (paste this into the
File Explorer / Finder address bar — not a terminal):
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\Autodesk\Autodesk Fusion 360\API\AddIns - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/Autodesk Fusion 360/API/AddIns
- Windows:
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Drag the ZIP's
AddIns/pic_to_binfolder there so the final path ends with…/AddIns/pic_to_bin/pic_to_bin.py. - Then follow the Fusion enable-on-startup step above.
Note: C:\…\AppData\Local\Autodesk\webdeploy\…
is Fusion's bundled-add-ins folder and gets wiped on every
Fusion update — user add-ins do not go there.
② Print the ArUco template
Print on plain paper at 100 % scale (no fit-to-page). One template is reusable — print once and photograph as many tools as you like. Pick the paper size you'll load; the green chroma-key variant helps SAM2 segment light or reflective tools.
How it works
A typical run takes 5–10 minutes end to end.
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1
Print the template
Plain paper, 100 % scale (no fit-to-page). The ArUco markers calibrate scale and correct camera perspective.
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2
Photograph your tools
Lay each tool on the template and snap a phone photo. One photo per tool. Overhead light, all 8 markers in frame when possible.
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3
Enter each tool's height
Measure thickness with calipers or a ruler — that sets the pocket depth. The bin auto-sizes to the tallest tool.
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4
Inspect the trace
The app overlays its trace on each photo. Adjust trace parameters or rerun a specific image if a detail looks off.
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5
Review the auto-packed layout
Tools snap to the smallest Gridfinity bin that fits. Print the 1:1-scale PDF fit-test on paper and check the physical tools sit cleanly before committing to a 3D print.
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6
Download
bin_config.jsonThe bin recipe. Polygons, dimensions, and Gridfinity sizing the Fusion add-in reads in one click.
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7
Build the model in Fusion 360
Click Solid → Create → Gridfinity Pic-to-Bin, pick the JSON. Fusion builds the parametric body, stacking lip, tool pockets, finger slots, and Gridfinity base — all in named timeline groups you can edit afterward.
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8
Export as STL (or mesh)
Fusion's File → 3D Print writes an STL ready for any slicer. STEP works too if you want to remix the geometry.
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9
3D-print and drop in your tools
Slice and print at your usual settings. ~2 mm of clearance is baked into each pocket so tools drop in cleanly without forcing.