Poor performance when working with large files in Autodesk Fusion

Solution:

Check the hardware, updates, program settings, and upload queue

General settings to check in Fusion or on the system that can improve performance

• Make sure that the computer hardware meets the System requirements for Autodesk Fusion.
• Verify the latest Fusion updates are installed. See: How to update Fusion
• Limit the graphics effects to optimize the performance: How to limit effects to optimize performance in Fusion
• Work through solutions to improve general performance in Fusion: Slow performance when working in any workspace in Fusion.
• Clear any pending uploads through the steps here: "Cannot close until jobs in progress complete" in Fusion.
• Update the graphics card drivers. See: How to update graphics driver for Fusion in Windows
• Optimize the graphics card settings by following the steps here: Performance Tips for running Fusion on a high-resolution monitor.

Improve timeline compute time in the file

When using the timeline / design history in a parametric environment, try the following to improve compute time:

• To help narrow down where performance issues may be coming from, enter the following into the text command line of Fusion: fusion.DumpFeaturesByComputeTime. This calls out features by the length of their computing time. Take a look at these features to see if any simplifications can be made. 
• If design history is not required, turn it off. See How to turn off Timeline in Fusion.
• Convert features to Direct Modeling by right-clicking the feature in the timeline > Convert to DM Feature. 
• Limit capture position snapshots and use joints instead. (If more than capture position is made while moving a component, delete all but the last one for any particular component move).
• Use Modify > Compute All to run a heath check and Resolve Timeline Warning or Errors in Fusion
• Limit "Remove Instance" features in the timeline.

Modify features in the file

Modify some of the features, or try the following recommendations to improve performance:

• Clear the cache data and reassign any broken references. 
• Simplify as many components as possible by deleting bodies, faces, sketches, etc. that aren't necessary. Delete or remove Mesh and T-spline bodies used during the modeling process.
• Remodel imported files where possible.
• Remove small details such as fillets, embossed/debossed texts, or hardware fasteners (screws/bolts). 
• Replace text with decals.
• Avoid helical and ellipsoidal lines (such as modeled springs) or replace them with a cylinder with a transparent spring texture.
• When converting bodies to components, convert them in smaller quantities. (For example, if converting over 1000 components at once, try converting in smaller quantities of 100 or 500). 
• Make components that are not currently being worked on unselectable. Do this by right-clicking the component in the browser tree, and clicking "Selectable/Unselectable".
• If using a pattern, edit the original pattern to remove parts that need to be deleted.
• Remove ground/fix features that may cause slowness when trying to move parts. 

Best practices for performance when designing

• Use origin reference planes or work planes based on the origin rather than references between components.
• Avoid small details in large designs. This includes fillets, embossed/debossed texts, or hardware fasteners (screws/bolts). 
• Keep sketches as simple as possible.
• Avoid patterning in a sketch. Instead, extrude and then pattern the Feature. 
• Define components/bodies early and create them in place.
• Components should be linked/referenced to separate computing.
• Pattern components instead of mirroring or using copy/paste.