What is the purpose of a "Joint" in assembly?

A joint in an assembly is crucial because it defines how components move relative to one another, establishing the degrees of freedom between those components. When creating a mechanical assembly in Fusion 360, joints dictate the types of movements allowed, such as sliding, rotating, or fixed connections, which are essential for simulating real-world interactions between parts.

This capability allows designers to visualize how the assembly will function as a whole, ensuring that components fit together as intended and move appropriately in relation to one another. Understanding how different joints work helps in creating more complex assemblies and achieving desired mechanical behaviors, which is vital in engineering design and analysis.

Other options touch on different functionalities—like defining colors or attaching sketches, which are unrelated to movement and manipulation of parts within an assembly. Also, determining the scale of the assembly is a separate aspect of the overall modeling process, distinct from the function of joints.