BLANK NESTING

This function enables the user to nest the blank in a strip. This function may be invoked by clicking the BSE/DEVELOPMENT/BLANK NESTING.  Figure 7.4.11 shows the types of nesting options available in the BLANK NESTING menu.

Figure 7.4.11  Blank Nesting Types

ONE-UP NESTING

 

Enable the user to generate the nesting result in one row.

Figure 7.4.12 One-up Nesting

 

TWO-UP NESTING

 

Enable the user to generate the nesting result with two identical blanks using a common orientation.

Figure 7.4.13  Two-up Nesting

TWO-PAIR NESTING 

 

Enable the user to generate the nesting result with a pair of identical blanks in opposite orientation.

Figure 7.4.14  Two-pair Nesting

MIRROR NESTING

 

Enables the user to generate the nesting result by mirroring the blank.

Figure 7.4.15  Mirror Nesting

MULTI BLANKS NESTING

 

Enable the user to generate the nesting result using multiple blanks with different size and shape.

Figure 7.4.16  Multi blanks Nesting

Examples of blank nesting are illustrated in Figures 7.4.12 to 7.4.16. A detailed description of each function is given in the following section.

 

 

 

7.4.6.1 ONE-UP NESTING 

This function enables the user to generate the nesting result in one row. The dialog box is shown in Figure 7.4.17.

Figure 7.4.17  One-up Nesting dialog box

l       Blank Outline (Undefined)

This parameter is used to define the Blank Outline. Click on the Blank Outline (Undefined) button in Figure 7.4.17, the program displays the SELECT LINE dialog box and prompt the user to select lines. After the Blank Outline is selected, the button name is changed to Blank Outline.

INPUT UNIT (toggle on)

Metric

Enable the user to define the nesting setup parameters in metric unit.

English

Enable the user to define the nesting setup parameters in inch unit.

SETUP

In SETUP tab, the user can define the basic parameters such as material, edge width, bridge span and addendum size.

MATERIAL

The user can define blank material using two methods.  In first method, the user can click on the MATERIAL button to open the MATERIAL dialog box. The user may choose to create a NEW material or IMPORT a specific material from the MATERIAL dialog box. Once the material is defined, the density of material is automatically displayed in the nesting window. The user proceeds to define part thickness. Another method is by entering the THICKNESS and DENSITY directly in the corresponding input data fields.

Thickness

Enable the user to define blank thickness.

Density

Enable the user to define density of material.

PARAMETERS

 

The user may define additional parameters to control the layout of blank nesting. These parameters include Edge Width, Bridge Span and Addendum. Figure 7.4.18 shows these parameters related to the blank nesting application.

Edge Width

Allow the user to define the gap between blank outline and strip edge.

Bridge Span

Allow the user to define the gap between parts.

Select Blank

This option enables the user to choose between multiple blanks to assign different or common addendum sizes.  Please note that this option is only available for nesting options with more than one blank outline.

Addendum

Allow the user to expand the selected blank outline.

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Figure 7.4.18  Edge Width, Bridge Span and Addendum

 

CONSTRAINTS

This function enables the user to constrain the dimension of the strip and the angle of blank relative to the strip direction. The tab is illustrated in Figure 7.4.19.

Figure 7.4.19  Constraints

 

DIMENSION OPTION

LENGTH

Fix Length is used to restrict the strip length. The user can click on  to calculate the strip length. After CALC button is hit, the Calculator dialog box illustrated in Figure 7.4.20 is displayed. The UNIT in the dialog box depends on the UNIT selected in blank nesting. The user can select ID and OD value, which is configured by coilinfo.txt file in installation directory. After these two values are selected, the strip length will be displayed in the LENGTH field.

Figure 7.4.20  Calculator dialog box

 

WIDTH

Constrain the width of the strip or sheet.

l         The width range is used as the width constraint. The user defines the allowable range of the blank width (Min and Max).  Blank nesting calculates a series of results according to the defined range of the width.

l         Fix width is used to define a width for the strip or sheet.

PITCH

Constrain the feeding of coil.

 

ANGLE OPTION

l       The angle range is used as the angle constraint. The user defines the allowable range of  blank rotation (Min and Max).  Blank nesting calculates a series of results according to the defined range of the rotation angle.

l       Fix angle is used to specifically define a constant rotation angle.

 

APPLY

Click on the Apply button illustrated in Figure 7.4.19 to run the blank nesting and show the optimal material utilization, as illustrated in Figure 7.4.21.

Figure 7.4.21 The Result of One-up Nesting

Figure 7.4.22 Result of Blank Nesting

 

Blank nesting calculates a series of results according to input constraints. The user may edit the number of decimal digit by choosing the number from the Decimal digits combo box. The user may select any result from the list to display the corresponding constraints in the Result tab illustrated in Figure 7.4.22.

NOTE: The user can not change type of nesting or unit system when nesting result is obtained.

l       Output Nest Report

This function enables the user to output the nesting result in HTML format. The interface of the Output Nesting Report is illustrated in Figure 7.4.23.

Figure 7.4.23 The Output Nesting Report dialog box

When Output Nesting Report dialog box is displayed, a highlighted frame appears in the display area. The image displayed inside this frame is captured saved to the nesting report.

DATE

Display date of the nesting report.

FILE NAME

Enable the user to assign a file name (.htm) and the file path to save the current nesting report.

BLANK OUTLINE COLOR

Enable the user to change color of the blank outline.

UNIT

Display current unit system in nesting report.

PRODUCTION VOLUME / PER COIL

Enable the user to select PRODUCTION VOLUME or PER COIL for cost calculation.

PRODUCTION VOLUME (×1000)

Enable the user to define production volume.

COIL LENGTH

Display coil length defined in Constraints.

BASE MATERIAL COST

Enable the user to define base material cost.

EXTRA MATERIAL COST

Enable the user to define extra material cost.

SCRAP VALUE COST

Enable the user to define scrap value cost.

CONSUMABLES COST

Enable the user to define consumable cost.

COMMENTS

Enable the user to write comments in the nesting report.

Click on the Apply button to save the current nesting report as.htm file. Then, the file automatically displayed in the default web browser (PC with Windows operating system). A sample nesting report is illustrated in Figure 7.4.24.

 

Figure 7.4.24 A typical nesting report

7.4.6.2 TWO-UP NESTING

This function enables the user to generate the nesting result of two identical blanks with common orientation. The setting of Setup and Constraint in this function is similar to those described in the One-up Nesting. Refer to Section 7.4.6.1 for description of commonly used parameters.

 

The Position option is activated after the blank outline is selected. This option enables the user to adjust the relative position between two blanks. The user may use the automatic tools to optimize the blank orientations. Else, the user may manually adjust blank layout according to desired X- or Y-axis translations, and/or Z-axis rotations.  Click on the Position button to open the Blank Position dialog box illustrated in Figure 7.4.25.

Figure 7.4.25 Auto Position dialog box

 

X-Y STEP

This function allows user to set incremental value in X and Y direction for transformation. This increment is useful both in Auto and Manual nesting. If the user adjusts the position of the blank through the Manual method, the blank is moved along the X/Y direction by the incremental value each time the translation button is hit. If the Auto method is selected, the program calculates a series of results according to the step along the X/Y direction. The default X and Y step is 10.

ANGLE STEP

This is the angle increment for blank rotation. If the user adjusts the position of the blank through Manual method, the blank is rotated by the incremental angle each time the rotation button is hit. If the Auto method is selected, the program calculates a series of results according to the angle increment. The default angle step is 10 degree.

 

AUTO

     This function enables the user to position the nesting blanks automatically through the selected optimized algorithm listed below.

l         Min. Area

Position blanks to minimize the surface area of the strip.

l         Min. Width

Position blanks to minimize the width of the strip.

l         Min. Length

Position blanks to minimize the length of progression.

 

MANUAL

This function enables the user to manually position the blanks through translation and/or rotation.

Select Blank

This option enables the user to choose desired blank for positioning operation if more than one blank are available in nesting. The selected blank is highlighted in the display area.

 

TRANSFORMATION

 

 Move selected blank outline in positive X-axis direction according to incremental distance

 Move selected blank outline in negative X-axis direction according to incremental distance

 Move selected blank outline in positive Y-axis direction according to incremental distance

 Move selected blank outline in negative Y-axis direction according to incremental distance

 

Rotation

 

 Rotate selected blank outline clockwise by incremental angle.

 Rotate selected blank outline counter-clockwise by incremental angle.

 

Auto Position-- Enable the user to automatically obtain the positioned result.

Apply--The program accepts the positioning result and exit the position dialog box.

 

7.4.6.3 TWO-PAIR NESTING

This function enables the user to generate nesting layout with two identical blanks with opposing orientation. The setting of Setup and Constraint in this function is similar to those described in the Two-Up Nesting. Refer to Sections 7.4.6.1 and 7.4.6.2 for description about all related parameters.

 

7.4.6.4 MIRROR NESTING

This function enables the user to generate nesting layout by mirroring the original blank. The mirrored blank is symmetrical about X or Y direction. The setting of Setup and Constraint in this function is similar with that in the Two-Pair Nesting. Refer to Sections 7.4.6.1. and 7.4.6.2 for description about all related parameters.

 

7.4.6.5 MULTI BLANKS NESTING

This function enables the user to generate nesting layout using more than one blank outline. When defining  the blank outline, the user should click OK button or the middle button to accept each profile selection after selecting other blank outline. When all the blank outlines are selected, the user can click OK button or the middle button to exit the SELECT LINE dialog box.

Figure 7.4.26  Blank Position dialog box

MASTER BLANK

This option enables the user to select the master blank. It is active when the Multi-blanks nesting type is chosen.

NOTE: Since the program uses the defined X-Y and Angle steps to calculate nesting layout in auto nesting, the user may use the default parameters to avoid long calculation time. These parameters can be reduced gradually to obtain more accurate nesting result.

 

AUTO

This function enables the user to automatically position the blanks through the selected optimized scheme.

ROTATE MASTER BLANK

Allow the user to control whether the master blank is rotated during auto nesting.

ROTATE SLAVE BLANK

Allow the user to control whether the slave blanks are rotated during auto nesting. This option is activated for multiple blank nesting.