NEST Module > Nesting Browser Work Flow > Select Sheet(s) to Nest Parts in

This tab allows the definition of sheet(s) to nest parts. There are 4 buttons on this tab that provides control for the selection of geometry as sheets and for defining sheets from parameters.

Once the sheet(s) are selected, you can specify sheet Count and Grain Direction for each sheet. For True Shape Nesting, you can also specify Starting Corner and Nesting Direction.

Select Sheet(s) to Nest Parts in tab, True Shape Nesting

Nesting Browser - Select Part(s) to Nest (TrueShape Nesting)

Select Sheet(s) to Nest Parts in tab, Rectangular Nesting

Total # Selected

This reports the total number of sheets that are defined in the table (not the count).

Define Sheet(s)

Select this button to display the Sheet Definition Parameters. This allows you to create a sheet by entering specific parameters. Then select the Add Sheet(s) button to add the sheet to the Sheets List.

define-sheets-dialog-parameters

Sheet Thickness: If you plan to nest 2D curves, the sheet thickness MUST be set to zero or you will receive an error message when creating the nest.

Sheet Thickness: If you plan to nest 3D solids, the sheet thickness must match the thickness of the part(s).

IMPORTANT: Also note that if your 3D parts vary in thickness, then you must define at least one sheet for each thickness, even if the thicknesses vary by only a very small amount. You can refer to the Thickness Filter located on the Select Part(s) to Nest tab.

Select Curve(s) for Sheets

To select curves to be used as sheets, click the Select Curve(s) button. Select closed curves for sheets and press enter or click the right mouse button to add curves to the selection list. Open profiles are not supported as this may result in incorrect nests. Sheets are only periphery shapes and cannot contain holes or cutouts.

True shape nesting will use arbitrary shapes for sheets. Rectangular nesting will fit a rectangle around the curve shape that is selected for sheets and will use the rectangle as the sheet for nesting.

Example

Two or more closed curves can be selected as sheets when different sheet sizes are required to nest part. The selected curves are available under Select Sheet(s) to Nest Parts in tab in the nesting browser. The curves selected as sheets are displayed in blue color. Selecting a sheet from the browser shows the selection highlight of the geometry (in green color).

Select Curve(s) for Sheets

Remove All

Selecting Remove All removes all sheets from the selection list.

Remove Active

Selecting the Remove Active button removes the highlighted sheet(s) from the selection list. To remove a sheet, select it from the list and click Remove Active.

Remove Active for Sheets

Count for Sheets

Count defines the number of copies for each sheet. Count is set to 2 or more when parts need to be nested to multiple sheets of same size. By default, this value is set = 1.

Count for Sheets

In the above example, count for Sheet1 is set = 2.

Starting Corner (True Shape Nesting)

This defines the corner of the sheet to start the nesting. The starting corner can be set to Lower left, Lower right, Upper left, or Upper right. Starting corner can be specified for each sheet.

Starting Corner (True Shape Nesting)

By default Lower Left corner is used as starting corner.

Example

Example below shows Sheet Starting Corners for all 4 options.

Sheet Starting Corners - Lower Left

Sheet Starting Corners - Lower Right

Nesting Direction (True Shape Nesting)

This defines the direction along which the sheet gets filled with parts. This could be either set to Along X or Along Y.

Nesting Direction (True Shape Nesting)

Example

By default Nesting Direction is set Along X.

Nesting Direction is set Along X

Nesting Direction is set Along Y

Nesting direction is only applicable for True Shape Nesting.

Grain Direction for Sheets

Rolled metal sheets have a property called grain direction, which affects the strength of the parts cut from that sheet. In order to ensure that a part does not fail/break during the subsequent mechanical operations like bending, it is necessary to cut critical parts, such that they align with the grain direction of the stock sheet material.

If Grain Direction is used in Nesting, it must be specified for both the stock sheets and the parts that need to be controlled. Grain Direction can be set to None, Along X, or Along Y. The default Grain Direction is set to None.

Grain Direction for Sheets

Example

Nesting allows you to attach grain direction with each part and ensures that the grain directions of these parts are always along the grain directions of the corresponding sheets.

Grain Direction - Sheets and Parts

Notes

When using two or more sheets of different sizes, if grain direction is set for any of the sheets ‘Along X’ or ‘Along Y’, the grain direction for all other sheets with 'None' grain direction will be set as 'Along X'.

When using two or more sheets of different sizes, if you change grain direction for any sheet from ‘Along X ‘or ‘Along Y’ to 'None', all the sheets would have grain direction set to 'None'.