WinNEST Users Guide

October 2006

WinNEST
Users Guide

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Import
To Import pieces (cam files or others formats like dxf/dwg, dstv, ), click on this button :

Depending on the configuration made during the installation, you might have to select an
import in a list as following :

Select an import and click "Ok"

You will also have the following window :

The selected elements are on the right hand side of the window.
To unselect an element, click on it and then click on this button :
You can also reinsert elements in the selection list by clicking on
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Selecting a machine
If you have various machines, during the import you will have to select the one you want to
use for the nesting.

To change the machine you can also double click on the nesting and change it.

How to select a nesting :

Once the parts are imported, WinNEST groups the parts by thickness and material grade in
what are called Nestings. Those Nesting are automatically numbered.
To reach the nesting list, click on the "Nesting" tab.

To select a nesting, just click on it.

How to know what are the components of my nesting :

After having selected a nesting, click on the "part" tab to obtain the list of your parts.
To visualize a part, select it and click on

. You will also have a preview of the part.

How to modify a part :

To modify the design of a part, select it and click on

. You will then enter in the drafter.

To modify the quantity or the properties of a part, double click on it and change the attributes
in the following window :
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In this window, you can allow symmetries or rotation by clicking on the right part of the
window. You can also change the quantity you want to produce. The group corresponds to the
priority of the part in the nesting. In automatic mode, ActCut will start with the lowest priority
parts

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Changing the plate which will be used for the nesting

After having selected a nesting, click on the "Stock" tab.
WinNest generates automatically a plate with the thickness of the parts and the default size of
plate that you set up in the configuration of the machine. If you want to generate another
plate, double click in the blank space. You will also obtain this window :

Here you can configure a rectangular plate. It will display the default size for both the plate
and the margin gaps. To modify a plate, double click on it and you will obtain the same
window.
Click OK to save changes.

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Reintegrating scraps
Scraps are calculated once you have sent a Nesting to the machine. To use them, first select e
nesting and click on the "Stock" tab. Then click on

to open this window :

On the top left hand side, you have the list of offcuts you can reuse in accordance with your
nesting thickness. If you want to see all the available offcuts, uncheck the tick box "Thickness
distinction".
Select the plate you want to use and confirm by clicking OK.
NB: If you recover an offcut , no matter if you re-use it or not, it won't appear anymore in the
offcuts list.

Nesting the parts

After having selected a nesting, click on

to open the Nester (Act/Cut).

Creating a zone
You can divide your plate into various zones, for example if your machine has pinchers to
move the plate. That's to avoid deformations.

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How to create a zone

To create a zone, go to "Working areas / Zones FICEP". Then you can choose manual or
automatic mode. When in manual mode, you have to create the zones one by one and do the
nesting you want. In automatic mode, select the nesting method you want and the zones are
generated automatically.
In any cases, you will have to configure the size of the zone and the gap between the zone.
The gap should be bigger than 2 times the standard half gap.

Modifying a zone
To modify a zone once you have created it, go to Edit / Modify the nesting zone.
Deleting a zone
Go to Zones / Delete all FICEP zones

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How to nest the parts

Using those icons

, you can directly access to the three methods.
First, select a nesting, then select the method you want to use and finally click on the blue
arrow button to start the process.
The last method is accessible via the "nesting / nesting optimization" menu. The "max time"
field corresponds to the delay in minutes allowed to calculate the nesting.

Which nesting method should you choose?:

Classical nesting type. ActCut will choose the parts one by one and will try to nest them in an
optimal way.
Rectangular nesting type: This method will consider each part as the rectangle it can fit into.
Pavement nesting type: this method is the one that calculates the most combinations and
should point to the best result with a loto f time to calculate.
The fourth automatic mode tries to optimize the nesting by reducing the scrfap generated,
until it reaches the time limit that you fix.

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How to nest manually :

Edit toolbar:
Click on the hand in the toolbar and then select the parts you want to move. To exit this mode
you should press [ESCAPE] a couple times to get back to normal mode.
Once you have clicked on a part, you hold it. You can then move it with the mouse or turn it
with the following keys:
[6]: To invert to rotation direction.
[9]: To rotate 90.
[Q]:To rotate 45.
[T]: To rotate 30.
[5]: To rotate 5.
[1]: To rotate 1.
[A]: To nest automatically.
[R]: To rotate 90 and nest automatically
[X]: To do an X symmetry.
[Y]: To do a Y symmetry.
Left click to drop the part where it actually is.
NB: If the part cant fit where you want to put it, Actcut wil not let drop it there.
Why is it not possible to rotate parts?:
In some cases, WinNEST can be set up to make sure that your machine will be capable of
unloading parts automatically as much as possible.
If you still want to force to program to rotate parts, you can refer to the paragraph III. 3.
How to make common cuts? :
The common cut is made while nesting parts. No matter which nesting method you choose,
you just have to push the common cut Icon to activate it . Actcut will then not use the
standard half gap anymore, but the common cut gap instead.

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How to use the multi-torch mode :

If allowed by the machine, you can use the multi-torch mode. You can activate it when you do
the nesting.
Go to Technology/Flames settings.
Then, on the right hand side you have many parameters :
Current number is the number of torches you want to use at the same time. Put the value
you want and click on Apply. Youll then have new parameters:
Actual separation (mm) corresponds to the distance between each torch. ActCut will
calculate it with the values of the selected part in the list. This value can be set up manually.
Then, you can nest the parts manually or automatically

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Tooling sequence
Once the nesting is done, go to the Pathfinder to visualize the tool sequence. You will have to
click on

to reach this window :

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Start working:

To start working, click on this icon :

You can also use those tools :
Zone toolbar:
Viewing toolbar:
Navigation toolbar:
Edit toolbar:
Operations toolbar:
Sequences toolbar:
Selecting an element in a Nesting :
To select an element, just use this toolbar :
Edit toolbar :
Point selection
Outline selection
Bridge selection.
Bar selection.
Split selection.
Skeleton element selection.
Pincher selection
After having selected an icon, you can click on the element you want to select.

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Viewing the kind of tool your are using :

When you look at the bottom of the screen, you can see the current tool. For example, in the
following capture, we are using the cutting tool :

In this case, you can only do changes on the marks. To modify the drillings you have to be in
Drill mode, and to modify the cuttings, you have to be in Cut mode.
Create a program piece a piece:

When you are using the first current tool on the Pathfinder, go on the menu Working area then
Margining merge to regroupe the tool cut and hole
When the operation is doing you can see on the bottom of the screen Hole Cut

Changing the current zone

To change the zone, click on this button :

Verifying the tooling sequence
When you are in the zone of the tool you want to verify the sequence, use this toolbar :

Click on
to go to the first step of the sequence and then click on
tool sequence.
If you are using many tools for the same operation, click on
check the sequence.

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to browse through the

to change the tool you want to

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Changing the tooling sequence

To change the tooling sequence, use this toolbar :

Click on

and select the operation you want to change.

Changing the cutting direction

First, select the cutting sequence, then click on

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Changing a starting point

Select the cutting sequence and click on
point.

. Then, go to where you want to place the starting

To change the type of starting point, select an element and you will see this window on the
right hand side :

Here you can change the type of starting point and the other parameters which define it.
Selecting "Pre-starting point", the machine will drill first in order to reduce the size of the
starting point.
Creating a bridge
To create a bridge, select the cutting zone and then click on
On the right hand side, you can choose the kind of bridge you want to add :

Then you can directly put the bridge, without having selected previously an element.

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What kind of bridge should I use ?

Bridges are used to minimize the starting points and the cutting time. Positive bridges will
leave some steel between the parts whereas negative bridges cut all the material.
For the cutting tables that have pinchers, you have to use "on extremities negative bridges".:

For the fixed tables, you can use all the kinds of bridges.

After the nesting:

Printing a shop drawing
In the main window of WinNEST, click on
these buttons

and in the shop drawing window, click on

to preview the drawing (first button) or print it (second button).

Sending to the machine

The program for the machine is generated automatically when exiting the tooling sequence
window (step 2). The program is placed as set up (export configuration).
Using the drafter:
To reach the drafter, click on

after having selected a part in the part tab.

Changing a drilled hole for a punched hole (and vice versa):

Click on

and

. Then, select one or more holes.

In the drafter, go to " "

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On the right hand side, you will have this window :

Changing a punch hole or drill hole for a cutting hole :

In the drafter, go to

Then, select the hole or the punch

The program transform the hole( or the punch ) in Cut
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On the right hand side, you will have this window :

Then select the inline on the drawing to assign the new tooling

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Modifying the length of a part:

In the "" menu, select the "Stretching tool"

After that, select the corners of the part you want to stretch. Adjust the values in this window :

Finally, right click on

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