NestMaster 2015 Manual

NestMaster Nesting Software | 2015

User Manual NMMNL - 0001 | Revision 1 | English

COPYRIGHTS © 2014 Hypertherm, Inc. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of those agreements. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use without the written permission of Hypertherm, Inc. Hypertherm 22 West Main Street Lockport, NY 14094 U.S.A. www.hyperthermCAM.com TRADEMARKS Hypertherm and NestMaster are trademarks of Hypertherm, Inc. and may be registered in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, and Internet Explorer are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Adobe and Adobe Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. HASP is a registered trademark of Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. Rev-02/14.

NestMaster 2015 Manual

Table of Contents 1. WELCOME AND WHAT'S NEW Welcome to NestMaster What's new in this release

1 1 2

2. INSTALLATION AND LICENSING System requirements Installing NestMaster Licensing

8 8 8 9

3. SETTINGS What are NestMaster settings? Using the settings dialog Interior/Exterior Leads settings Editing process settings Add or Remove Processes Select a Post Processor (CFF) Reuse Existing Settings Machine settings Importing Parts settings Importing Parts (Advanced) settings Standard Plate Sizes settings Nesting settings Export DXF settings CNC Output settings CNC Output - Output Axis settings CNC Output - Step and Repeat settings CNC Output - DXF Output settings

10 10 11 13 16 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 29 30 36 38 39

4. PREFERENCES What are preferences? General preferences Regional preferences Check for Updates Warnings preferences

40 40 42 44 46 47

5. JOBS What is a job? Creating jobs Opening jobs Saving jobs

48 48 49 50 51

6. PART LIST What is the part list? The Part List task pane Exporting a part to DXF file About the Edit Part List window Preview Part properties About CAD files Adding CAD files to the part list CAD Import properties What is a VSP part? Adding VSP parts

52 52 53 55 56 58 59 60 61 62 65 66 -i-

NestMaster 2015 Manual

Adding a cut-out Assigning cut processes to VSP parts VSP Shape Reference

67 68 69

7. NESTING What is a nest? Creating a new nest Deleting or clearing a nest Adding parts to the nest manually Removing parts from the nest Moving and rotating parts Nested vs. selected parts Mirror Cut direction Managing nests using nest tabs Exporting a nest to DXF file Why do parts appear in conflict? Checking nests for conflicts Separations task pane How to start automatic nesting Setting up AutoNest Stopping AutoNest

72 72 73 75 76 78 79 81 82 83 84 86 87 88 89 91 92 93

8. MODES OF OPERATION What are modes of operation? Cut Simulation mode Measure mode Modify Leads mode Pan mode Select mode Zoom

94 94 95 96 97 98 99 101

9. ARRAYING PARTS About Array How to array parts Stopping an array

102 102 105 106

10. LEADS How are leads applied in NestMaster?

107 107

11. CUT SEQUENCE About Cut Sequence

108 108

12. OUTPUT Creating CNC output The CNC Output dialog How does CNC file naming work? The Output Progress dialog Single part output

109 109 110 112 114 115

13. REPORTS NestMaster reports

116 117

14. VIEWS How to use grids Color Legend

120 121 123

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Shortcuts and key tips Menu and toolbar legacy reference

124 127

15. CONTACT US Locations Technical Support Sales

131 132 134 135

INDEX

136

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

1. WELCOME AND WHAT'S NEW Welcome to NestMaster NestMaster™ is Hypertherm's entry-level nesting software solution. It reflects our commitment to software solutions that are not only powerful, but also easy to learn and use. NestMaster's intuitive interface allows even the most inexperienced user to navigate the application with ease. Operational readiness is typically reached within the hour; a fraction of the time it takes to learn alternative nesting systems. NestMaster can easily manage basic plasma and oxyfuel applications, performing all of the necessary steps to automatically convert your CAD files into CNC-ready programs. l

See what's new in this release of NestMaster

l

Explore NestMaster settings

l

Explore NestMaster preferences

l

Explore the part list

l

Read about nesting

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

What's new in this release NestMaster 2015 includes powerful new features and enhancements that improve the quality and efficiency of your output, while keeping the user interface simple and easy to use. Click the link at the top to read what's new in this release, or select another link to view enhancements from previous versions.

Current version: NestMaster 2015 v11.0

Previous versions: NestMaster 2012 v10.1 NestMaster 2012 v10.0 NestMaster 2010 v9.2 NestMaster 2010 v9.1 NestMaster 2010 v9.0

NestMaster 2015 v11.0 Ribbon NestMaster 2015 includes a new ribbon interface, which is designed to help you quickly find the NestMaster commands that you need by including bigger, more visible controls with text labels that are organized in logical groups. Benefits include: l Simplified access making NestMaster features easier to find. l Mode-sensitive ribbon that shows only relevant controls. l Each control in the ribbon has hint text containing a short description of the item. l A Quick Access toolbar at the top of the main window contains commonly used items that can be accessed with a single click. A cross reference of NestMaster 2015 menus and toolbars is available to help you get familiar with the interface. Nest Tabs In the main window, each nest now has its own tab which displays nest name. Using tabs, you can: l Easily navigate the nests in the job. l Reorder nests by clicking and dragging tabs to the desired location. For instance, if you want to move a nest that is currently nest 3 of 3 so that it is nest 2 of 3, simply drag the nest tab to the desired position. l Insert a new nest before or after any existing nest in the job. l Hover over the tab of a non-active nest to show a thumbnail image of that nest. DXF Export for Parts and Nests Parts and single nests can now be exported directly to DXF file, without installing a special DXF Polyline setup or changing machines. Check for Conflicts A new control enables you to check the nests in your job for conflicts. You can repeatedly click the Check for Conflicts button to cycle through all the conflicts that are found. Recent Jobs In the backstage view of the new ribbon interface (on the File tab), a Recent jobs page has been added. This page contains an expanded list of recent NestMaster jobs, as well as recent folder paths for job files. Clear Nest

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NestMaster 2015 Manual You can now remove all parts from a nest while leaving the blank plate behind as an empty nest. The empty nest will remain in the main window for future nesting. CAD Import: Recent Places A new button on the CAD tab of the Edit Part List shows recent folders that CAD files were added from. This can help you quickly find frequently used folders when adding parts. Shortcuts Extensive keyboard shortcuts and keytips (visible by pressing the ALT key) are now available in major areas in the application. Size Format for Parts and Plates You can now change how length and width dimensions for plates and parts are displayed in NestMaster. Using the new Size format preference, part and plate dimensions can be shown as either "Length × Width" or "Width × Length". News Feed in NestMaster News related to NestMaster and Hypertherm CAD/CAM software is now available directly in NestMaster. A notification button on the status bar indicates when news is available and can be clicked to open a reading pane where you can browse articles. Customer Experience Improvement Program The program collects information about how you use NestMaster. This helps Hypertherm identify which NestMaster features to improve. No information collected is used to identify or contact you. The CEIP program runs in the background as you use NestMaster, without interrupting you. You can opt in to the improvement program using a new Privacy preferences page. AutoNest: Fill Interiors First During automatic nesting, NestMaster will attempt to nest smaller parts inside the interior profiles of larger nested parts before filling other areas of the nest. This can be useful if your parts contain large cut-outs that can be nested on.

NestMaster 2012 v10.1 CAD Fonts NestMaster now supports native AutoCAD fonts (SHX) and Windows® system fonts (TrueType, OpenType, PostScript) for CAD drawings that contain text. When a CAD file with text is imported, the font referenced in the file can now be used in NestMaster. Using the new CAD Font preferences page, you can choose to use text fonts found in the CAD file or specify a default AutoCAD or system font for CAD text. 2D CAD Improvements l Multi-drawing support Multiple drawings can be open simultaneously in 2D CAD. Each open drawing is displayed on its own tab in the main 2D CAD window; you can toggle between the drawings by simply clicking a tab. l Control points Any entity can now be moved or modified using control points. Control points appear at the start, center, and end points of a selected entity, enabling you to move the entity while preserving its size and orientation or resize the entity around a pivot point. CNC File Extension Setting: N# On the CNC Output settings page, entering "N#" as the CNC file extension will ensure unique extensions are applied to all nests. Creating output for a single nest will apply a .N1 extension to the CNC file; outputting more than one nest will apply extensions incrementally (.N1, .N2, .N3, etc.).

NestMaster 2012 v10.0

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NestMaster 2015 Manual 2D CAD Program NestMaster's 2D CAD application provides all of the basic features needed to create or edit a detailed CAD drawing. With the CAD program, you can: l Add, edit and delete simple and complex geometry l Insert pre-defined shapes such as rectangles, ellipses, etc. l Add chamfer, fillet, notches, or folds l Manage layers and colors l Save drawings as DWG or DXF files 2D CAD is a standard feature that is included with the NestMaster installation. It can be opened directly from the Edit Part List window in NestMaster. Part List Improvements The Part List task pane has been redesigned with an updated look and feel that gives you greater flexibility and control over parts from the main NestMaster window. Improvements include: l Editing part properties A new Properties pane can be opened directly in the main NestMaster window (right-click any part and select Properties). All part information that can be viewed and edited in the Edit Part List window is now editable in this new pane. l Sorting parts Parts can be listed alphabetically or by nesting order (by size). l Easily access the Edit Part List, importing PNLs A new button in the Part List provides easy access to the Edit Part List. You can also quickly import a PNL directly from the part list. Modules and Standard Features l The DXF Output module is now offered as a standard feature at no additional charge. For more information on acquiring this setup, please contact your regional representative. Miscellaneous l The file path of an added part's source file is now shown in the Edit Part List window (in the Properties pane) as well as the Properties pane in the main NestMaster window. l Clicking the mouse wheel button will now activate Pan mode.

NestMaster 2010 v9.2 Color-Filled Parts Parts are now filled with a solid color, in addition to the outline that is drawn normally. Color-filling provides improved visibility and contrast between parts, interior holes, and the plate. Color-filling can be turned on or off in the color legend using the "Draw color-filled parts" setting. Separations Editor A new task pane in the main nesting window has been added, allowing you to view and edit the current separation values in your job. This provides a way of editing separations on an as-needed basis without having to change anything in your NestMaster settings. Part, Pierce, and Plate separations can be edited for each material/thickness in the job. Check for Updates The new Check for Updates feature allows NestMaster to notify you when software updates are available. This will help ensure that your software is up-to-date and contains the latest features, enhancements, and bug fixes. Your PC must be connected to the Internet to use this feature. Filter box in Edit Part List

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NestMaster 2015 Manual In the Part Sources section of the Edit Part List, a new Filter box has been added. You can use the Filter box to filter the contents of the current folder by CAD file name. When text is entered into the Filter box, CAD file names that contain some or all of the entered text will be shown, all others will be hidden. Variable Cut Sequence Zones NestMaster now takes into account the size and position of parts on the nest when calculating the nest's cut sequence. This can result in a better overall cut sequence and shorter traverse motions between cuts.

NestMaster 2010 v9.1 Enhancements Automatic Nesting Automatic nesting is now more efficient and powerful, resulting in betters nests with greater material utilization. During automatic nesting, more orientations are attempted for better material utilization and NestMaster will yield a better result when nesting multiple copies of the same part due to the use of pattern array.

Performance Multithreading Implementation of multithreading has improved NestMaster’s performance on computers with multiple cores/processors. Benchmark testing identified significant speed improvements when adding leads during part import. Also, the user interface is more responsive to user input while an operation (such as automatic nesting, pattern array, etc.) is in progress. User input may include stopping an operation, mouse movements, or window resizing. Lastly, multithreading is designed to maximize all available cores/processors. NestMaster will perform better on a PC with more cores/processors than on a PC with fewer cores/processors. Unicode NestMaster now supports Unicode, benefiting users in multilingual environments: l A new XML-based dictionary format (XLF) allows Unicode support for translations. l When switching between languages, users no longer need to change the system locale of their PC. l Help, Tip of the Day, and Reports automatically match the selected language; there is no longer any need to copy language files manually from between folders. l Data entry can mix and match text from different languages.

Settings and other developments Output The output status of a nest is now indicated in the CNC Output dialog. Nests that have already been output now have an icon next to them; this icon is grayed out for nests that have not yet been output. Reports NestMaster now uses the Unicode-based FasReport® generator instead of Rave reports. Cut Sequence Cut sequence numbers displayed on nested parts are now positioned on the "meat" of the part, away from the exterior edges or any interior profiles. Previously the cut sequence number boxes were positioned at the lower left of the part - which sometimes obscured the part geometry behind the box and often caused sequence numbers for two parts to overlap. Preferences A new preference controls whether the Output Progress dialog should be closed automatically after output.

Jobs -5-

NestMaster 2015 Manual Job files (.nif) from version 9.1 onward will be forward compatible with future versions of NestMaster. For example, an NIF created in NestMaster v9.2 will be able to be opened safely in NestMaster v9.1.

NestMaster 2010 v9.0 New Features Single Part Output You can now create machine-ready CNC output for a single part using NestMaster. Output for a part or group of parts can be created directly from the part list. A new output setting, Part Home, lets you set the home point to use during single part output. Step and Repeat If there is a segment of a nest that can be repeated, you can use the new Step and Repeat output settings to reduce CNC file size. With Step and Repeat, the machine will be instructed to repeatedly execute the same NC code along the length or width of the plate.

Feature Enhancements Importing Parts NestMaster can now import a CAD drawing that contains multiple parts. You can import the multi-part drawing as a single unit or break it up into separate parts for individual nesting. Output A new CNC output interface has been implemented, offering the following improvements: l Output settings can be adjusted directly from the Output dialog l Control which nests should be output, and which should not l File naming has been refined l A progress screen displays the status of your output l Newly-created output files can be accessed directly from the progress screen Reports The following fields have been added to the Nest Plot report in NestMaster: Total Cut Length, Total Pierces.

Additional Developments CAD Import The following enhancements have been made: l CAM files (.cam) can now be imported l AutoCAD 2010 is supported Help The online help system has been expanded significantly to provide you with a better understanding of each feature and to help you get the most out of NestMaster. Context-sensitive help (F1) is now available in many areas of the application. Home Positions You can now specify separate Machine and Nesting Home positions. The Machine Home represents the corner of the table on your realworld machine where cutting begins, whereas the Nesting Home is the point from which nesting strategies should begin. This is useful for machines that use clamps to hold material in place and begin cutting immediately next to those clamps. In these cases, the best option is often to begin nesting on a point away from the clamps. Independent Machine and Nesting Home points give you the necessary control in this situation. Preferences Two new preferences have been added: l Allow parts in the Part List to be renamed l After output, save the current job

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NestMaster 2015 Manual Zooming/Panning Several zoom functions have been added: l Zoom Real Time allows you to click and drag up/down to quickly zoom in/out on a nest. l Pan allows you to grab and pull nest to the desired view. l Zoom In is now available, both as a menu and a toolbar item. l Zoom Extents lets you return to a view of the entire nest. Tip of the Day Useful hints and tips are now displayed when NestMaster starts.

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2. INSTALLATION AND LICENSING System requirements Software l

Windows Vista® (SP2, 32 or 64-bit), Windows® 7 (SP1, 32 or 64-bit), Windows® 8 (32 or 64-bit), or later

l

Microsoft Internet Explorer® 6.0 or later

Hardware l

1 GHz processor or faster (3 GHz recommended)

l

1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)

l

VGA display with at least 256 colors and a resolution of 1024 x 768

l

200 MB available disk space

Installing NestMaster Important:

l

Before installing NestMaster, be sure that you have logged in as the system administrator. Otherwise, NestMaster cannot install properly.

l

Do not plug the HASP hardware key (

) into your computer until after you have installed NestMaster.

To install NestMaster from a download link: 1. Download setup.exe for NestMaster. The download link would be provided by Hypertherm. 2. Close all programs. 3. Run the executable file. 4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. To install NestMaster from a disc: 1. Close all programs. 2. Insert the disc labeled NestMaster into your DVD drive. If Autorun is enabled on your system, the installation starts automatically and you can skip steps 3 and 4. 3. From the Start menu, select Run. 4. Type D:\setup (substitute the appropriate letter of your CD-ROM drive for D). 5. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Licensing Your copy of NestMaster came with a removable HASP hardware key ( be plugged in for NestMaster to work.

). This security key contains your license information and must

1. Insert the HASP security key into your computer's USB port. 2. Launch NestMaster. NestMaster can now be run on your PC, as long as the HASP key remains plugged in. Important:

Be sure to keep your HASP key in a safe place. If lost or stolen, a replacement fee will be required.

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3. SETTINGS What are NestMaster settings? NestMaster settings control almost every aspect of nesting - from importing parts to nesting to generating CNC output. Settings can be configured to automatically adjust for different processes as parts are imported and nested.  To edit machine settings, open the Settings dialog: l

In the Quick Access toolbar, click Settings. -or-

1. On the File tab, click Info. 2. Click Machine then click Settings. -orl

Click the machine in the status bar and then click Settings.

Once you have opened the Settings dialog, you can make any kind of settings change you want. After you are done making changes, click OK to accept your changes and return to the main window. Click Cancel to discard your changes and return to the main window. Clicking Save in the Settings dialog will save the current settings configuration. These saved settings will be loaded every time you start NestMaster.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Using the settings dialog To open the Settings dialog: l

In the Quick Access toolbar, click Settings. -or-

1. On the File menu, click Info. 2. Click Machine, then click Settings. -orl

Click the machine in the status bar and then click Settings.

General Layout The settings dialog is split into two main sections: the tree-view and the settings page.

Settings pages are presented as items in the tree-view on the left-hand side of the dialog. To view and edit the settings for a particular page, find the item in the tree-view and click it.

Using the Tree-view Every settings page is listed in the tree-view. Some pages in the tree-view are not always visible because they are contained underneath other pages as sub-items. You can expand the list of sub-items by double-clicking an item.

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This will expand the tree-view to show all the sub-items directly underneath the item.

Double-click the item again to hide the sub-items.

The Buttons There are three buttons at the bottom of the settings dialog:

Button

Action when clicked

Save

Saves all of your settings changes. Until settings are explicitly saved, all changes are temporary. Keeps your settings changes and closes the settings dialog. Discards your settings changes and closes the settings dialog.

OK Cancel

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Interior/Exterior Leads settings The cut process has one settings page for interior leads and another for exterior leads.

Default Settings Default lead settings for both corner and side leads are specified here. A lead is defined by its style, size, angle, and extension. Lead-outs also have an overtravel setting. These five aspects of a lead are defined here.

Style The style of a lead defines its basic shape. Choices for Lead In: (None), Arc, Linear Choices for Lead Out: (None), Arc, Linear To change a lead style: 1. In the Style column, click the box for the lead type you want to change. 2. Click the down arrow and select a new style from the list. 3. Click OK.

Size For the linear style, Size specifies the length of the lead. For the arc style, Size specifies the radius of the arc. For all other lead styles, Size controls the scale of the lead. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 100.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.5 in. for a lead-in, 0.25 in. for a lead-out

Angle For linear leads, the angle of a lead-in is defined with respect to the first motion after the lead. A 0° lead-in will lead straight into the first cut. Positive lead-in angles are defined clockwise from the 0° position, so a 90° lead-in will cause a sharp left-turn into the first cut. Leadout angles are defined in a similar fashion with a 0° lead-out extending straight out of the last cut. Positive lead-out angles are defined counter-clockwise from the 0° position, so a 90° lead-out will cause a sharp left-turn out of the last cut. For arc leads, angle defines the distance the lead will extend around a circle. A 90° lead would extend one quarter of the way around, whereas a 180° lead would extend half way around - forming a semicircle. Units: Degrees Range: -360.0 to 360.0° Recommended Value: 0.0° for corner leads, 180.0° for a side lead-in, 90.0° for a side lead-out

Example: The following part has two sets of leads: a pair of linear corner leads (on the exterior profile) and a pair of arc side leads (on the interior profile).

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The Angle of both corner leads is set to 0°. The side lead-in has Angle of 180°, the side lead-out has an Angle of 90°.

Extension The tip of the lead-in (or lead-out) will be extended by this distance. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 100.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.0 in.

Example: The following parts have different Extension values. The arrows along the part profiles indicate cut direction.

Figure 1

Figure 2

The part displayed in Figure 1 has two exterior arc-style leads. The Extension for both the lead-in and lead-out is 0.0 in.

The part displayed in Figure 2 also has two exterior arc-style leads. The lead-in has an Extension of 1.0 in. and the lead-out has an Extension of 0.0 in. Notice that the lead-in for this part is longer than the lead-in of the part from Figure 1.

Overtravel This value applies only to the lead-out. If this value is positive (overtravel), then the torch/head will travel past the start point before cutting the lead-out. If this value is negative (undertravel), then the torch/head will begin cutting the lead-out before reaching the start point. Units: Distance Range: -100.0 to 100.0 in. - 14 -

NestMaster 2015 Manual Recommended Value: 0.0 in.

Example: The following parts have different Over/Under travel values. The arrows along the part profiles indicate cut direction.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

The part displayed in Figure 3 has two exterior, arc-style leads with an Over/Under travel value of 0.0 in. The start point (where the lead-in intersects the part profile) and end point (where the lead-out intersects the part profile) are the same.

The part displayed in Figure 4 also has two exterior, arc-style leads with a positive Over/Under travel value of 1.0 in. The distance between the start point and end point of this part is 1.0 in. The portion of part profile that is highlighted in yellow represents the overtravel, which will be cut twice by the torch.

The part displayed in Figure 5 has two exterior, arc-style leads with a negative Over/Under travel value of -1.0 in. This part exhibits undertravel. The lead-out occurs before the torch finishes cutting the entire profile. As a result, the part in Figure 5 will be connected to the plate by a 1.0 in. wide strip of material after it is cut.

How do I get here in NestMaster? l

Settings

> double-click the cut process > click Interior or Exterior Leads

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Editing process settings Cut Process The cut process supported by the machine will have its own settings page directly under the Machine page.

To view the cut process settings, click the process once; the settings will appear on the right-hand side of the settings window. These settings specify the default process parameters that will be used by NestMaster.

Kerf width This defines the width of the torch cutting path. With a proper kerf value, NestMaster will make the necessary adjustments to ensure that CNC output is accurate and that your part profiles are cut correctly. Units: Distance Range: -10,000.0 to 10,000.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.1 in.

Feedrate Feedrate to use in CNC output. Units: Speed Range: 0.0 to 10,000.0 in./min Recommended Value: 100.0 in./min

Part - part separation The minimum separation allowed between two nested parts. Nested parts that are closer together will be shown in conflict. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 100.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.5 in.

Part - plate edge separation The minimum separation allowed between a nested part and a plate edge. Nested parts that are closer to the plate edge will be shown in conflict. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 100.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.5 in.

Part - pierce separation The minimum separation allowed between a nested part and the pierce point of another nested part. Nested parts that are closer to a pierce point will be shown in conflict. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 100.0 in. - 16 -

NestMaster 2015 Manual Recommended Value: 0.5 in. The following values are calculated and appear for information purposes only: Pierce - pierce separation value = (2 * Part - pierce separation) – Part - part separation Pierce - plate edge separation value = Part - pierce separation + Part - plate separation – Part - part separation Note: In addition to the main cut process settings page, cut processes contain the settings pages for both interior and exterior leads. To view these settings pages, double-click the cut process name (e.g. "Plasma"). This will expand the tree-view to show the settings pages for both interior and exterior leads. For more information, see "Interior/Exterior Leads settings" on page 13.

Scribe Process If a scribe process is supported by the machine, it will appear directly beneath the cut process name in the left hand side of the settings window. As the process settings for scribe are not modifiable, this process does not contain any settings pages.

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Add or Remove Processes The Add or Remove Processes wizard provides a controlled way to change the fundamental configuration of a NestMaster machine. To access this wizard: On the Machine settings page, click Add or Remove Processes.

Wizard Pages The first page of this wizard is called "Select a Post Processor (CFF)." The purpose of this page is to allow changes to the post processor and/or to the processes that should be used by the NestMaster machine. For more information about this page, see "Select a Post Processor (CFF)" on page 19. The second page of this wizard is called "Reuse Existing Settings." The purpose of this page is to ensure that existing process settings aren't lost simply because changes were made on the previous page: "Select a Post Processor (CFF)." For more information about this page, see "Reuse Existing Settings" on page 20.

Navigation Buttons Along the bottom of the Add or Remove Processes wizard are the following buttons:

Button

Action when clicked

Back Next Finished Cancel Help

Go to the previous wizard page. Go to the next wizard page. Accept your changes and exit the wizard. Discard your changes and exit the wizard. Opens help for the current wizard page.

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Select a Post Processor (CFF) This is the first page in the Add or Remove Processes wizard. The purpose of this page is to allow changes to the post processor and/or to the processes that should be used by the NestMaster machine.

Post Processor The post processor is the core of the NestMaster machine. This file is usually tailored to match a specific real-world machine controller and will generally be named accordingly. While most of the contents of a post processor are specific to output, there is some information that helps to configure the settings for the NestMaster machine that makes use of it. This section contains a combo box of available post processors found on your computer. To change your post processor: l

Select the post processor name in the box. Every process supported by the selected post processor is listed in this section. As the post processor changes, the processes listed will update.

To add a process to the machine: l

Select the process' associated check box.

To remove a process from the machine: l

Clear the process' associated check box.

Important:

Note:

Adding and removing processes from the NestMaster machine is considered an advanced type of change. Changes of this nature are usually done once while setting up the machine for the first time. This is because the NestMaster machine is intended to mirror a real-world machine and the abilities of a specific real-world machine do not change often. Adding a new process will introduce a new set of process settings that must be edited before any meaningful output can be expected. Likewise, removing a process will destroy its existing settings. Exercise caution when making any changes to the settings on this page and be sure to visit the next page in the wizard: Reuse existing settings.

You must select at least one cut process or the Next and Finished buttons will become disabled.

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Reuse Existing Settings This is the second page in the Add or Remove Processes wizard. The purpose of this page is to ensure that existing process settings aren't lost simply because changes were made on the previous page: Select a Post Processor (CFF).

Selected Processes All processes that have been selected on the previous wizard page will appear in a box in this section. For each process, the following options are available: New process If this is chosen when Finished is clicked, then the process will be given new default settings. These default settings should then be edited to better suit the needs of the new process. Use settings from existing '' process If this is chosen when Finished is clicked, then the process will inherit all the settings from the existing process.

Example: Let's say that the settings for the NestMaster machine are perfect, but you need to switch the post processor to something else. Currently, the only cut process defined is called 'Plasma'. On the Machine page, you click Add or Remove Processes. Then, on the first page of this wizard you select the new post processor. At this point, the list of processes changes and you notice that the new post processor doesn't have a 'Plasma' process. Instead, it has a cut process called 'SuperPlasma'. So on the first page of the wizard, you select the 'SuperPlasma' process and click Finished. What happens: When you click Finished, NestMaster re-configures your machine. The old 'Plasma' process is removed - along with all its settings and a new 'SuperPlasma' process is added with default settings. This may be a valid result for some cases, but let's say that your intention was to use your old 'Plasma' settings with the new 'SuperPlasma' process. How would you transfer these settings? Transferring settings from one process to another: Instead of clicking Finished on the "Select a Post Processor (CFF)" page, click Next to advance to the "Reuse Existing Settings" page. On this page you can now see what is happening. The 'SuperPlasma' process is defined as a 'New process'. Also, there is a warning below the process box telling you that the settings for the 'Plasma' process will be deleted. To use the old 'Plasma' settings for your new 'SuperPlasma' process do the following: 1. For 'SuperPlasma', click where it says 'New process' and a down arrow will appear. 2. Click the down arrow and select Use settings from existing 'Plasma' process. What happens: Now when you click Finished, NestMaster copies the 'Plasma' settings into your new 'SuperPlasma' process before it removes the 'Plasma' process.

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Machine settings This is the main settings page. While there is only one editable setting on this page, it serves as a description of the machine's basic configuration. It also provides a controlled means of editing this configuration.

Processes Displayed under Processes is the name of the post processor (CFF file) and the processes that this machine is currently using. The post processor is essential to generating the correct output for your machine. This file is usually tailored to match a specific realworld machine controller and will generally be named accordingly. While most of the contents of a post processor are specific to output, there is some information that helps to configure machine settings. One set of information in the post processor is a list of available processes. The processes that the machine can have is limited to the list of processes described in the post processor. The machine page shows the names of all processes listed in the post processor organized by process class (cut and scribe). Processes that are used by the machine will appear as normal text. These processes will also appear in the Settings dialog's tree-view (the expandable/collapsible list of settings pages on the left-hand side of the settings window) as subitems of the Machine settings page. Processes that are not used will appear disabled and will have the phrase '' next to them. Advanced: The settings in the Processes section are not directly editable on this page. To change the post processor or to modify which processes are used, click Add or Remove Processes.

Machine Settings It is often advisable to create one NestMaster machine for every physical machine you have. This setting is informational only and simply provides an indication of where the real-world machine is located.

Rapid rate This setting describes the machine's maximum traverse speed while the torch/head is off. Units: Length per minute Range: 0 to 10,000 in./min Recommended Value: 600 in./min Note:

This setting is used only for generating costing figures - it is not included in any NC output code. The actual rapid rate used by your real-world machine must be set at the machine itself.

Machine home This setting defines the corner of the nesting area where cutting begins. Generally, this should be equivalent to the home position of your real world machine. The Machine home will be displayed in the nesting area as a yellow target symbol. Choices: Lower Left, Upper Left, Upper Right, Lower Right Note:

When Nesting home is set to "Same as Machine Home", a blue and yellow target symbol ( home and Machine home will be displayed in the nesting area.

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Open Settings

(this page will be displayed by default)

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) representing both the Nesting

NestMaster 2015 Manual

Importing Parts settings Default Values for Importing Parts When parts are added to the part list, they are assigned certain properties (such as quantity). These properties are found in the Drawing Properties section of the Edit Part List window. Each of the settings on this page provides a default value for the drawing properties. Changing a property value in the Edit Part List window has no effect on the setting that provides its default value.

CAD Import tab General

File units This is used when importing CAD files. The file itself was saved using a particular length unit. The value of this setting should match with the length unit that most of your files are saved with. Choices: Inch (in.), Millimeter (mm)

Open profile tolerance This setting specifies the maximum distance allowed for joining line and arc entities. In other words, if Open profile tolerance is set to 0.005 in., gaps that are 0.005 in. or smaller will be closed - helping to prevent open profiles. Units: Distance Range: 0.001 to 1.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.005 in. CAD Layers The following settings apply only to CAD files:

Cut all layers with [Cut Process] This setting is automatically named according to the cut process used by the machine. For example, if the cut process was called "Plasma", then this setting would appear as "Cut all layers with [Plasma]".Select this check box if all layers found in a CAD file should be cut by the process shown. Most applications will require that this checkbox be cleared.

Cut - [Cut Process] Defines the CAD layers that should be mapped to a particular cut process.

Example 1: If the machine supported a single cut process called "Gas", then there would be one row here: Cut - [Gas] Example 2: If your machine supported a cut process called "Gas" and you wanted to assign "0" and "CUT" CAD layers to that process, you would enter:

Cut - [Gas] 0;CUT When a CAD file is imported, all geometry on the "0" and "CUT" layers would be mapped to the machine's "Gas" process.

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Scribe - [Scribe Process] Defines the CAD layers that should be mapped to a particular scribe process.

Example: If the machine supported a single scribe process called "Scribe-G", then there would be one row here: Scribe - [Scribe-G]

Map to CAD color numbers Select this setting to allow importing parts by CAD color number instead of by layer name. Example: A part file defines a part in one layer: "CUT". The part is a simple rectangle with a hole in it. The exterior profile of the part has a color number of 1, but the interior hole has a color number of 2. If Map to CAD color numbers is cleared, then a cut process must be mapped to "CUT" in order to import the part properly. Importing the part in this way will cause the same cut process to cut both the interior and exterior profiles. If Map to CAD color numbers is selected, then the cut process must be mapped to both "1" and "2".

Note:

If you have more than one CAD layer for a single process, separate the layers with a semicolon (;) and do not include a space (for example, "0;CUT").

Options

Scribe first If selected, the machine will complete all scribing on a nest before any cutting is done. If you are cutting with underwater plasma, you should select this option. Normally, when processing very light metal, "Scribe first" should not be selected to avoid problems with metal movement.

Reverse direction and kerf Select this to import parts with a reversed cut direction. Interior profiles will be cut clockwise and exterior profiles will be cut counterclockwise. Right-handed kerf compensation is also used.

Contains multiple parts If there is more than one part on your drawing, select this setting.

Explode multiple parts Select this setting if there is more than one part on your drawing and you want to separate them as they are imported. Note: This setting is active only when Contains multiple parts is selected.

Smooth entities Select this setting to convert curves made from line segments (approximated curves) into true arcs whenever possible.

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Smooth tolerance When converting a set of line segments into a curve, it is important to define how accurate the curve must be. The Smooth tolerance value specifies a maximum distance from the approximated curve in which an arc can be formed. A large tolerance will likely cause more smoothing to occur at the expense of a less accurate curve. This tolerance value is opposite, but similar, to Arc radius tolerance found on the Importing Parts (Advanced) settings page.

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> click Importing Parts

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Importing Parts (Advanced) settings Importing CAD Files Maximum controller arc radius CNC Controllers may have limitations on the size of allowable radii. You may specify a maximum arc radius if your controller is limited to a certain size. Any arc greater than this value will be broken into line segments. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 75000.0 in. Recommended Value: 75000.0 in. Advanced: If Maximum controlled arc radius is set to 0 in., all arc motions will be processed as a set of straight line segments.

Arc radius tolerance When the radius of an arc motion exceeds the Maximum controller arc radius it is processed as a set of line segments. Arc radius tolerance determines the accuracy of this approximation. A large tolerance value will result in fewer line segments as it creates a crude approximation of the arc. A smaller tolerance value will increase the number of line segments, creating a smoother approximation.

Units: Distance Range: 0.001 to 1.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.01 in.

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> double-click Importing Parts

> click Importing Parts (Advanced)

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Standard Plate Sizes settings Defined Plate Sizes This settings page contains a list of standard plates sizes. The machine can have any number of standard plates sizes: there is no upper limit. However, the machine must always have at least one standard plate size. All standard plate sizes are rectangular and are listed in "Length x Width" format. For example: 120.000 x 60.000 in.

Add a new plate size 1. Click Add. The "Add Standard Plate Size" dialog will appear. 2. Fill in the values for Length and Width. 3. Click OK.

Edit a plate size 1. Select a plate size in the Defined Plate Sizes box. 2. Click Edit. The "Add Standard Plate Size" dialog will appear. 3. Change the values for Length and/or Width. 4. Click OK.

Delete a plate size 1. Select a plate size in the Defined Plate Sizes box. 2. Click Remove. Notes:

l l

The Remove button will be inactive when there is only one defined plate size. If you delete a plate size that is marked as the default plate, one of the remaining plates will become the new default plate.

The Default Plate The machine must have a "default plate". It is this plate that is immediately available for nesting whenever you create a new job. Also, it is the default choice for new nests created either through the New Nest Setup dialog (manual nesting) or the AutoNest Setup dialog (automatic nesting). In the Defined Plate Sizes box, the default plate appears with a checkmark next to it. To set a plate size as the default plate: 1. Select a plate size in the Defined Plate Sizes box. 2. Click Set as Default Plate. How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> click Standard Plate Sizes

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Nesting settings General Settings Nest resolution This setting controls many aspects of nesting (positioning parts, conflict checking, ...) because it specifies how accurate you want NestMaster to be. There is a trade-off between accuracy and speed. Smaller nest resolutions can result in tighter nests and better conflict checking but will cause most operations to run slower. Units: Distance Range: 0.01 to 1.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.1 in.

Nesting home This setting represents the point of origin used for automatic nesting. All nesting strategies will begin nesting from this point. The location specified can be interpreted as coordinate (0, 0) and will be displayed in the nesting area with a blue target symbol. Choices: Lower Left, Upper Left, Upper Right, Lower Right, Same as Machine Home Note:

When Same as Machine Home is selected, a blue and yellow target ( Machine home will be displayed in the nesting area.

) symbol representing both the Nesting Home and

Interactive (Manual) Nesting Parts can be manually nested in two different ways: 1. Parts can be dragged from the Part List task pane onto the nest. 2. Using AutoDrop, parts in the Part List task pane can be added to the nest in the same relative spot. This type of manual nesting is most useful when used together with AutoBump. To AutoDrop a part onto the nest: l

Double-click a part in the Part List task pane

l

Select a part in the Part List task pane and press ENTER.

AutoDrop zone Defines the area of the nest where AutoDrop will place parts. Choices: Upper Left, Upper Right, Center, Lower Left, Lower Right AutoBump is a manual nesting feature that is performed when a part is manually added to a nest. It happens after a part is dragged onto the nest from the Part List toolbar or after an AutoDrop. The AutoBump settings define up to two bump directions that are applied in order. The result is exactly the same as nesting a part manually and then using the bump handles to "simulate" an AutoBump.

Use AutoBump Select this check box to use AutoBump during manual nesting.

AutoBump direction #1 This is the first direction a part is bumped during AutoBump. - 27 -

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Choices: Up, Down, Left, Right, (None)

AutoBump direction #2 This is the second direction a part is bumped during AutoBump. Choices: Up, Down, Left, Right, (None)

Example: To manually nest parts along the bottom of the nest: l

In the AutoDrop zone box select Upper Right.

l

Select the Use AutoBump check box.

l

In the AutoBump direction #1 box, select Down.

l

In the AutoBump direction #2 box, select Left.

The effect of these settings is that parts added manually to a nest will be bumped towards the lower-left corner. When a part is dragged onto the nest, the AutoBump settings will bump the part down and then left from the location where the part was dropped.

After an AutoDrop (like when a part in the Part List task pane is double-clicked) the part will first be placed in the AutoDrop zone. Then, the part will be bumped down and left.

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> click Nesting

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Export DXF settings This settings page controls how DXF files are created when a single part or nest is exported to DXF.

General Settings Export folder NestMaster will save DXF files in the folder defined here. Before NestMaster creates the DXF file, it will prompt for a file name in the Export dialog. Initially, the folder will be the Default export folder, but the Export dialog allows you to browse to any folder. If the file is saved to a folder other than the default output folder, NestMaster will remember the new folder and use it next time DXF files are exported. Note:

If the specified folder does not exist, a yellow warning symbol (

) will appear to the left of the field.

Export polylines Select this setting to export DXF files using polylines. Each profile would be generated as a single polyline entity. Clear this setting to output DXF files as individual DXF entities (arcs and lines).

Export plate geometry Select this setting to include plate geometry (edges) in the DXF file. Applies to nests only.

Export leads Select this setting to export existing lead-ins and lead-outs on profiles when exporting DXF files. Otherwise, leads are removed.

Export original layer names whenever possible Select this setting to include the original CAD layer names as the entity layer names in the DXF file. If the profile being exported was not originally a CAD file, then the default layer information will be used

Process Settings In this section, you can map the available processes in the your machine to layers that will be created in the CAD file. You can export all geometry to a single layer or specify a different layer for each process. The Name column on the left shows available processes on your NestMaster machine. For each process, you can enter a layer name that will be created in the CAD file. Geometry assigned to that process in NestMaster will be placed on the specified layer in the CAD file. Display only information on parts or nests is not included when DXF files are exported. How do I get here in NestMaster? l

Settings

> click Export DXF

Related articles n Exporting a part to DXF n Exporting a nest to DXF file

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CNC Output settings Code Format tab Mode Defines how motions are output. Choices: Absolute, Incremental Absolute All motions are defined with respect to the initialization (home) point. Incremental All motions are defined with respect to the controller's current position.

Precision This setting governs the number of decimal places output for many floating point values in the CNC file, including coordinates, kerf values, and feedrates. The actual number of decimal places is governed by the CFF itself. Choices: Normal, Extra Normal Output with reduced precision: usually 2 or 3 decimal places. Extra Output with enhanced precision: usually 3 or more decimal places.

Example: If a raw value is 12.34567, it might be output as: 12.35 (Normal precision) 12.346 (Extra precision)

Units This setting controls the units used to output the CNC file. Generally speaking, if outputting in "Inches", no conversion value is applied to the output coordinates. Choices: Inches (in.), Millimeters (mm)

Line numbers in CNC Defines how line numbers are added to output files. Choices: (None), Every Line, Start of Part (None) Line numbers are not added to output.

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Example: (None) % G70 G91 G00X0.7Y0.51 G41 M21 G01Y0.75 ...

Every Line Line numbers are added to every line of output. Exceptions include comments and the start/end line - containing a single "%".

Example: Every Line % N1G70 N2G91 N3G00X0.7Y0.51 N4G41 N5M21 N6G01Y0.75 ...

Start of Part Line numbers are inserted before the start of each part or profile - as determined by the CFF.

Example: Start of Part % G70 G91 N1 G00X0.7Y0.51 G41 M21 G01Y0.75 ...

Line number increment Defines the increment for line numbers added to output files. Range: 1 to 100 Recommended Value: 1

Example: Setting the increment to 1 will number the lines 1, 2, 3, ...

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% N1G70 N2G91 N3G00X0.7Y0.51 N4G41 N5M21 N6G01Y0.75 ... Setting the increment to 5 will number the lines 5, 10, 15, ... % N5G70 N10G91 N15G00X0.7Y0.51 N20G41 N25M21 N30G01Y0.75 ...

Note:

This setting is active only if Line numbers in CNC is set to something other than "(None)".

Output Files tab CNC file extension Defines the file extension for CNC files generated by Output CNC. Before NestMaster begins generating output, it will prompt for a file name in the Output CNC dialog. This dialog provides a default file name that uses the CNC file extension. If multiple nests are output, unique file names will be created automatically.

Example 1: CNC file extension = cnc Output a single nest with the name: MyJob.cnc Output file: MyJob.cnc Output three nests with the name: MyJob.cnc Output files: MyJob01.cnc, MyJob02.cnc, MyJob03.cnc Clear this setting and NestMaster will generate an output file that has no extension. If multiple nests are output, unique file names will be created automatically. Example 2: Clear the CNC file extension setting Output a single nest with the name: MyJob Output file: MyJob Output three nests with the name: MyJob Output files: MyJob.N1, MyJob.N2, MyJob.N3 The N# file extension will ensure unique extensions are applied to all nests. Example 3:

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CNC file extension = N# Output a single nest with the name: MyJob Output file: MyJob.N1 Output three nests with the name: My Job Output files: MyJob.N1, MyJob.N2, MyJob.N3

Default output folder NestMaster will save output files in the folder defined here. Before NestMaster begins generating output, it will prompt for a file name in the Output CNC dialog. Initially, the output folder will be the Default output folder, but the Output CNC dialog allows you to browse to any folder. If output is saved to a folder other than the default output folder, NestMaster will remember the new folder and use it next time CNC output is generated. Note:

If the specified folder does not exist, a yellow warning symbol (

) will appear to the left of the field.

Use long file names Select this setting to allow NestMaster to generate long file names for CNC output files. Clear this setting to limit output file names to 8 characters (commonly known as the DOS 8.3 file naming convention).

Options tab Include machine parameters in output Check this setting to enable machine parameters (such as kerf and feed rate) to be inserted into the CNC files as they are output. These parameter values may be specified through the settings page for the cut process.

Scribe first If this setting is selected, then each nest will be processed in the following order: 1. Complete all scribe profiles on the nest 2. Complete all cut profiles on the nest If this setting is cleared, then each part on the nest will be fully processed before the next part is started. Profiles within each part are processed in their natural order. Note:

This setting should be selected when cutting with underwater plasma. Normally, very light metal should not have scribing done first - to avoid problems with metal movement.

Stop before scribing If this setting is selected, code will be inserted to cause the machine to stop before scribing begins. Note:

This setting is activated only when Scribe first is selected.

Stop before cutting If this setting is selected, code will be inserted to cause the machine to stop before cutting begins. Note:

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Return to machine home When this setting is selected, NestMaster will return the torch to the machine's home point at the end of each nest. If this setting is cleared, the torch will remain in its position at the end of each nest.

Insert part name as comment Select this setting if a comment should be output in the CNC file before the first profile of each part. This comment typically gives the sequence number of the part and the part name.

Single Part Output tab Part home When creating output for a single part, this is the home point (or initialization point) that the cutting head starts at before traversing to the first cut, scribe, or punch on that part. Choices: Same as Machine Home, Lower Left, Upper Left, Lower Right, Upper Right, Center of Region, CAD Origin The Machine Home is set in the "Machine settings" on page 21 or Output Axis pages of your settings. CAD Origin refers to the point of origin set when the CAD file was created. All choices (except CAD Origin) are set in terms of the rectangular box surrounding the part (including any leads or extensions).

Generate token files during output If this setting is selected, an MTC token file version of the part will be output to the same location as the CNC file.

Important: CNC Output settings and the Post Processor (CFF) Certain CNC Output Settings require specific capabilities to be present in the CFF in order to function properly. While many CFFs are already set up for this functionality, it is possible that you may require changes to your CFF before it will work correctly. Please contact Hypertherm for further assistance if you feel you have one of these CFFs. The settings which activate functionality resident in the CFF are: l l l l

Include machine parameters in output Line numbers in CNC Return to machine home Insert part name as comment

CFFs may override the values of Mode, Precision, and Units. In addition, the CFF may override the settings in the above list. For example, a CFF may be configured to always output in incremental mode or without the ability to output machine parameters in the CNC file.

How do I get here in NestMaster?

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n

Settings

> click CNC Output

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CNC Output - Output Axis settings The Output Axis settings page allows you to modify your machine home and to define the output axis that will be used to generate CNC files. This screen shows a simplified view of a rectangular plate.

One corner of the plate will be highlighted and will have two arrows coming out of it - representing the output axis. In the center of the plate are 3 buttons which allow you to modify the output axis.

Changing the Machine Home To change your machine home: 1. Hover the mouse over one of the corners of the plate. This will cause the corner to become temporarily highlighted. 2. Click the left mouse button to select the new machine home. As you change the machine home, the output axis will remain the same.

Example: With a machine home in the lower-left corner, the arrow pointing up is labeled as the +Y axis and the arrow pointing right is labeled as the +X axis. If the machine home was then changed to the upper-left corner, there would be a down arrow labeled as the -Y axis. Notice that the output axis hasn't changed: up is still +Y and right is still +X.

Changing the Output Axis Some machines have the plate loaded with the long side on the bottom, but as far as the machine is concerned this is the right-hand side of the plate. These machines assume a lower-right machine home. Presenting this vertical plate correctly in NestMaster would result in a much smaller view of the nest (because most monitors are wider than they are tall). To provide the best view of the nest and to also allow for correct output you would select a lower left machine home, but rotate the axes 90 degrees clockwise. During output, this has the effect of changing the nest to one with a lower-right machine home and with its long side on the right, rather than the bottom. Note: Changes to the output axis will only affect CNC output. To change your output axis, use the three buttons in the middle of the plate...

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l

The first button (

l

The middle button (

l

The last button (

) will rotate the output axis clockwise by 90°. ) will flip the output axis vertically. ) will flip the output axis horizontally.

Click Default to restore the default output axis with +Y in the up direction and +X in the right direction.

Example: With a machine home in the lower-left corner, the arrow pointing up is labeled as the +Y axis and the arrow pointing right is labeled as the +X axis. Click the rotate button once and the up-arrow will become -X while the right-arrow changes to +Y. Click the flip axis vertically button and the up-arrow will become +X while the right-arrow remains the same as +Y.

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> double-click CNC Output

> click Output Axis

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

CNC Output - Step and Repeat settings Step and Repeat allows the CNC file to be repeated along the length or width of the plate. This has the same effect as arraying a row or column of parts, except that the CNC file is much smaller.

Step and Repeat Settings Use step and repeat Select this setting if you wish to use step and repeat mode during output.

Offset Each repeated row or column will be offset this distance from the previous row or column. Units: Distance Range: 0.0 to 10,000.0 in.

Direction Repeated rows (or columns) will be offset in the direction selected here. Choices: Left, Up, Right, Down When repeating horizontally nested parts (rows), this setting should be set to either Up or Down. Likewise, when repeating vertically nested parts (columns), this setting should be set to Left or Right. Advanced: Since some details of step and repeat are machine specific, please refer to your machine’s programming manual and contact Hypertherm in the event that changes are required to your post processor (CFF).

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> double-click CNC Output

> click Step and Repeat

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

CNC Output - DXF Output settings For DXF output, layer and color information is normally stored in the post processor. Some of the settings on this page allow this behavior to be overridden. The DXF files produced during output should be readable by NestMaster or any CAD system that understands DXF files. Important: A specialized section in the post processor governs whether this settings page is available. It also controls which DXF Output settings are available. Usually this section is not used. If you need DXF Output support, contact Hypertherm.

DXF Output Settings Output polylines Select this setting to output DXF files using polylines. Each profile would be generated as a single polyline entity. Clear this setting to output DXF files as individual DXF entities (arcs and lines).

Output plate geometry Select this setting to output the plate geometry (edges) into the DXF file. Applies to nests only.

Output safe zones Select this setting to output the safe zone geometry into the DXF file. Applies to nests only.

Output leads Select this setting to output existing lead-ins and lead-outs on profiles when outputting DXF files. Otherwise, leads are removed.

Layer Names Output original layer names whenever possible Select this setting to output the original CAD layer names as the entity layer names in the DXF file. If the profile being output was not originally a CAD file, then the default layer information will be used (this comes from either the post processor or the Process Parameters settings table).

How do I get here in NestMaster? n

Settings

> double-click CNC Output

> click DXF Output

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4. PREFERENCES What are preferences? Preferences provide a way to customize the general behavior of NestMaster. To edit NestMaster preferences, open the Preferences dialog: l

On the File tab, click Preferences.

Once you have opened the Preferences dialog, you can make any kind of preference change you want. After you are done making changes, click OK to accept your changes and return to the main window. Click Cancel to discard your changes and return to the main window.

The Preferences dialog General Layout The preferences dialog is presented as a collection of pages. Each page can be accessed by clicking the corresponding item on the left pane.

The Buttons There are two buttons at the bottom of the preferences dialog: - 40 -

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Button

Action when clicked

OK Cancel

Keeps your changes and closes the preferences dialog. Discards your changes and closes the preferences dialog.

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General preferences Options Job Preferences:

Automatically open the Edit Part List window after starting a new job When this preference is selected, the Edit Part List window will be opened automatically after each new job is started.

Part List Preferences:

Allow parts in the Part List to be renamed When selected, you can rename an added part in the Edit Part List window by clicking the part name.

Keep file extension in the part name when parts are added When this preference is selected, parts will retain the file extension from the part's source file when they are added to the part list. When cleared, the file extension will be removed when parts are added.

CNC Output:

After output, save the current job NestMaster will automatically save the current job after creating CNC output.

Close progress window on successful completion Select this preference to hide the Output Progress window after CNC output is successfully created. You will still be able to see any warning or error messages that may occur during output.

Color scheme This preference enables you to change the skin of the application. Skins affect the look and coloring of the entire NestMaster graphical user interface.

Mouse Control Selection tolerance This preference determines how accurate you have to be to select parts, profiles, leads, and other items on the nest.

Corner snap distance This preference determines how accurate you have to be to select part corners. Both preferences in this section are controlled by a slider that affects a small cross-hair diagram on its right.

The orange circle in the cross-hair diagram represents the size of the preference value being edited. Move the slider all the way to the left and the orange circle will shrink to a single point. For the selection tolerance preference, this would mean that selection of anything on the nest would require clicking exactly on that item. Move the slider all the way to the right and the orange circle will grow to a very large size. For the selection tolerance preference, this would mean that selection of anything on the nest would not require much accuracy at all.

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Tip:

A test area is provided to test your selection tolerance and corner snap distance. Selection of the part in the test area is controlled by the selection tolerance. An will appear on the corner of the part if you click within the corner snap distance from that corner.

How do I get here in NestMaster? l

On the File tab, click Preferences

, then click General.

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Regional preferences Translation and Display Units Language NestMasterhas been translated into many languages. To change the current language, select a different language from the Language box. Note: NestMaster will switch to the selected language after you click OK.

Display units NestMaster can display values in either IPS units (inch, pound, second) or MMKS units (millimeter, kilogram, second).

Precision: Length This preference defines the number of digits that should appear to the right of the decimal separator for length-type values. This preference is used only for display purposes - meaning that actual values are maintained even if they are not displayed with their full accuracy.

Precision: Weight This preference defines the number of digits that should appear to the right of the decimal separator for weight-type values. This preference is used only for display purposes - meaning that actual values are maintained even if they are not displayed with their full accuracy.

Precision: Cost This preference defines the number of digits that should appear to the right of the decimal separator for currency-type values. This preference is used only for display purposes - meaning that actual values are maintained even if they are not displayed with their full accuracy.

Note:

The preferences that control decimal places are used throughout NestMaster. The examples on the right-hand side will show the effect of your changes.

Size format You can customize how length and width dimensions for plates and parts are displayed in NestMaster. This preference is used only for display purposes, it doesn't have any impact on the actual dimension values of parts or plates. Choices: Length × Width or Width × Length Example: A plate with a Length of 96 in. and a Width of 48 in. can be shown as either "96 × 48" or "48 × 96" using this preference.

How do I get here in NestMaster?

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l

On the File tab, click Preferences

, then click Regional.

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Check for Updates Using the Check for Updates feature, you can see if software updates or major version upgrades of NestMaster are available for download. NestMaster must be running and your PC must be connected to the Internet to use this feature.

Updates vs. Version Upgrades Updates are released frequently and typically include new features, enhancements, and bug fixes. A version upgrade refers to a new major version of NestMaster. For example, going from NestMaster 2015 version 9.1.1 to NestMaster 2015 version 9.1.2 would be an update, whereas going from NestMaster 2010 to NestMaster 2015 would be a version upgrade.

Manually check for updates 1. On the File tab, click Help. 2. Click Check for Updates. If there is an update or version upgrade available, you can click the associated link to open the NestMaster download web page.

Automatically check for updates You can configure NestMaster to automatically check for updates or version upgrades. 1. On the File tab, click Preferences. 2. Click Updates. 3. Set how often you want NestMaster to check for updates. l

Choices: Every day, Once a week, Every other week, Once a month, Never (this will turn off Automatic Check for Updates)

4. If you want NestMaster to also notify you when new version upgrades are available, select In addition to updates, also check for version upgrades. When NestMaster is running, it will automatically check for updates and upgrades on the schedule that you have assigned. Important:

The Check for Updates feature can always be used to see if a more recent version of NestMaster is available. However, downloading an update or version upgrade is only available with an active software subscription.

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Warnings preferences Warnings All of these preferences control the visibility of certain warnings in NestMaster. By default, all of the preferences in this section are selected - meaning that their associated warning dialog would appear. Each of these warning dialogs contains a "Do not show me this again" check box. Selecting this check box would clear the associated preference in this section.

How do I get here in NestMaster? l

On the File tab, click Preferences

, then click Warnings.

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5. JOBS What is a job? NestMaster jobs provide you with an easy and powerful way of organizing your work by storing your settings, part list, and nesting information in a single file. Jobs have many different uses and applications. You can save unfinished work and return to it at a later time, store completed jobs for archival purposes, modify old jobs, or use multiple jobs to store different settings configurations for a single machine.

Jobs and settings As you work on a job, you can customize your settings. When you save a job, your customized settings will be saved in the job file (.nif), separately from the settings saved in the machine. Later, when that job is opened, the settings stored in the job will be restored. For a more in-depth look at how NestMaster jobs work, follow the links below. l

"Creating jobs" on page 49

l

"Saving jobs" on page 51

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Creating jobs NestMaster always has a current job. When you open NestMaster, a job is automatically started for you using your default settings.

Start a new job l

On the File tab, click New.

Note that until a job is explicitly saved with its own name, it has not been fully created. To learn more about saving your jobs, see "Saving jobs" on page 51. Tip:

The name of the current job is listed in the title bar at the top of the main NestMaster window.

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Opening jobs Open a job 1. On the File tab, click Open. The Open dialog will appear. With the Files of type box set to NestMaster Job (*.nif), browse to the folder containing the job you want to open. 2. Select the job file you want to open. 3. Click Open.

Tip:

On the right-hand side of the Open Job dialog is a box containing job information. Displayed in this box are the job’s file name and extension, date created, date modified, and the version of NestMaster last used to save the job.

Opening a PNL You can also use the Open dialog to open a NestMaster PNL (Part Nest List) file. This gives you a quick way to create a job around an existing part list. To open a PNL using the Open dialog: 1. On the File tab, click Open. 2. Set the Files of Type box to NestMaster Part List (*.pnl) and browse to the folder containing the PNL you want to open. 3. Select the PNL you want to open. 4. Click Open. The contents of the part list will be replaced with parts from the PNL file that was opened. The plate list and all existing nests will be deleted, and your current job will be renamed to match the name of the PNL file. Note that your settings configuration will not be affected.

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Saving jobs Often you will want to save your work so you can return to it at a later time. The exact state of your job can be saved in a job file. NestMaster jobs have an .nif extension.

Save a job 1. On the File tab, click Save. If the job hasn't been saved previously, the Save As dialog will appear. 2. Browse to the appropriate folder for your job. 3. In the File name box, type the name for your job file. 4. Click Save. The current job will be saved with the name you specified.

What is saved in a job? Specifically, the job file (.nif) contains: l

Nests. The exact state of all nests in your job are saved.

l

Part List. All of the parts that have been added to your part list are saved.

l

Settings configuration. This includes your machine and process settings.

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6. PART LIST What is the part list? The NestMaster part list contains all of the parts that you have added to your job. When you import part files into your job from a part source, NestMaster processes these files and then adds them to the part list. Added parts contain all of the information from the source file as well as the nesting information that was added when the part was imported. To learn more about using the part list, see "The Part List task pane" on page 53.

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The Part List task pane The Part List task pane contains all of the parts that have been added to your job. It also displays additional part information including quantity and nesting status.

Show or hide the Part List task pane l

On the View tab, select Part List.

Part List task pane Beneath each part name, NestMaster displays the quantity nested versus the total required quantity of a part (for example, "0 of 1 nested").  Tip:

By right-clicking a part in the part list you can view or edit part properties, export the part to DXF, output NC code for the part, or delete the part from the part list.

Hide depleted parts Selecting this checkbox will hide parts in your part list that have already been nested; only non-nested parts will be displayed.

Note: By default, parts in the Part List are listed from largest to smallest, with the largest part appearing at the top.

Part List Pane Options You can customize the Part List task pane by clicking Options to reveal a list of modifiable settings.

Select parts to show This setting controls which parts are visible in the part list.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual Choices: All parts, Only nested on the current nest All parts: All parts in the job will be visible. Only nested on the current nest: Only parts that are nested on the current nest will be displayed in the part list.

Select how the list is sorted This setting controls the order in which parts appear in the part list. Choices: Nesting order, Alphabetical order Nesting order: Parts will be listed in the order in which they would be nested. Parts will be listed from largest to smallest, with the largest part appearing at the top. Alphabetical order: Parts will be listed alphabetically by part name.

Show property hints for parts Using your mouse cursor, you can point to a part in the part list to display part details.

Any changes that you make to the above Part List settings will be stored when you save your job.

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Exporting a part to DXF file Any part in the NestMaster part list can be saved as a DXF file. The DXF file will be saved according to your Export DXF settings.

Export a part to DXF file 1. Right-click a part in the part list and click Export to DXF. 2. Browse to a folder and enter a file name. 3. Click Save.

Export multiple parts in the part list to DXF file 1. Open the Edit Part List window (on the Home tab, click Edit Part List

).

2. In the Part List grid, select the parts that you want to export. l

Hold CTRL + click to select parts individually

l

Hold SHIFT + click to select a range of parts

l

Press CTRL + A to select all parts in the part list.

3. Right-click the selection and click Export to DXF. 4. Browse to a folder to save the files, then click Select Folder. A separate DXF file will be created for each part, with a file name that matches the part name in NestMaster.

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About the Edit Part List window The editing of a job's part list is done in the Edit Part List window. From this window you can build a part list for your job by importing part source files into NestMaster and adding properties to those parts.

Open the Edit Part List

l

On the Home tab, click Edit Part List.

The Edit Part List window The Edit Part List window has menus and toolbars along the top and a status bar along the bottom. Note:

2D CAD Program NestMaster 2015 includes a 2D CAD editor that provides all of the basic features needed to create or edit a detailed CAD drawing. l

You can open 2D CAD at any time while using NestMaster by clicking the the Edit Part List window.

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button in the toolbar of

NestMaster 2015 Manual The rest of the window is split into four sections: Part Sources The upper-left contains NestMaster part sources. NestMaster has two part sources which appear as different tabs – CAD (

) and VSP (

). Part List The lower-left contains the job’s part list. All parts that have been added will appear here. The nesting properties for each part in the part list are displayed next to the part name. You can modify these nesting properties by clicking on a field and entering the value you want. Preview The upper-right contains a tool window called Preview. The currently selected part is displayed here. If the selected part is from one of the part sources, then this preview is showing a pre-processed view of the selected part file. If the selected part is in the part list, then the preview displays the part exactly as it would nest on a plate. Properties The lower-right contains a tool window called Properties. Properties for the currently selected part source file are displayed here. Changing these values will affect the selected part and any subsequent parts that are added to the part list. If the selected part is from the part list, however, the properties reflect the actual properties of that part only. Tip:

You can configure NestMaster to open the Edit Part List window automatically when you start a new job: l

From the main NestMaster window, on the File tab, click Preferences, then on the General page under Job Preferences, select "Automatically open the Edit Part List dialog after starting a new job".

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Preview You can look at a preview of a selected part in the upper left section of Edit Part List window. After a selected part has been added to the part list, you can use the Preview window to edit the part.

Preview button

Description

Select Mode

After a part has been added to the part list, you can select cutting profiles and review or change the lead-in/out properties for that profile.

Modify Leads

You can select new locations for the lead in/out positions for your part by simply clicking on a new location. This button will be inactive until a part is added to the part list.

Zoom Window

You can zoom in on an area of your part by dragging a box around the area you want to view. Right-click to return to select mode.

Zoom In

Zooms in to next magnification level

Zoom Out

Zooms out to next magnification level

Zoom Extents

Returns to the full view of the part

Maximize

Opens a maximized view of the part

Notice that when you select a part in the Part Sources section, the preview will display a pre-processed view of the part. Leads or part properties are not yet applied to the part. However, after a part has been added to the part list, the preview will display a processed view of that part (which will include leads). Tip:

While in Select Mode, you can using your mouse wheel to zoom in or out on a part in the Preview window.

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Part properties To view and edit part properties from the main NestMaster window: l

Right-click a part in the Part List task pane and select Properties.

The Properties pane will open, showing properties for the part that is currently selected in the part list. Quantity

Required The required quantity of the selected part can be modified in this box. Range: 1 to 10,000 Attributes

Name The name of the selected part can be modified in this box. Note:

The Allow parts in the Part List to be renamed preference (File > Preferences > General tab) must be selected in order to edit a part name.

File name The full path of the part's source file.

Size Length × width of the selected part, including leads and extensions.

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About CAD files In the Edit Part List window, CAD files can be accessed through the Part Sources explorer.

Part Sources explorer The CAD tab works like Windows Explorer, allowing you to browse the folders and files on your system. Use the Look in box to help navigate to the folder containing the CAD files you want to add. You can use Favorites ( contain CAD files. Clicking Recent Folders (

) to create a list of frequently used folders that

) will display a list of recently accessed folders for CAD source files.

The following types of CAD files can be added to the part list in NestMaster: l

AutoCAD files (.dwg; .dxf)

l

FastCAM files (.cam)

Filter You can use the Filter box to filter the contents of the current folder by CAD file name. When text is entered into the Filter box, CAD file names that contain some or all of the entered text will be shown, all others will be hidden.

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Adding CAD files to the part list CAD files are added to the part list similarly to other files, except that CAD Import properties are applied along with Nesting and Leads properties before CAD files are imported. Adding CAD files is a multi-stage process, as detailed below:

Stage 1: Selecting a CAD file First, you will need to find and select your CAD file: 1. Open the Edit Part List window. 2. Browse to the folder containing your CAD file. 3. Click the CAD file once to select it. Once selected, you will be ready to apply part properties. Tip:

You can select multiple CAD files in the Part Sources explorer by holding the SHIFT key and clicking part names. This can be useful if you want to apply custom properties to a group of parts before they are added.

Stage 2: Applying CAD Import properties Once a CAD file is selected in the Part Sources explorer, you can begin applying CAD Import properties to the file. With your CAD file selected: 1. In the Properties pane, select the CAD Import tab. 2. Assign general CAD Import properties to your part. You can assign part quantity here. 3. Map CAD layers to available processes. This will tell NestMaster to associate an available process with a given layer found in the CAD file. 4. Assign other CAD Import properties to your part, as necessary.

Stage 3: Adding the part to the part list  With CAD Import properties assigned to your CAD file, you will be ready to add the part to the part list: l

With the part selected, click Add Part.

Your part will be added to the part list. You can now modify leads for your part if needed.

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CAD Import properties Before CAD files are added to the part list, CAD Import properties for that file should be assigned. This will ensure that drawing details are properly processed as they are brought into NestMaster. The changes you make to CAD Import properties will apply to the currently selected CAD file, as well as any subsequent parts that are added to the part list in your job. CAD Import properties are listed on the CAD Import tab in the Edit Part List window. By default, they will reflect the default values specified in your settings. Changing a property value in the Edit Part List window has no effect on the setting that provides its default value. Quantity

Required This defines the quantity of the selected part. Range: 1 to 10,000

General

File units This is used when importing CAD files. The file itself was saved using a particular length unit. The value of this property should match with the length unit that most of your files are saved with. Choices: Inch (in.), Millimeter (mm)

Open profile tolerance This setting specifies the maximum distance allowed for joining line and arc entities. In other words, if Open profile tolerance is set to 0.005 in., gaps that are 0.005 in. or smaller will be closed - helping to prevent open profiles. Units: Distance Range: 0.001 to 1.0 in. Recommended Value: 0.005 in. CAD Layers When importing CAD files, you must make sure that drawing layers or colors in the CAD file are assigned to available processes used by your machine. Typically, each layer name in a CAD file defines a different attribute, such as profiles for cutting, scribing, punching, or dimension information. Using layers in this way allows NestMaster to distinguish between the different aspects of a drawing when the part is added. When adding parts, assigning layers to the proper machine processes is critical to creating correct output.

Cut all layers with [Cut Process] This setting is automatically named according to the cut process used by the machine. For example, if the cut process was called "Plasma", then this setting would appear as "Cut all layers with [Plasma]".Select this check box if all layers found in a CAD file should be cut by the process shown. Most applications will require that this checkbox be cleared.

Cut - [Cut Process] Defines the CAD layers that should be mapped to a particular cut process. If a CAD file is selected in the Part Sources section, when you click the down-arrow ( ) in right column of this setting, a list of CAD layer names will appear. If a layer name is found in the selected CAD file it will have a small image of a part next it ( ). If a layer name is defined as a default layer in the your settings it will have a small settings image next to it ( ).

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Example 1: If the machine supported a single cut process called "Gas", then there would be one row here: Cut - [Gas] Example 2: If your machine supported a process called "Gas" and you wanted to assign "0" and "CUT" CAD layers to that process, you would enter:

Cut - [Gas] 0;CUT When a CAD file is imported, all geometry on the "0" and "CUT" layers would be mapped to the machine's "Gas" process.

Scribe - [Scribe Process] Defines the CAD layers that should be mapped to a particular scribe process. If a CAD file is selected in the Part Sources section, when you click the down-arrow ( ) in right column of this setting, a list of CAD layer names will appear. If a layer name is found in the selected CAD file it will have a small image of a part next it ( ). If a layer name is defined as a default layer in the your settings it will have a small settings image next to it ( ).

Example: If the machine supported a single scribe process called "Scribe-G", then there would be one row here: Scribe - [Scribe-G]

Map to CAD color numbers Select this setting to allow importing parts by CAD color number instead of by layer name.

Example: A part file defines a part in one layer: "CUT". The part is a simple rectangle with a hole in it. The exterior profile of the part has a color number of 1, but the interior hole has a color number of 2. If Map to CAD color numbers is cleared, then a cut process must be mapped to "CUT" in order to import the part properly. Importing the part in this way will cause the same cut process to cut both the interior and exterior profiles. If Map to CAD color numbers is selected, then the cut process must be mapped to both "1" and "2".

Options

Scribe first If selected, the machine will complete all scribing on the part before any cutting is done. If you are cutting with underwater plasma,you should select this option. Normally, when processing very light metal, "Scribe first" should not be selected to avoid problems with metal

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Reverse direction and kerf Select this to import parts with a reversed cut direction. Interior profiles will be cut clockwise and exterior profiles will be cut counterclockwise. Right-handed kerf compensation is also used.

Contains multiple parts If there is more than one part in your drawing, select this setting.

Explode multiple parts Select this setting if there is more than one part on your drawing and you want to separate them as they are imported. Note: This setting is active only when Contains multiple parts is selected.

Smooth entities Select this setting to convert curves made from line segments (approximated curves) into true arcs whenever possible.

Smooth tolerance When converting a set of line segments into a curve, it is important to define how accurate the curve must be. The Smooth tolerance value specifies a maximum distance from the approximated curve in which an arc can be formed. A large tolerance will likely cause more smoothing to occur at the expense of a less accurate curve. This tolerance value is opposite, but similar, to Arc radius tolerance found on the Importing Parts (Advanced) settings page.

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What is a VSP part? The Variable Shape Parts (VSP) feature offers an easy way to create custom parts within NestMaster, without the need of a CAD file. NestMaster provides you with a repository of more than 50 different variable shape parts that are based on commonly used geometric profiles.

Some of the VSP shapes available in NestMaster A simple interface allows you to specify dimensions for interior and exterior geometries. These simple profiles can also be used in combination with each other to create an endless variety of custom profiles. To view the VSP repository of parts: l

From the Edit Part List window, in the Part Sources explorer, click the VSP tab.

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Adding VSP parts To add VSP parts to your part list: 1. From the Edit Part List window, in the Part Sources section, click the VSP tab. 2. Select the part you want to add by clicking it once. 3. Modify Nesting and Leads properties, as necessary. 4. Click the Add Part button. The VSP Shape Reference will appear. From this dialog you can modify VSP part dimensions, add cut-outs, and assign cut processes. 5. When you are finished modifying your part, click OK. The VSP part will now be added to your part list.

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Adding a cut-out Cut-outs can be added to any VSP part that does not already have an interior profile. To add an interior profile to your part: 1. In the VSP Shape Reference, click the Add Cut Out button. A pop-up dialog will appear prompting you to enter a shape and position for your cut-out. The left column contains a list of 36 different shapes to choose from. 2. Select a shape for your cut-out. 3. Select an Initial start point for your cut-out. This describes where your cut-out will initially be placed on the part. 4. Click OK. Once added, the size, shape, and placement of a cut-out can be modified using the Dimensions grid. Cut-out placement can be adjusted using the X Offset and Y Offset fields. You can view a complete picture of your VSP part and cut-out in the VSP Preview. You can use the arrows ( ) above the reference diagram to select either the VSP part profile or any added cut-outs. Note that a part or cut-out must be selected in order to be modified. Important: Be sure to adjust your cut-out so that it is not in conflict with the profile of your VSP part. NestMaster will not prevent you from adding a cut-out that overlaps with the part profile or another cut-out. To delete a cut out: 1. Select a cut-out using the arrows above the reference diagram. 2. Click the Delete Cut Out button. Note: Any added cut-outs will be applied to your current VSP part only. Unlike VSP part dimensions, added cut-outs are not saved for use with future VSP parts.

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Assigning cut processes to VSP parts You can select the type of cut processes to use for the interior and exterior profiles of the part. This can be useful for multi-process machines such as those using plasma and hi-definition plasma. The list of available cut processes comes from the cut processes supported by your current NestMaster machine. To assign cut processes for a VSP part: 1. Open the VSP Shape Reference for your part. 2. Click the Cut Process button. 3. Select a cut process from the list of available processes for both interior and exterior profiles. 4. Click OK.

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VSP Shape Reference The VSP Shape Reference is used to enter required part information for the VSP part you want to add. Using this dialog, you can input part dimensions, add cut-outs to parts, and assign cut processes to part profiles. To open the VSP Shape Reference for a part: 1. In the Edit Part List, click the VSP tab. 2. Double-click a VSP part. -orWith a VSP part selected, click the Add Part button. The VSP Shape Reference is organized as follows: Dimensions grid The upper-left section contains a grid where you can input dimensions for the selected VSP part or added cut-out. Reference diagram The upper-right section contains a diagram of the selected VSP part or added cut-out. VSP Preview The lower right section contains the VSP Preview, which shows your part exactly as it will appear on the nest. The VSP Preview will be updated as you make changes to part dimensions. The rest of the VSP Shape Reference contains fields for part name and quantity, as well as buttons for adding cut-outs and assigning cut processes.

Entering part dimensions When you click a field in the Dimensions grid, that field will become active and editable. A hint describing the active field will appear at the bottom of the Dimensions grid. The reference diagram to the right will display the VSP part profile in black. The currently active field will be indicated by a blue line. To enter dimensions for a VSP part: 1. In the Shape Reference, from the Dimensions grid, click the field you want to change. 2. Input a value for that field. 3. Press ENTER. After dimensions are changed and a part is added to the part list, NestMaster will store the modified dimensions for that VSP part. The next time the Shape Reference for that part is opened, it will contain the modified dimensions. Note: If you enter a numerical value in the dimensions grid that is geometrically impossible, an "Invalid Dimensions" message will appear in the VSP Preview.

Example 1: 1. Open the VSP Shape Reference for the VSP part Notched Rectangle. 2. In the Dimensions grid, click Width. The Width field will become active and the reference diagram will change.

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The blue line in the reference diagram for Notched Rectangle shows the part's width. 3. In Dimensions grid, in the Width field, type 15. 4. Press ENTER. Notice that the shape of the image shown in reference diagram will not change, whereas the VSP Preview will reflect the changes made to your VSP part. 5. Click Cancel. The VSP Shape Reference will close and NestMaster will not store the changes made to Notched Rectangle.

Example 2: In certain instances, you can enter negative dimension values for concave or convex entities to manipulate a VSP part. This is only works with specific types of entities.

Figure 1 The VSP Preview for Notched Rectangle is shown in Figure 1. All radii for this part have a value of 1. Note that all four arc-shaped entities are concave.

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Figure 2 The VSP Preview for a modified Notched Rectangle is shown in Figure 2. This part is identical to the part in Figure 1 except that the value for Radius 2 has been changed to -1. Because this value is negative, the upper arc-shaped entity has become inverted, and is now convex.

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7. NESTING What is a nest? Nests are comprised of parts that have been positioned on a plate in a particular orientation. In order to create output for a nest in NestMaster, a nest must have at least one part added to it.

A nest with 24 parts nested Creating a nest is a fundamental operation in NestMaster. Nesting can be done manually, where parts are added to the plate one at a time. A part or group of parts can also be arrayed onto a nest. If you have purchased an Automatic Nesting module, nesting can also be done automatically. Nests are created and modified from the main NestMaster window, after parts have been added to the part list. The first phase of nesting involves adding parts to your nest. Once the parts are nested, many features used to modify the nest will become available. Parts on the nest can be moved, rotated, clustered, tabbed, duplicated, and mirrored; cut direction can be changed; and leads can be adjusted. The plate can be cropped and the cutting sequence can be changed. When all modifications have been made, the nest can be saved with your job and then output as a CNC file.

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Creating a new nest In the main NestMaster window, there is always a default plate to begin nesting on. You can begin nesting on this plate immediately without explicitly creating a new nest. However, you can create a new nest at any time using the plate of your choice.

Create a new nest 1. On the Nest tab, click New Nest. -orClick the New Nest tab. 2. Select the plate that you want to use. 3. Click OK. New nests are always created as the last nest at the end of the nest order in the job.

Insert a nest With insert nest, you can create a new nest and specify where it should be inserted in the nest order in the job. For instance, if there are 5 nests in the job, you could insert a nest between nests 2 and 3. The inserted nest would become nest 3 in the job. 1. Right-click the nest tab (

) to the right of where you want to insert the nest.

2. Select Insert. The Insert Nest dialog will appear. 3. Select the plate that you want to use. 4. Click OK.

The New Nest / Insert Nest dialog

If you have added plates to your plate list, you can use one of those plates for your new nest. If there are no plates in your plate list, this will be inactive.

Use a custom plate You can define a custom plate type and size for your new nest.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual Choices: Rectangular, Circular Rectangular Rectangular plates are measured using length x width. You can use the list of standard plate sizes to select a rectangular plate, or type in a custom size using the Length and Width fields. Circular Circular plates are measured using diameter.

Notes:

l

Selecting Reset will use default plate and nest values from your settings.

l

The dimensions button (

) can be used to show or hide plate dimensions.

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Deleting or clearing a nest You can delete a nest from the main NestMaster window at any time. When a nest is deleted, the parts on that nest will be returned to the part list and will become available for nesting. Alternately, clearing a nest will remove all parts from that nest but will keep the blank plate as an empty nest.

In this article... Delete a single nest Delete all nests in your job Delete all empty nests Clear a single nest

Delete a single nest 1. Use the nest navigation tabs (

) to select the nest you want to delete.

2. On the Home tab, in the Nests group, click Delete Nest. -orl

Right-click the nest navigation tab (

) and select Delete Nest.

-orl

Press CTRL + DELETE.

Delete all nests in your job l

On the Home tab, in the Nests group, click Delete All Nests.

Note: NestMaster always has a current nest – even if you delete all nests or if you delete the only nest in the job. If you delete the last remaining nest in the job (referred to as Nest 1 of 1), the end result will be similar to selecting all the parts on this nest and then deleting them. Similarly, if you delete all nests, the end result will be similar to deleting every nest past the first nest and then clearing the first nest.

Delete all empty nests Nests that do not have contain parts will be deleted.

Clear a single nest Remove all parts from the current nest, but keep the empty plate. 1. Use the nest navigation tabs to select the nest you want to clear. 2. On the Home tab, in the Nests group, click Clear Nest.

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Adding parts to the nest manually With interactive nesting, parts are added from the part list to the nest manually. The AutoDrop zone and AutoBump settings on the Nesting settings page (

) affect how parts are initially positioned when they are manually nested.

Add a part to the current nest using AutoDrop With AutoDrop, parts are initially added to the nest in the same relative spot (in one of the corners or the center of the plate). l

Double-click the part in the part list. -or-

l

Select the part in the part list, then press ENTER.

The part will initially be placed in the region specified in the AutoDrop zone setting.

Example: If you have AutoDrop zone set to "Upper Right" and AutoBump is off, your part will automatically be placed in the upper right area of the nest.

If you have AutoDrop zone set to "Upper Right" and AutoBump is active with directions set to "Down" and "Left", the part would initially be placed in the upper right and then would be automatically bumped up and then left.

Add a part to the current nest without AutoDrop l

Click and drag the part from the part list onto the nest.

The part will initially be placed where you release the cursor.

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Example: Because the click and drag method doesn't use AutoDrop zone, as long as AutoBump is off, your part will automatically be placed on the nest where you release the cursor.

If AutoBump is active, the part will be moved from where you release the cursor in the AutoBump direction specified in settings.

These settings only control the initial positioning of manually nested parts. Once parts have been nested, you can move them around freely on the nest.

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Removing parts from the nest Parts can be removed from a nest in several ways. To remove a part from the nest: l

With the part selected, press the DELETE key. or

l

Click and drag the part from the nest back onto the Part List task pane. or

l

Right-click the part and select Delete.

When a part is removed from the nest, it is returned to the part list.

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Moving and rotating parts Once parts are selected, they can be moved and rotated into any position. To move a selected part: l

Drag a part from one location on the nest to another.

Using the bump handles Parts can be moved in a variety of ways using the bump handles. Bump handles ( ) are located on the sides of the selection box.

As you point to each bump handle, the pointer will change to an arrow indicating the bump direction. l

Normal bump: Click a bump handle. This moves a part until it comes in contact with either another part or the plate edge and will leave the part a normal separation distance from other parts or from the plate edge.

l

Nudge: While holding SHIFT, click a bump handle. The part will move a small distance in the specified direction. The distance is defined in settings.

Tip:

You can also use the arrow keys to bump parts. Pressing the UP ARROW key, for example, acts just like clicking the top bump handle. Like the bump handles, the arrow keys can be combined with SHIFT to perform nudges.

Using the rotate handles Rotate handles ( ) are located in the corners of the selection box. As you point to each of these handles, the pointer will change to indicate a specific rotate function.

Free rotate (upper-right) Drag this handle to rotate the part freely.

.

Rotate to next 90 (lower-left) Click this handle to rotate the part counterclockwise to the next 90° rotation. 90° rotations are all based on the part’s neutral orientation (not its current rotation).

Rotate long side (lower-right) Click this handle to rotate the part counter-clockwise to the next 90° rotation for the part’s longest side. A righttriangle part would rotate to positions that place its hypotenuse at 90°, 180°, 270°, and 360° orientations. - 79 -

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Using the rotate controls in the ribbon With parts selected on a nest, on the Parts tab in the ribbon, in the Arrange group, you can rotate the selection left or right at a specified angle.

The angle specified in the Rotation Increment box determines the amount of rotation applied to a part selection when either the Rotate Left or Rotate Right buttons are clicked. To rotate a part selection by the "Rotation Increment" angle: l

Click Rotate Left

. This will rotate the part counter-clockwise.

l

Click Rotate Right

l

Click the upper-left rotate handle . This will rotate the part counter-clockwise.

. This will rotate the part clockwise.

Undo or redo a move When moving and rotating selected parts on the current nest, you can undo the last move that was made. To undo a move: l

On the Parts tab, click Undo. -or-

l

Press CTRL + Z.

After a move is undone, it can be redone by selecting Redo from the Parts tab or by pressing CTRL+ Y.

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Nested vs. selected parts By default, a nested part that is to be cut will appear green (though this color may vary depending on what you have set in the Color Legend). A selected part will appear blue with circular and square handles surrounding it.

Nested part

Selected part

Technically, if a part has been added to the nest, but is currently selected, it will not be considered nested. Parts can be selected while in Select Parts mode.

Select a part on a nest l

Click the part.

Clear the selection of a part on a nest l

Click anywhere in the nesting area away from the part. The part will appear green and will now be considered part of the nest.

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Mirror You can convert a part to a mirror image of itself.

Part mirrored on a vertical axis, which runs through the center of the part.

Part mirrored over horizontal axis, which runs through the center of the part.

Mirror a part 1. Select a part. 2. On the Parts tab, in the Arrange group, click the arrow next to Mirror. 3. Select either Horizontal or Vertical.

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Cut direction Generally, NestMaster will process parts so that interior profiles are cut in a counter-clockwise direction and exterior profiles are cut in a clockwise direction. You can change the direction in which a part is cut after it has been nested. Tip:

Before changing the cut direction of a part, it may be useful to activate the cut direction view in order to see changes to your parts.

View the cut direction of a part: l

On the View tab, click Nest Image Objects and then select Cut Direction.

Arrows will appear along the profiles of your nested parts, indicating cut direction.

Change the cut direction of a part: 1. Select a part. 2. On the Parts tab, in the Edit group, click Reverse Cut Direction.

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Managing nests using nest tabs In the main NestMaster window, each nest has a tab at the bottom of the screen.

You can click any nest tab to make that nest current. The navigation arrows on the left ( tabs.

) can be used to page through nest

View a thumbnail image of other nests l

Hover the cursor over inactive nest tabs (

)

Inserting a nest Create a new nest after the last nest in the job: l

Click the New Nest tab.

Insert a new nest before an existing nest in a job: l

Right-click an existing nest tab and select Insert Nest.

Reorder nests in the current job l

Click and drag a nest's tab to a new location on the navigation bar. The arrow indicators (

) will show the insertion point.

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1. Select one or more parts on the first nest. You can select all parts on a nest by pressing CTRL + A. 2. Click the tab for the nest that you want to move the parts to.

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Exporting a nest to DXF file A single nest can be saved as a DXF file. The DXF file of the nest will be saved according to your Export DXF settings.

Export a single nest to DXF file 1. In the main window, make sure that the current nest is the one you want to export. 2. On the Nest tab, click Export to DXF. 3. Browse to a folder and enter a file name. 4. Click Save. -or1. Right-click a nest tab. 2. Select Export to DXF. 3. Browse to a folder and enter a file name. 4. Click Save.

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Why do parts appear in conflict? A part appearing in conflict on a nest indicates that the part's profile is in violation of some limiting parameter. A typical case might be when a part is nested too close to another part, encroaching on the Part-part separation value specified in the Process Parameters settings page. When a part is shown in conflict on a nest, the part will appear red.

The part shown here appears in conflict because its profile overlaps the plate edge

These parts do not overlap, but are nested too close together - creating a conflict Note:

Parts in conflict will appear in the color assigned in the Color Legend pane on the main window. By default, the assigned color is red.

A part may appear in conflict for one of several reasons: l A part is nested in violation of the separation values in your Process Parameters settings (Part-part, Part-plate edge, Part-pierce, Pierce-pierce, Pierce-plate edge) l A part intersects a crop line

Effect on nesting and output NestMaster will not prevent you from nesting and creating output with parts that are in conflict. Please be aware that outputting and then cutting a nest with parts that are in conflict may result in damaged parts.

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Checking nests for conflicts You can check the nests in the current job to see if there are any parts nested in conflict: 1. On the Home tab, in the Verify group, click Check for Conflict. 2. Click Check for Conflict repeatedly to cycle through the nests that contain conflicts. You can also find conflicts using the status bar (at the bottom of the main window):

No conflicts exist on nests in the current job. There are conflicts in the current job. You can also click this button repeatedly to cycle through nests with conflicts.

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Separations task pane In NestMaster, the Part, Pierce, and Plate separation values used for nesting are taken from the Process Parameters settings page. The Separations task pane enables you to view and edit separation values in your job directly from the main NestMaster window, without modifying your settings. Changes made to separation values in the Separations task pane apply to parts/nests in that job only - they have no effect on your machine settings.

The Separations task pane

View separation values in your job l

In the main NestMaster window, on the View tab, select Separations.

The Part to part, Part to pierce, and Part to plate separations in your job are listed in the Separations window. By default, the separations listed will match the values found in your Process Parameters settings.

Change separation values in your job 1. In the Separations task pane, in the column on the right, type in a new separation value for Part (Part - part), Pierce (Part pierce), or Plate (Part - plate). 2. Press ENTER. Entering a separation value that differs from the one found in your settings will cause the new value to become highlighted in yellow.

Effect on nesting l

l

All nests in your job will use the separation values specified in the Separations task pane. Parts placed on the nest will automatically use the separation values in the Separations window. Parts that are already nested when their separation values are changed will not be repositioned on the nest. If the position of the nested part violates the new separation value entered, the part will be shown in conflict.

Revert to separation values in your settings If a separation value in your job has been edited in the Separations task pane, but you want to go back to using the separation values found in your settings: 1. In the Separations task pane, click the edited separation value that you want to change. 2. Click the Revert button (

).

The default separation value for that material will be listed. 3. Click Revert to match settings.

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Important:

Any changes made to separation values in the Separations task pane are not saved in the job (.nif).

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How to start automatic nesting After you have developed a list of parts, you will be ready to begin automatic nesting. Unlike interactive nesting, which involves manually placing parts on a nest, you can use the AutoNest function to nest parts automatically. To start AutoNest in NestMaster: 1. On the Home tab, click AutoNest. The AutoNest Setup dialog will appear. Using this dialog, you can specify how new nests are created and adjust the types and sizes of plates to use. 2. When the settings in the AutoNest Setup dialog are ready, click OK to begin automatic nesting. Tip:

In NestMaster, you can utilize both automatic and interactive nesting on the same job. Place a few parts on the plate manually in the manner desired then click AutoNest to complete the plate. Likewise, you can AutoNest first and then manually rearrange nested parts to enhance the utilization of the plate.

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Setting up AutoNest When you click AutoNest ( ), you will be prompted with the AutoNest Setup dialog before nesting begins. Using this dialog, you can make last-minute changes to things like where nesting should begin and the types and sizes of plates to use.

The AutoNest Setup dialog The any modifications made to AutoNest settings from this dialog will apply only to the nesting done in the current AutoNest session. How should NestMaster create new nests?

Do not create new nests Selecting this radio button will limit automatic nesting to existing nests in your job. NestMaster will not create new nests during AutoNest.

Use a custom plate You can define a custom plate type and size to use for the new nests that will be created during automatic nesting. The number of new nests that will be created is limited by the Quantity entered. Choices: Rectangular, Circular Rectangular Rectangular plates are measured using length x width. You can use the list of standard plate sizes to select a rectangular plate, or type in a custom size using the Length and Width fields. Circular Circular plates are measured using diameter.

Notes:

l

Selecting Default will use default plate and nest values from your settings.

l

The dimensions button (

) can be used to show or hide plate dimensions.

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Stopping AutoNest You can stop automatic nesting that is in progress. When AutoNest is stopped, parts that are already nested will stay on the nest; any parts that have not yet been nested will remain in the part list.

Stop AutoNest l

In the status bar, click the Stop button.

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8. MODES OF OPERATION What are modes of operation? NestMaster has many different modes of operation, each with its own function. Click the following links to explore modes of operation: l "Select mode" on page 99 l "Zoom" on page 101 l "Measure mode" on page 96 l "Cut Simulation mode" on page 95 l "Modify Leads mode" on page 97 l "Pan mode" on page 98

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Cut Simulation mode Before generating output, it is often convenient to see how a nest will be cut. Cut Simulation mode presents an animation that approximates how a nest would be cut by your machine. NestMaster allows simple control over the simulation, similar to playing a movie.

View cut simulation for the current nest

l

On the Home tab, in the Verify group, click Cut Simulation.

When you enter Cut Simulation mode, the parts on the nest will be drawn in the Uncut color from the Color Legend. Also, the Cut Simulation controls will appear in the ribbon.

Play the simulation l

On the Cut Simulation tab, click Play.

When cut simulation starts, a small image of a cutting head will appear at the machine home of the nest. The cutting head will then move around the nest, cutting and scribing the nest in the same order as CNC output would instruct the machine.

Pause the simulation l

On the Cut Simulation tab, click Pause.

Stop the simulation l

On the Cut Simulation tab, click Stop.

Quit cut simulation and return to normal nesting l

Tips:

On the Cut Simulation tab, click Close Cut Simulation. l

l

The speed of the cut simulation can be controlled by moving the Speed slider. Move the slider to the left for a slower simulation. Move the slider to the right for a faster simulation. You can advance or rewind the simulation by clicking on any profile in the nest.

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Measure mode In measure mode, you can measure distances on your nest using your mouse. The accuracy of the measurement is limited by the distance represented by one pixel on the screen and by how accurately you select the measurement points.

Enter measure mode

l

On the Home tab, in the Verify group, click Measure.

NestMaster will display cross-hairs across the nesting area and the mouse cursor will change to a measuring tape.

Make a measurement 1. While in measure mode, click and drag a measurement line anywhere on the nest. 2. Release the mouse button. The cursor will automatically “snap” to the edges of nested parts to make measuring from a part edge more exact. Your measurement will be displayed in the bottom left of the status bar. For each measurement, the distance, the DX (delta, or change in X) and the DY (delta, or change in Y) are displayed. Note: Holding the SHIFT key while making a measurement will cause the measurement line to “snap to” the nearest horizontal, vertical, or 45 degree line.

Exit measure mode l

Click Select Parts. -or-

l

Right-click anywhere on the nest. -or-

l

Tip:

Press ESC. It is often helpful to zoom in on the area being measured.

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Modify Leads mode After a part has been added to the Part List, you can modify its leads through the Preview window of the Edit Part List window. You can also modify a nested part's leads from the main NestMaster window.

Enter Modify Leads mode

l

On the Nest tab, click Modify Leads.

Move the position of a lead on a profile Using the wrench (

) you can click any location along a given profile and the lead will be moved there.

When leads are moved between a side location and a corner location, NestMaster will apply the lead style as specified in your settings. Tip:

l

If you need to zoom in or out on a profile while in Modify Leads mode, it is best to use your mouse wheel or the Page Up and Page Down keys to do so. This type of zooming will not cancel Modify Leads mode.

View or change the properties of leads 1. In Modify Leads mode, use the wrench (

) to right-click the leads that you want to modify.

The Modify Leads dialog will open, displaying the properties for the selected lead. 2. Change the properties (Style, Size, Angle, etc.) for the leads. 3. Click Apply and then click OK to keep your changes.

Exit Modify Leads mode 1. On the Leads tab, click Close. -or2. Press ESC. Note: Since moving leads will cause NestMaster to generate a new cut sequence, it is best to move leads prior to setting a cut sequence.

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Pan mode You can use Pan mode to grab and drag an entire nest.

Pan on the nest l

Using the mouse wheel, click and drag in the nesting area.

-orl

On the View tab, click Pan.

Using the hand cursor, you can click and drag anywhere in the nesting area.

Exit Pan mode l

Right-click anywhere on the nest.

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Select mode Select mode is the default mode of operation in NestMaster. Select mode is used while manually nesting parts; selecting, moving and rotating nested parts; and generally as the base mode of operation on the main NestMaster window. Often, you will enter Select mode as a way of exiting another mode of operation. To enter Select mode: l

On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Select Parts.

Once you have added parts to the nest, you are free to modify the nest in any way. You can delete parts from the nest, add more parts, rotate and move parts around, and perform more advanced functions such as clustering. This section of the guide will showcase several ways of working with parts on a nest. Once you have added parts to the nest, you are free to modify the nest in any way. You can delete parts from the nest, add more parts, rotate parts, and move parts around. This section of the guide will showcase several ways of working with parts on a nest.

Selecting parts Nested parts cannot be moved or rotated until they are selected. To select a single part: l

Click anywhere inside the part.

To select all parts on the nest: l

On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Select All. -or-

l

Press CTRL + A

To select multiple parts: l

Hold SHIFT as you click on each part.

To area-select multiple parts: l

Tip:

Right-click and drag a rectangular area to surround the parts that should be selected. As you drag, the selection area will be drawn as a box with dotted lines. The direction of an area-select drag changes how parts are selected. If the selection area is created by dragging to the right, then parts will be selected only if they are fully contained by the selection area. If the selection area is created by dragging to the left, then parts will be selected if they are fully contained by the selection area or if they come in contact with the border of the selection area.

When a part (or group of parts) is selected, it will turn blue and will be surrounded by a selection box. The selection box surrounds the entire selection and features bump and rotate handles. These handles provide specialized ways to move and rotate the selection. See "Moving and rotating selected parts" for more information about using the selection box handles.

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Unselecting parts When parts are selected, they are not truly nested. It is more correct to think of selected parts as a floating group of parts. To nest a selection, unselect it. To unselect all parts: l

Click anywhere in the nesting area that is not inside any part.

To remove a single part from the selection: l

Hold SHIFT and select the part you want to unselect. All other parts in the selection will remain selected.

Note: As you select and unselect nested parts, you may have noticed changes in the Part List. Sometimes the reported nested quantity appears like this: 2 of 5 nested [1] This means that 2 out of 5 parts are nested and that 1 part is selected. If the selected part were then unselected, the quantities would appear like this: 3 of 5 nested

Removing a part from the nest A nested part can be removed from the nest, returning it to the part list. This causes the part’s available quantity to rise as its nested quantity decreases. To remove a selected part from the nest: l

Press DELETE. -or-

l

Drag the part from the nesting area into the Part List task pane.

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Zoom With NestMaster, you can zoom in and out on a nest in a number of different ways. Zoom functions are found on the View tab in the Zoom group and in selected modes.

Zoom Function

Ribbon Control

Usage

Zoom Window

After selecting Zoom Window, you can use your mouse to drag a box around the area of the nest that you want to magnify.

Zoom Real Time

After selecting Zoom Real Time, click an area of the nest and drag the pointer up or down to zoom in or out.

Zoom In

This will zoom in to next magnification level. Keyboard shortcut: PAGE UP

Zoom Out

This will zoom out to next magnification level. Keyboard shortcut: PAGE DOWN

Zoom Selection

With one or more parts selected on your nest, Zoom Selection will zoom to a view of the selected part(s).

Zoom Extents

This will return to a view of the entire nest. Keyboard shortcut: SHIFT + Z

Tip:

You can also easily zoom in and out at any desired location on your nest using the mouse wheel. Rotating the mouse wheel forward will zoom in, rotating it backward will zoom out. Another way of doing this is to position the mouse cursor on an area of the nest and press the PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN key.

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9. ARRAYING PARTS About Array Using the array feature, you can automatically place multiple copies of a part or group of parts onto a plate, in a specific arrangement. Arrayed parts are placed as close as possible to one another, based on the part separation value in your settings, in order to maximize material utilization. In the following diagram, a single part has been arrayed on a plate:

Example 1: Parts are arrayed based on the orientation of the master part.

Figure 1

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The nest in Figure 1 contains a rectangular part that is positioned diagonally on the plate. For the purposes of arraying, this is the master part.

Figure 2 Figure 2 shows the nest in Figure 1 after the rectangular part has been arrayed. Notice that the position of the arrayed parts are that same as the master part.

Example 2: Groups of dissimilar parts can also be arrayed.

Figure 3

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The nest in Figure 3 contains three master parts, which are all currently selected.

Figure 4 Figure 4 shows the same nest in Figure 3 after the selected parts have been arrayed.

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How to array parts Automatically array parts 1. Drag one or more copies of the part onto the nest. For best results, place the parts close to the Nesting Home (

).

2. Make sure that the parts you want to array are selected. 3. On the Parts tab, in the Array group, click Array. The required quantity of your parts will be arrayed on the nest.

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Stopping an array You can stop any array that is in progress: l

In the status bar, click Stop.

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10. LEADS How are leads applied in NestMaster? Leads are initially applied to parts in NestMaster when the part files are added to the part list. The style of lead that is applied depends on the geometry of the part. There are several styles of leads that can be used, but the most common are linear leads and arc leads.

Linear leads

Arc leads

Typically, linear leads are applied at the corner of a profile, so that the lead-in forms a straight line into the cut profile. In cases where there is no corner to place the lead, arc style leads are applied on the side of a profile, to gradually get the cutting head moving in the direction of the cut profile.

Which settings control how leads are applied? l

When a part is imported, leads are applied based on your Interior and Exterior Leads settings or the custom leads properties that you specify in the Edit Part List window. l Interior/Exterior Leads settings l Leads properties (in the Edit Part List window)

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11. CUT SEQUENCE About Cut Sequence When you nest parts in NestMaster, the program generates a cutting sequence for those parts based on their proximity to the Nesting Home point. The cut sequence determines the order in which individual parts on a nest will be cut. Cut sequence is generated whether parts have been nested manually or automatically. You can view or modify the cut sequence for your current nest by entering Cut Sequence mode. To enter Cut Sequence mode: l

On the Nest tab, click Cut Sequence.

The parts on your nest will appear numbered by cut sequence.

Once you are in Cut Sequence mode, you can modify the cut sequence for your nest, or delete the current sequence entirely and define a new sequence manually.

Modifying cut sequence To change the cut sequence of a few parts on the nest: 1. On the Nest tab, click Cut Sequence to enter Cut Sequence mode. 2. Click each part that you want to change the cut sequence for. The parts will become un-sequenced. 3. Click on those parts again in the order that you want to assign the new cut sequence. To reassign the cut sequence of an entire nest: 1. On the Nest tab, click Cut Sequence to enter Cut Sequence mode. 2. Click Clear. 3. Click on each part in the order that you want them to be cut.

Exiting Cut Sequence mode l

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12. OUTPUT Creating CNC output After nesting is complete, CNC output can be created for your job. During output, NestMaster creates separate CNC files for each nest in your job. Each CNC file contains coded instructions for your cutting machine to cut an entire nest.

Create NC output for nests in the current job 1. On the Home tab, click the arrow next to Output then click Output NC. The CNC Output dialog will open. 2. In the File name box, type a name for your output file. NestMaster will assign a unique file name to each nest in your job, based on the file name that you entered. 3. Click Output. NestMaster will generate a CNC file for each nest in your job. These CNC files would then be sent to your machine controller. To learn about creating CNC output for nests, explore the following the links: l

"The CNC Output dialog" on page 110

l

"How does CNC file naming work?" on page 112

l

"The Output Progress dialog" on page 114

l

"CNC Output settings" on page 30

You can also create single post CNC output for an individual part. Click the following link to learn more: l

"Single part output" on page 115

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The CNC Output dialog Generating output for your nests is done using the CNC Output dialog. 

Open the CNC Output dialog

l

On the Home tab, click the arrow next to Output, then click Output NC.

The CNC Output dialog Each nest in your job is listed separately in this dialog, along with the nests's File Name and Action. You can use the checkboxes next to each nest to indicate whether or not that nest should be output.

Output folder By default, this will be set to the location specified in your CNC Output settings.

File name You can insert a file name for your output files here. If you have more than one nest, NestMaster will insert your file name and then append it with a different number for each CNC file. By default this box will contain the name of your current job.

Example: If you have two nests and you entered "TEST" in the File name box, NestMaster would create two output files named "TEST01.CNC" and "TEST02.CNC".

Note: If the Use long file names option is not selected in your CNC Output settings, NestMaster will truncate the filename so that it does not exceed eight characters. To learn more about how output files are named, see "How does CNC file naming work?" on page 112 - 110 -

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Tools Output Settings Clicking this link will take you directly to the CNC Output page of your settings. From there, you can make changes to your output settings on the fly and apply those changes to your current job without closing the CNC Output dialog.

Browse Folders This will open an explorer view of your output file path.

Tip: The NC output icon (

) shows the output status of a nest. Nests that have not yet been output have an inactive icon (

Nests that have already been output have an active icon (

).

), which you can click to view the NC code created for that nest.

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How does CNC file naming work? When you output a job, there are several variables that control how output files will be named. Output file names are assigned from the CNC Output dialog.

Figure 1: The CNC Output dialog In the File name box (indicated by the red arrow), you can input a name that should be applied to all of the nests in your job. If your job has only one nest, the value in this box will match the CNC file name (indicated by the green arrow). If there is more than one nest in the job (as shown in Figure 1), each CNC file name will be appended as follows: 01, 02, 03, etc. Note that you can also edit CNC file names individually by clicking the file name and entering an alphanumeric name. Note: If you have selected the Use long file names setting, located on the CNC Output page of your settings, long file names can be entered for your CNC files. You can clear this setting to limit output file names to 8 characters (commonly known as the DOS 8.3 file naming convention).

File extensions The default file extension for output files is .cnc. This can be changed to any three-character extension using the CNC file extension setting, found on the CNC Output page of your NestMaster settings. If this settings value is left blank and a job has more than one nest, the extension will automatically be added as follows: .N1, .N2, .N3, etc.

Example 1: CNC file extension = cnc Output a single nest with the name: MyJob.cnc Output file: MyJob.cnc Example 2:

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CNC file extension = cnc Output three nests with the name: MyJob.cnc Output files: MyJob01.cnc, MyJob02.cnc, MyJob03.cnc Example 3: Clear the CNC file extension setting Output a single nest with the name: MyJob Output file: MyJob Example 4: Clear the CNC file extension setting Output three nests with the name: MyJob Output files: MyJob.N1, MyJob.N2, MyJob.N3

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The Output Progress dialog The Output Progress dialog, which appears while CNC output is being generated, displays the status of each output file.

Tip:

You can open any CNC output file directly from the Output Progress dialog by clicking the file name, as shown in the above diagram.

Status The status of your output file will be displayed upon output.

Completed The CNC file was created successfully

Warning

CNC file was created, but there are issues that may require attention.

Error

Conflicts in your job must be addressed before viable output can be created

Cancelled

Output was cancelled

Close this window on successful completion Selecting this box will hide Output Progress dialog when status for all nests is Completed ( NestMaster preferences.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Single part output You can create machine-ready CNC output for a single part or group of parts using NestMaster. Creating single part output for a part is done after the part has been processed and added to the part list. Single part output works a lot like creating output for a nest. During output, each individual part is coded into a separate CNC file. NestMaster takes into account all of your CNC Output and Output Axis settings, as well as other machine and process settings information when writing the NC code for a part. To create output for one or more parts: 1. In the Edit Part List window, add your parts to the part list. 2. Make any needed adjustments (such as leads positioning) to your part. 3. In the Part List grid, select all of the parts that you want to output.

To select multiple parts, hold CTRL as you click the parts. To select all parts in the part list, click Select All on the Edit menu. 4. Click the Output Part button in the Part List. The CNC Output dialog will open. All selected parts in your part list will be listed, with a checkbox next to each part. By default, the name of your parts' output file will match the part name. If you want, you can rename parts individually or enter a root file name for all parts using the File name box (for more information, see "How does CNC file naming work?" on page 112). 5. Select a Home Position for your part. By default, this will match the Part home from your CNC Output settings. 6. Click Output. Your output file will be created in the specified location.

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13. REPORTS

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NestMaster reports NestMaster offers two different reports: Nest Plot Report and HVAC Labels (for Design2Fab® users only).

Nest Plot report The Nest Plot Report provides detailed information about each nest in your job. To preview the Nest Plot Report:  l

On the File tab, click Nest Plot Report.

A preview of the report will appear. From the report preview screen, you can save and/or print the selected preview. Nest Plot report fields

Output file name The CNC file that corresponds to the selected nest.

Plate dimension The dimensions of a given nest's plate, expressed as Length × Width. Length is the horizontal distance along the X axis (1). Width is the vertical distance along the Y axis (2).

Nest dimension The minimum rectangular space occupied by parts on a given nest, expressed as Length × Width. Length is the horizontal distance along the X axis (1). Width is the vertical distance along the Y axis (2). 

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Processes used The cut and/or scribe processes used on a given nest.

Nest The number of the current nest out of the total number of nests in the job. (For example, "Nest #: 3 of 6" would indicate that the current nest is the third out of six total nests in the job.)

Times cut The number of times the nest should be cut.

Base feedrate The torch feedrate for the nest, expressed in inches per minute.

Base kerf The kerf width for all cuts on the nest.

Total cut length The total length of all part profiles on a given nest, including leads and lead extensions.

Total pierces The total number of pierces for a given nest.

True utilization This is the ratio of the true area of all nested parts relative to the total plate area. True utilization % = (True area of all nested parts ÷ Total plate area) × 100 Note that if a part has an interior profile, the surface area of the cut-out will not be considered a portion of that part.

Example:

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Figure 1 The nest shown in Figure 1 has a true utilization of 6.58%. The true area of the part appears light blue, the plate area is outlined in red.

HVAC Labels If you are using Design2Fab software, you can print Avery 5164 labels for your HVAC parts. To preview printable HVAC labels for your parts: l

On the File tab, click Print HVAC Labels. A preview of the report will appear. From the report preview screen, you can save and/or print the selected preview.

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14. VIEWS

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How to use grids In this article... Sort in ascending or descending order Field chooser Group by box

Sort in ascending or descending order To sort in ascending order (smallest to largest): l

Click the column header until the triangular icon indicates smallest to largest (

).

To sort in descending order (largest to smallest): l

Note:

Click the column header until the triangular icon indicates largest to smallest (

).

Holding CTRL + clicking a column header will disable sorting for that column.

Field chooser Using the field chooser, you can control which fields (columns) are visible on the column header row of a grid. To add a field to the column header row: 1. Right-click the column header row. 2. Select Field Chooser. A list of available fields will be displayed. 3. From the Field Chooser list, drag the field that you want to add onto the column header row. The arrows (

) indicate where the column will be positioned.

To remove a field from the column header row: 1. Right-click the column header row. 2. Select Field Chooser. 3. Drag a field from the column header row onto the Field Chooser list.

Group by box Group by box enables you to organize data in the grid by category (column header). To use Group By Box:

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1. Right-click the column header row and select Group By Box. 2. Drag a column header box onto the gray banner at the top of the grid. (If you want, you can drag additional column boxes onto the banner, creating a compound grouping structure.) All items in the grid will be sorted according to the category that you selected. Tip: After group by box has been applied, you can show or hide the gray banner at the top of the grid by right-clicking the column header row and removing the Group By Box selection. To remove grouping: 1. Right-click the column header row and make sure Group By Box is selected. 2. In the gray banner, right-click a box and select Don't Group By This Field. or Drag the box back onto the column header row.

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Color Legend The color legend allows the you to control the colors of features on a nest and elsewhere in NestMaster.

Show the color legend in the main nesting window l

On the View tab, select Color Legend.

Color Legend settings You can customize the color legend by clicking the unfold button (

) to reveal a list of modifiable settings.

Show all colors Displays color settings for all features in the nesting window including plates, background, parts in conflict, etc.

Show plate shadow Draws a shadow under the plate

Draw background gradient Background on the main nesting window has a gradient applied

Draw color-filled parts Takes the color assigned for the Cut process and fills parts with a lighter shade of that color. This applies to parts on the nest and in the Preview pane of the Edit Part List window.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Shortcuts and key tips Shortcuts Main NestMaster window NestMaster Command

Keyboard Shortcut

New

CTRL + N

Open

CTRL + O

Save

CTRL + S SHIFT + F12

Save As

F12

Settings (to open from the main window)

CTRL + F11

Help

F1

AutoNest

F2

Array (with parts selected)

F3

Output NC

F7

Modify Leads mode

F9

Show/Hide keytips

F10 ALT

Edit Part List (to open from the main window) F11 Delete selected

DELETE

Select all parts on the nest

CTRL + A

Places the selected part in part list on the nest ENTER Undo move

CTRL + Z

Redo move

CTRL + Y

Zoom In

PAGE UP

Zoom Out

PAGE DOWN

Zoom Extents

SHIFT + Z

Zoom Window

CTRL + W

New Nest

CTRL + SHIFT + N SHIFT + F2

Clear Nest

SHIFT + CTRL + DELETE

Delete Nest

CTRL + DELETE

Delete All Nests

SHIFT + DELETE

Check for Conflicts

CTRL + SHIFT + F7

Duplicate (with parts selected)

D

Rotate 90° (with parts selected)

Q

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

NestMaster Command

Keyboard Shortcut

Rotate Long Side (with parts selected)

S

Rotate Left (with parts selected)

W

Rotate Right (with parts selected)

E

Change Increment Rotation angle (with parts selected)

1 2 3 4 5

Bump

UP ARROW DOWN ARROW LEFT ARROW RIGHT ARROW

SHIFT bump (nudge)

SHIFT + UP ARROW SHIFT + DOWN ARROW SHIFT + LEFT ARROW SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW

Next nest (navigation)

CTRL + PAGE UP

Previous nest (navigation)

CTRL + PAGE DOWN

First nest (navigation)

CTRL + HOME

Last nest (navigation)

CTRL + END

Cut Sequence mode

SHIFT + F9

Cut Simulation mode

CTRL + SHIFT + F9

Measure mode

CTRL + F9

Maximize the window

CTRL + F10

Restore Down the window

CTRL + SHIFT + F10

Minimize/Restore ribbon

CTRL + F1

Display Move/Minimize/Close menu

ALT + SPACEBAR

Navigate to other ribbon tab

F10 + LEFT ARROW F10 + RIGHT ARROW

Leave ribbon or submenu Leave File tab Exit active mode

ESC

Close program

ALT + F4

Key tips NestMaster also contains key tips that enable you to access any control on the ribbon using the keyboard.

View key tips

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NestMaster 2015 Manual 1. Press the ALT key. Letters or numbers will appear for each ribbon element. 2. Press the letters for the corresponding tab, group and control that you want to access.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Menu and toolbar legacy reference This article provides a cross reference of the NestMaster 2012 menus and toolbars to the NestMaster 2015 ribbon interface. Note that in NestMaster 2015, the Parts tab only appears on the ribbon when one or more parts are selected on the nest.

File Menu NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

Function

Menu Path

Toolbar Button

Ribbon

Image

New Job

File > New

File tab> New > Blank Job

Open Job

File > Open

File tab > Open

Save Job

File > Save

File tab > Save

Save As

File > Save As

File tab > Save As

Import Part List

File > Import Part List

Home tab > Edit Part List > Import Part List

Output CNC

File > Output CNC

Home tab > Output

Preferences

File > Preferences

File tab > Preferences

Exit NestMaster

File > Exit NestMaster

File tab > Exit

Edit Menu NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

Function

Menu Path

Toolbar Button

Undo

Edit > Undo

Parts tab > Undo

Redo

Edit > Redo

Parts tab > Redo

Select All

Edit >Select All

Home tab > Select All

Unselect All

Edit > Unselect All

n/a

Delete

Edit > Delete

press Delete key (not in ribbon)

Select Mode

Edit > Select Mode

Home tab > Select Parts

Measure Mode

Edit > Measure Mode

Home tab > Measure Parts

Modify Leads

Part > Move Leads

Nest tab > Leads

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Ribbon

Image

NestMaster 2015 Manual

View Menu NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

Function

Menu

Toolbar Button

Ribbon

Image

Toolbars

View > Toolbars

Part List

View > Part List

View tab > Part List

Color Legend

View > Color Legend

View tab > Color Legend

Separations

View > Separations

View tab > Separations

Rulers

View > Rulers

View tab > Part List View tab > Properties (new in 2015) View tab > Scrollbars (new in 2015)

Zoom Window

View > Zoom > Zoom Window

View tab > Zoom Window

Zoom Real Time

View > Zoom > Zoom Real Time

View tab > Zoom Real Time

Zoom Selection

View > Zoom > Zoom Selection

View tab > Zoom Extents> Zoom Selection

Zoom In

View > Zoom > Zoom In

View tab > Zoom In

Zoom Out

View > Zoom > Zoom Out

View tab > Zoom Out

Zoom Extents

View > Zoom > Zoom Extents

View tab > Zoom Extents

Pan

View > Pan

View tab > Pan

Cut Direction

View > Cut Direction

View tab > Nest Image Objects > Cut Direction

Pierces

View > Pierces

View tab > Nest Image Objects > Pierces

Open Profiles

View > Open Profiles

View tab > Nest Image Objects > Open Profiles

Job Menu NestMaster 2012 Function

Menu

Edit Part List

Job > Edit Part List

NestMaster 2015 Toolbar Button

Ribbon Home tab > Parts > Edit Part List

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Settings

Job > Settings

File tab > Info > Machine > Settings

Job Information

Job > Job Information

File tab > Info

Nest Menu NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

Function

Menu Path

Toolbar Button

Ribbon

Image

New Nest

Nest > New Nest

Home tab > New Nest

Delete Nest

Nest > Delete Nest

Home tab > Delete Nest

Delete All Nests

Nest > Delete All Nests

Home tab > Delete All Nests

Cut Sequence

Nest > Cut Sequence

Nest tab > Cut Sequence

Cut Simulation

Nest > Cut Simulation

Home tab > Cut Simulation

AutoNest

Nest > Start AutoNest

Home tab > AutoNest

Array

Nest >Array

Parts tab > Array

Stop AutoNest

In the status bar, click "Stop" (not in menu)

In the status bar, click "Stop" (not in ribbon)

Part Menu NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

Function

Menu Path

Toolbar Button

Mirror

Part > Mirror

Parts tab > Mirror

Duplicate

Part > Duplicate

Parts tab > Duplicate

Reverse Cut Direction

Part > Reverse Cut Direction

Parts tab > Reverse Cut Direction

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Ribbon

Image

NestMaster 2015 Manual

Rotate to Next 90°

Part > Rotate to Next 90°

Parts tab > Rotate to Next 90°

Rotate Long Side

Part > Rotate Long Side

Parts tab > Rotate Long Side

Increment Angle

Part > Increment Angle

Parts tab > Rotate Left

Decrement Angle

Part > Decrement Angle

Parts tab > Rotate Right

Bump Up

Part > Bump Up

use keyboard arrow (not in ribbon)

Bump Down

Part > Bump Down

use keyboard arrow (not in ribbon)

Bump Left

Part > Bump Left

use keyboard arrow (not in ribbon)

Bump Right

Part > Bump Right

use keyboard arrow (not in ribbon)

Help Menu NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

Function

Menu Path

Ribbon

Help

Help > Materials

File tab > Help > NestMaster Help

Tip of the Day

Help > Tip of the Day

File tab > Help > Getting Started

Check for Updates

Help > Check for Updates

File tab > Help > Check for Updates

License Information

Help > License Information

File tab > Help

About NestMaster

Help > About NestMaster

File tab > Help

Navigation Toolbar NestMaster 2012

NestMaster 2015

First Nest

Replaced by nest tabs

Previous Nest

Replaced by nest tabs

Next Nest

Replaced by nest tabs

Last Nest

Replaced by nest tabs

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15. CONTACT US

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Locations

CAD/CAM Software Americas United States 22 West Main Street Lockport, NY 14094 USA +1 (716) 434-3755 Tel +1 (716) 434-3711 Fax [email protected]

Asia Pacific China 301, South Building 495 ShangZhong Road Shanghai 200231, PR China +86-21- 60740003 Tel +86-21- 60740393 Fax [email protected]

Mexico Av. Toluca No. 444, Anexo 1 Col. Olivar de los Padres Del. Álvaro Obregón D.F. C.P. 01780, Mexico +52 55 5681 8109 Tel +52 55 5683 2127 Fax [email protected]

Singapore 82 Genting Lane Media Centre Annexe Block #A01-01 Singapore 349567 +65 6841 2489 Tel +65 6841 2490 Fax [email protected]

Brazil Rua Brás Cubas 231 - Jardim Maia CEP 07115-030 Guarulhos, SP - Brasil +55 11 2409 2636 Tel +55 11 2408 0462 Fax [email protected]

Japan 801 Samty Will Building 2-40 MNiyahara 1-Chrom Yodogawa-ku Osaka, 532-0003, Japan +81 (6) 6170-2020 Tel +81 (6) 6170-2015 Fax [email protected]

Europe, Middle East, Africa Netherlands Vaartveld 9 4704 SE Roosendaal The Netherlands +31 (0) 165 596907 Tel +31 (0) 165 596921 Fax [email protected]

Korea #3904 Centum Leaders Mark B/D 1514 Woo-Dong Haeundae –Gu Busan, Korea 612-889 +82-51-747-0358 Tel [email protected] India New No. 83, Old No. 52 Bazullah Road, T. Nagar Chennai, Tamil Nadu India 600 017 South/East: +91 99 4068 1650 Tel North/West: +91 99 5844 4984 Tel +91 (0) 44 2834 5362 Fax [email protected]

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Oceania +61 (3) 93751455 Tel +61 (3) 93751499 Fax

Visit us online at www.hyperthermCAM.com

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Technical Support Hypertherm CAM software is committed to providing you with the best overall product experience. This includes intuitive technical products and flexible options to fit your support needs. Our products are designed with superior quality and ease of use in mind, but we understand that issues do arise from time to time that need the backing of our support resources. For details about all support offerings, please visit our website: www.hyperthermCAM.com For technical support, contact your nearest Hypertherm CAM support representative.

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NestMaster 2015 Manual

Sales Contact your account representative for information about the latest Hypertherm CAM products, the Subscription Services program, upgrade options and prices, and more. For a list of our US and worldwide offices, please refer to Locations. If you have a technical question or problem, please contact Technical Support.

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Index: 2D CAD – Field Chooser

INDEX 2 2D CAD

56 A

Add or Remove Processes 18, 21 Reuse Existing Settings 20 Select a Post Processor (CFF) 19 Allow leads to move 22 Allow pattern array 22 Angle 13 Arc radius tolerance 25 Area-select 99 Array 102 how to 105 stopping 106 AutoBump 27 AutoBump direction #1 28 AutoBump direction #2 28 AutoDrop 27 zone 28 Automatic nesting 91 Automatically open the Edit Part List dialog after starting a 42 new Job AutoNest 91 setting up 92 stopping 93 B Bump handles Bumping parts Normal Nudge Zero separation

79 79 79 79 79 C

CAD Editor CAD files importing CFF CFG Check for Conflict Check for updates CIF files Clear Nest CNC file extension CNC file naming CNC Output DXF Output file naming Output Axis output dialog

56 25, 60 25, 62 19, 30 48 87-88 46 25 75 32, 112 112 30, 42, 109 39 112 36 110

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progress Step and Repeat CNC Output dialog Color Legend Color scheme Columns adding to grid Common Line Cutting (CLC) Conflicts Contact us Sales Technical Support Contains multiple parts Corner snap distance Cut - [Cut Process] Cut # of times Cut all layers with [Cut Process] Cut Direction reversing Cut Simulation playing

114 38 110 123 42 121 22 87-88 132, 134-135 135 134 22 43 22 118 22 83 83 95 95

D Data file location Decimal places Default export folder Default output folder Default Plate Delete All Empty Nests Delete Nest Delete overlapped entities Direction Display Only Display Units Do not show me this again Draw color-filled parts DXF export DXF Output

30 44 29 33 26 75 75 22 38 22 44 47 123 55, 86 39 E

Edit Part List window Preview Enable automatic CNC torch spacing Error conflicts Explode multiple parts Export DXF Export folder Export polylines Extension Exterior Leads

22, 56 58 30 88 22 29, 55, 86 29 29 13 13

F Feedrate Field Chooser

16 121

Index: File extension – Output parts File extension output File units Filter by CAD file name

32 22 60 G

Generate data files during output Generate token files during output Green Start AutoNest button Grids adding columns Group by box

30 30 91 121 121

H Hotkeys

124

Machine home Map to CAD color numbers Maximum controller arc radius Measure mode Measurement lines Menus Mirror Mode Modes of operation Cut Simulation Measure Modify Leads Pan Select Zoom Modify Leads Moving parts

I Icon legend Ignore for output Importing Parts Importing Parts (Advanced) Include machine parameters in output Increment angle Init point Initialization point Insert Nest Insert part name as comment Interior Leads

N 127 30 22 25 30 80 21 21 84 30 13

J Jobs new opening Preferences saving

48-49 49 50 42 51 K

Kerf width Key tips Keyboard shortcuts L

44 97 22 30 32 132 M

Machine configuration

Nest export to DXF thumbnail Nest # Nest dimension Nest resolution Nest tabs Nesting settings Nesting home Nests creating new deleting inserting managing New process NIF Nudge

86 84 118 117 27 84 27 27 73 75 84 84 20 48, 51 79 O

16 125 124

Language Leads modifying Leads origin Line number increment Line numbers in CNC Locations

21, 36 23, 63 25 96 96 127 82 30 94 95 96 97 98 99 101 97 79

19, 21 18, 21

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Offset Open Job Open profile tolerance Order cuts by process Order punches by process Order scribes by process Output Progress single parts single post Output Axis Output file extension Output folder Output leads Output original layer names whenever possible Output parts

38 50 22 30 30 30 109-110 114 115 115 36 32 33 39 39 115

Index: Output polylines – True utilization Output polylines Output Progress status Output safe zones Output sheets Overburn Overtravel

39 114 114 39 39 13 13 P

Pan mode Part - part separation Part - pierce separation Part - plate edge separation Part List options Part Sources Filter Parts clustering creating output for exporting to DXF moving rotating selecting unselecting Physical location Pierce - pierce separation Pierce - plate edge separation Plate dimension polylines Post Processor Precision Preferences color scheme Preferences dialog Preview Print HVAC Labels Priority Processes adding or removing Properties CAD import Punch - [Punch Process] Punch/Scribe first

98 89 89 89 52-53, 56 53 57 60 99 99 115 55 79, 99 79, 99 99 100 21 17 17 117 29, 39 19, 21 30, 44 40 42 40 58 119 22 19-21 19 62 22 22 Q

Quantity

22 R

Rapid rate Redo Move Reports HVAC Labels Nest Plot Required

21 80 117 119 117 59, 62

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Retain all existing leads Return to initialization point Reuse Existing Settings Reverse cut direction Reverse direction and kerf Ribbon Rotate handles Rotate Increment Rotating parts Free Long Side To Next 90

22 30 20 83 22 127 79 80 79 79 79 79 S

Save Advanced Edit tokens Save As Scribe - [Scribe Process] Select Select a Post Processor (CFF) Selecting parts Selection tolerance Separations editor task pane Settings restoring saving using the settings dialog Shortcuts Single part output Single post output Size Skin Smooth entities Smooth tolerance Standard Plate Sizes Start AutoNest Step and Repeat Stop before cutting Stop before scribing Strip stop codes from CNC part files Style System requirements

25 51 22 81, 99 19 81, 99 42 89 89 10-11 11 11 11 124 115 115 13 42 22 22 26 91 38 33 33 30 13 8

T Technical Support Thumbnail Token file generate during output Toolbar Total cut length Total pierces Translation True Shape Nesting True utilization

134 84 34 127 118 118 44 91-92 118

Index: Undo Move – Zooming U Undo Move Units Unselecting parts Updates checking for Use AutoBump Use default exterior leads only Use default interior leads only Use long file names Use quality to output CAD colors Use settings from existing '' process Use step and repeat Use text marker User drawn leads

80 30 100 46 27 13 13 30 39 20 38 25 22

V Validate plate size Versions checking for new VSP adding assigning cut processes shape reference

30 46 65 66-67 68 69 W

Warnings What’s new

47 2 Y

Yellow Start AutoNest button

91 Z

Zero separation bump Zooming

79 101

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