[georgebarr]

Can VisualMill (4 & 5) do nesting where several parts can be cut from material without wasting material space?

If not, can someone suggest the best nesting program?

[richardl]

You can import multiple parts into Visual Mill and create machine ops to mill them all from the same stock. You can use the layers to help manage this (in VM5 at least). But I think it would be easier to merge and position multiple parts using dedicated CAD software. I find the CAD capabilities of VisualMill to be awkward compared to most dedicated CAD programs.

- Richard Lawler

[buscht]

I don't know anything about Visual Mill, but there are various levels of nesting programs available. The simplest is a rectangular nester. The programs takes the largest rectangle that your part will fit in and tries to nest that. If you have odd shape parts that isn't too good, but works well for cabinetry panels and such.

A true shape nesting program is more versatile, but more expensive.

From my experience, you can next manually better than any CAM solution. That is if you have static nests. Meaning that you just want the best nest for a set quantity and variety of parts. I just load the parts in my CAD and move them around until I like the fit.

If your parts are always different and every day the quantities change, then an automated nesting program is applicable.

http://www.mtc-limited.com/turbonest.html
http://www.merrymech.com/nestmast.htm

[CrazyRonny]

We work with MTC Pronest at my job, it's a very good program but expensive. And we have to re-nest manually to save more material but the Pro-Nest give us a good start to work with and save us a lot of time. But to justify this kind of program you must cut a lot. We have a 10' x 40' plasma and oxyfuel cutting table and it cut on two shift.

Ron

[Rekd]

Hrmph, I was way off.

I was thinking NESTING was what happened to men when they got into cold water.

'Rekd

[georgebarr]

Thanks for the links to nesting programs. Also, what is "profiling"? I have heard of the term "profile nesting" and just plain "profiling"? Can someone clear these terms up for me?

Thanks,