Optimization Parameters Nesting

The behavior of the optimization can be influenced by parameter sets,  which you simply select when you create a job.

By default, a rectangular and a freeform parameter set are stored, which you can also edit by clicking on the pencil icon. In addition, new parameter sets can also be created at this point.

Under the Nesting tab, you can change the Minimum Part Spacing and Margin Spacing presets. 

To improve the quality and number of nesting solutions, the Extended Computing Time option can be enabled in the optimization parameters.  Some customers would like to receive similar nesting plans to reduce milling marks on the protective plate on the machine table. This result can be achieved by the extended computing time.

intelliDivide cropping and nesting solutions calculated with the Extended Compute Time option are highlighted in the results overview on the left. 
Note: Only available for intelliDivide Nesting Advanced and intelliDivide Cutting Premium.

The rotation angle can be varied between 0 degrees, 90 degrees and free. If you only want to make right-angled pieces, it is advisable to leave the angle of rotation at 90 degrees.

Display Zero Points causes the workpiece coordinate system to be displayed at the zero point for each workpiece in the nesting plan. This allows you to see immediately how the workpiece has been rotated in the plan.

In the nesting process, the raw board is usually stretched via vacuum on a so-called protective board (usually MDF). This plate can be milled into. It is milled over after a certain number of cycles and is therefore flat again. The vacuum is lowest at the edge of the protective plate, as this is where extraneous air is sucked in through the open edges. With the setting Do not place small parts at the edge , you can bypass this effect and move the parts from a certain size from the edge towards the center of the plate. For this purpose, it is necessary to define the maximum part area and the minimum edge distance .

Additional nesting functions can be used via the Format tab. When calculating the nesting plans, a new, additional woodWOP macro is generated into the nesting plan - the "Format" macro.

NOTE: These functions are only available in conjunction with woodWOP 8 and the woodWOP Nesting Plugin.

The following editing strategies can be achieved by formatting:

1. Reposition without retreat (stay down)

2. Using common milling marks (common line)

3. Leave bars (include tabs) / NOTE: available from woodWOP 8.1.225

4. Step-by-step milling (onion skinning)

The First Pass and Final Pass activation can add up to two consecutive Format macros. All nesting contours present in the individual MPR files are used for the milling path calculation. 

Usually, the individual MPR files already contain milling macros for formatting. If you want to ignore these and only use the new, added formatting macro, you must select the checkbox "Deactivate milling macros from individual MPR(X) files and add formatting macro to end position".

Deleting inactive macros removes woodWOP macros that are invalid due to conditions in the nesting result. This makes the newly created nest with the woodWOP edits clearer. Only what actually needs to be worked on is displayed in the woodWOP result. 

An important factor influencing the safe clamping of a workpiece during nesting is its surface. The smaller the workpieces, the more likely they are to slip on the protective plate.

Since the vacuum is greatest at the beginning of the nest machining, small workpieces should be machined first. With the parameter Minimum area for path-optimized , the workpieces are processed in the order from small to large until this limit value is reached.

In the Variables area, variable names and values can be entered that are used in the workpieces to be nested. This allows you to determine, for example, which current tool numbers are to be used to create the nest during optimization. If, for example, a certain tool number is not available on the machine at the moment, you can overwrite all tool numbers from the individual MPR files. All variables entered here are not automatically numbered.