Blank Nesting

The Blank Nesting tool lets you create numerous configurations to determine optimal material usage for stamped sheet metal components.

To start it, ensure you are in the Radioss One Step interface. Then go to the Blank Layout ribbon, and select . A new Blank Nesting dialog opens and includes the following options.

File Menu

From the toolbar, click File and select from the following options:

Option	Description
New Session	Clears an existing nesting and refreshes the current session by deleting the entries in the Log window.
Open Session File	Loads a saved session file saved with a default *.nsw ASCII file extension.
Save Session File	Saves a current session including setup, log and model information with a *.nsw file extension. The session file is stored in a fixed field ASCII format.
Save Session File As	Lets you save a session with a new name.
Import	Imports the utility-specific model files {fixed field ASCII format} with file extensions .txt or .nxy.
Export	This option exports the blank nesting shape in the current session as an.iges file.
Recent Files	This option displays the recently imported session files and lets you launch or import the files into the current session.
Recent Imports	This option displays imported *.nxy files (blank models) into the session and helps to quickly launch or import the files into the current session.
Exit	Closes the utility and returns to the parent HyperForm session.

Edit Menu

From the toolbar, click Edit and select from the following options:

Option Name	Description
Duplicate	Lets you copy a selected blank for use in a nesting layout using Auto nesting or other nesting options.
Delete	Removes a selected blank from the nesting layout.
Flip-X / Flip-Y	Flip-X rotates a selected blank by 90 degrees along the X axis. Flip-Y rotates a selected blank by 90 degrees along the Y axis.
Snap to best-in-move	Lets you move or rotate a selected blank along the XY plane to ensure maximum utilization of the coil type or sheet type nesting setup. The nesting setup automatically updates and adjusts in reference to the blank positioning.
Autosnap to best-in-move	Lets you move or rotate a selected blank along the XY plane, similar to the snap to best-in-move feature, but the blank automatically snaps to the best location.
Lock Rotation	Locks the blank's rotation while you position the blank.

View Menu

From the toolbar, select View. The View menu displays the following options:

Option	Description
Fit	Spans the model within the window area for better viewing.
Zoom +/-	Scales the model view up or down. From the tool bar, left-click to scale down and right-click to scale up.
Auto Center	Click Auto Center, then right-click on the blank to center the component and position it along the XY plane.
Best Dimensions	Displays your best fit dimensions from various attempts that are stored in memory.
User Dimensions	Graphically displays input Height and Pitch dimensions.
Angles	Displays the angle of rotation of the blank in an XY plane on the screen and refreshes as you rotate the model.
Setup	Toggles the display of the Setup Browser on the Blank Nesting window.

Tools Menu

Option	Description
Report	This option exports an *.html file with all nesting details including the nested pattern and image as seen in the log window.
Log Options	This option lets you set the number of rows to display in the log window.

Help Menu

Option	Description
About	This option displays a window with the version details of the nesting utility.

Log Window

The Log Window displays nesting details and layout information as you see in the following figure:

blank_nest_log_window

The blank nesting module automatically stores a set number of moves.

1.	To specify moves, select Tools > Log Options…

2.	To manually store a move, on the toolbar, select Store Current. Once the number of moves exceeds the log capacity, each new move is compared against the move with the least efficiency, and the more efficient move is saved.

At any point, you can select the information in the Log Window to view and restore a nesting setup.

Utilization Statistics

Utilization statistics appear at the top of the graphics display, as shown in the following image:

hypernest2

The calculations displayed include:

•	Current: The current material utilization, which is calculated as the area of the blanks divided by the total area within the pitch, multiplied by 100. The value is expressed as a percentage. An overlap or penetration is also indicated by the color of the blank changing to red.

•	Best in Move: A move is any series of modifications with respect to the blank that is currently being moved. The Best in Move value is the highest material utilization value in the current move. The Best in Move value resets to 0 when the move action is shifted to a different blank.

•	Best in Session: This is a best utilization value achieved among all moves in the session.

Setup Options

Option

Description

Nesting Setup

The setup offers two types of layouts:

•	Coil type: Coil nestings are based on an infinitely long sheet of metal with a nesting pattern separated by a pitch.

•	Sheet type: Sheet is a default selection. Sheet nestings use a single portion of sheet metal.

Dimension

The Height and Pitch include these options:

•	Optimum: This value is estimated from nesting and is automatically populated.

•	Custom: You can enter a custom value.

Margin

•	Part to part: Distance between two parts.

•	Part to edge: Distance between the part and the sheet/coil edge.

Carrier

Select Carrier, and then select a type from the pull down menu. In addition, specify two dimensions:

•	Carrier Height: Height/width of the carrier.

•	Part to Carrier: Distance between the part and the carrier.

Part

Orientation

•	Optimum (default): Automatically determined from nesting.

•	Current: Takes the current orientation for nesting without altering or rotating it.

Addendum

This is the extra material that needs to be added all around the part's outer edge. The revised blank size is used for nesting.

Cost Estimation

•	Density: Density of the material

•	Thickness: Thickness of the material.

•	Cost: Cost per Kg of the material.

Move Part

To move a part to a specified location, enter values in the dx, dy and dα fields, and then click Apply, or click Reject to move the part back to the previous position.

Measure Options

blank_nest_measure_tab

The Measure tab in the Blank Nesting utility measures the distance between various points on the component/blank.

Select a point anywhere on the blank to display a distance. Distance is also updated in the respective text boxes on the browser.

Note: While measuring, you can select one point at a time to display the distance between the current location with respect to the previous location points.

Context Sensitive Menus

blank_nest_context_menu

Right-click anywhere in the utility session and a context menu with commonly-used options appears. The options are described in the following table.

Option	Description
Fit	Spans and fits the model within the window area for better viewing.
Zoom +/-	Scales the model larger or smaller.
Store Current	Stores the nesting information of a selected blank. Use this feature to store information intermittently during positioning. Saved nesting information is appended in the Log window and can be retrieved and restored at a later time.
Best Dimensions	Displays the best fit dimensions from the various attempts that are stored in memory.
User Dimensions	Displays the user input Height and Pitch dimensions graphically.
Autosnap to best-in-move	Lets you move or rotate a selected blank on the XY plane. This feature is similar to snap to best-in-move, but the blank snaps to the best position automatically while moving.
Lock rotation	Locks the blank's rotation while you position the blank.
Setup	Toggles the display of the Setup Browser on the Blank Nesting window.

blank_nest_context_menu_2

Right-click a displayed model and an extended version of the above context menu appears. The additional options are described in the following table:

Option	Description
Duplicate	Spans and fits the model within the window area for better viewing.
Delete	Scales the model larger or smaller.
Flip-X / Flip-Y	Stores the nesting information of a selected blank. Use this feature to store information intermittently during positioning. Saved nesting information is appended in the Log window and can be retrieved and restored at a later time.
Snap to best-in-move	Lets you move or rotate a selected blank along the XY plane to ensure maximum utilization of the coil type or sheet type nesting setup. While doing so the nesting setup automatically updates and adjusts per the blank positioning.
Save current blank as	Exports a selected model as a .nxy file. You can use the import option to bring back the file into the session at any time.

Standard Nesting Patterns

A toolbar is also available for rapid creation of standard nesting patterns. The following icons are available:

Icon	Description
	One-Up: Creates a blank nesting of a single blank.
	Two-Up: Creates a blank nesting of two blanks with the second blank being a copy of first blank.
	Two-Up-Flip: Creates a blank nesting of two blanks with the second blank being a copy of first blank and flipped.
	Two-Up-Mirror X: Creates a blank nesting of two blanks with the second blank mirroring the first blank about the X axis.
	Two-Up-Mirror Y: Creates a blank nesting of two blanks with the second blank mirroring the first blank about the Y axis.
	Positions the blanks adjacent to each other without any rotation such that it maximizes percentage utilization in sheet/coil.
	Rotates selected blanks together such that it maximizes percentage utilization in sheet/coil.
	Nests selected arbitrary blank shapes.

In addition to the icons listed above, you can click the small icon on the bottom right corner of the Setup/Measure tab area to hide tabs and enlarge the graphics area. To display the tabs again, from the View menu, select Setup.

Blank Nesting

Blank Nesting

Blank Nesting

File Menu

Option

Description

Open Session File

Save Session File As

Recent Files

Recent Imports

Exit

Edit Menu

Option Name

Description

Duplicate

Delete

Flip-X / Flip-Y

Snap to best-in-move

Autosnap to best-in-move

Lock Rotation

View Menu

Option

Description

Tools Menu

Option

Description

Report

Log Options

Help Menu

Option

Description

About

Log Window

Utilization Statistics

Setup Options

Option

Description

Nesting Setup

Dimension

Margin

Carrier

Part

Cost Estimation

Move Part

Measure Options

Context Sensitive Menus

Option

Description

Store Current

Best Dimensions

User Dimensions

Lock rotation

Setup

Option

Description

Duplicate

Delete

Flip-X / Flip-Y

Snap to best-in-move

Save current blank as

Standard Nesting Patterns

Icon

Description

See also