BobCad - BobNEST support

[millman52]

On 03-13-2007 I submitted a problem to bobCAD tech support. I asked the following question: "I am new to BobCAD I am mainly interested in the nesting software. I have been playing around wit it some the past couple days. I regularly cut 4' X 8' sheets of steel. One of the main items is 15"dia. discs (18 per sheet). When trying to plug in smaller shapes I need from the same thickness material It will only nest them to the outside perimeter left over from the 18 circles.

Does bobcad/nest not recognise the material between the circles as being avalible for parts?"

A few days later here is the reply I was given: "Here is the reply I received from BCC Tech on the nesting issue.

Dear Niel
We will report this as a bug in the nesting software.
We will put in next update for your version of Bobcad.
Please check for updates at (www.bobcad.com/updates).
--
Thank You,

Bobcad-Cam Technical Support Engineer

It is now Sept 8, 2007 & to this day no update has came to correct this problem.

I purchased BobCAD-nest for the nesting software alone. After purchase I have receieved nothing but excuses. No cures.

[mikwd]

I tried and see what you mean. I used the 18" circles and then put in smaller circles, it put the smaller ones on outside but not inbetween even tough at least one would fit. What you could do to get around it though is after parts are nested, export the toolpath back to main screen in bobcad, then translate and drag copies of the smaller part into the spaces inbetween the larger circles. If do it this way though double check to make sure the ones you copied are at the right depth afterwards.

[millman52]

Originally Posted by mikwd I tried and see what you mean. I used the 18" circles and then put in smaller circles, it put the smaller ones on outside but not inbetween even tough at least one would fit. What you could do to get around it though is after parts are nested, export the toolpath back to main screen in bobcad, then translate and drag copies of the smaller part into the spaces inbetween the larger circles. If do it this way though double check to make sure the ones you copied are at the right depth afterwards.

Yes that's an option I guess But basically could do that with any CAD program & array the original (18) 15" disks to the sheet. Then array a single part to the areas between, or draw a grouping of smaller still parts & array that to the spaces. BUT LETS FACE IT....... I purchased nesting software to do this job & it will not.

In the month of August alone I cut (9) 4 X 8 sheets that the 15" disk was the primary part. The space between the disks became scrap on all but (1) sheet because the time to manually plug parts into those spaces was counter productive.

I have been saving all my toolpath files as an individual drawing. Which might save some time in the future. If I ever need the same group of smaller parts at the same time as the 15" disks.