Visual LISP, AutoLISP and General Customization

[#1]

in short..at my job we use basic rectangle shapes, created in autocad, of various dimensions that we convert to .cnc files and manufacture parts out of these basic shapes.

Part of my job is to take these basic rectangles, and nest them as efficiently as possible within a given material size (in most cases, this raw material size is a 24x36 inch rectangle).

We have nesting software, but i am curious if anyone out there thinks that it would be possible to write an autolisp script that would nest a list of parts into a given 24x36 inch area as efficiently as possible?

The script would have to be able to rotate parts in 90 degree increments in order to create efficient nests.

Also, i already have a script built that can read an external .csv file. So importing the parts with sizes into autocad is not a problem, its the actual nesting part that I am curious about.

Any thoughts / input is appreciated, thanks in advance.

[#2]

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harbormaster wrote:

Part of my job is to take these basic rectangles, and nest them as efficiently as possible within a given material size (in most cases, this raw material size is a 24x36 inch rectangle).

We have nesting software, but i am curious if anyone out there thinks that it would be possible to write an autolisp script that would nest a list of parts into a given 24x36 inch area as efficiently as possible?

The script would have to be able to rotate parts in 90 degree increments in order to create efficient nests.

Any thoughts / input is appreciated, thanks in advance.

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I'm intrigue, what will the final product look like?

[#3]

If you google "Nesting Shapes", there is a ton of software packages to do exactly what you want, not requiring AutoCAD.

Your post sparked interest in reading up on nesting algorithms. Its not simple. A degree in advanced mathematics is neccessary to even understand what I was reading.

It is doable (since packages already exist), but probably not using Autolisp, due to its limits, but rather Visual Basic. Since existing packages range from $300 to $800, the program will take a good amount of time and effort to create.

[#4]

Now many different part shapes are to be cut from the same 2'x3' stock; and

is each part shape only a rectangle?

[#5]

For the interested, go to the link below to download a thesis on Nesting Algorithms

http://dspace.thapar.edu:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/403/1/m91300.pdf

[#6]

I actually use one of these nesting software programs where I work.  The process in order for us to make manufacturing files goes through a chain of different software packages...solidworks,excel, cutworks(nesting software), and autocad...

The reasoning for my post is that I was going to see if there would be a quick and efficient way to do away with our nesting software and combine file creation functions all into autocad.  By the sound of it thats not going to be the case.

Thanks for the input!

[#7]

That depends on the shapes. Rectangle into rectangle fits have only a few configurations.

Again, state your parameters.