Hi,
We are a metal working workshop and we have a CNC plasma cutter and are in the process of installing a CNC laser cutter.
The plasma cutter came with its own nesting software which we haven't moved away from due to its already set up.
The laser cutter has another nesting software that we have not jumped into yet.
We cut a lot of flat steel plates with holes, slots etc. When making DXF files I have found out that there is a few different ways to do it, making a new sketch over what ever we have drawn then producing a DXF off that doesn't produce a DXF with layers to tell our nesting program which lines are external extremities of the plate and which are the internal profiles. This is all manageable within our nesting program to invert the internal holes if we need to, but its just time consuming. see below to illustrate what I mean about producing the DXF
However, if I convert what ever shape I have drawn into sheet metal and then create a flat pattern from that (even if it is already flat) I can produce a DXF file there that has the required layers to help the nesting software distinguish what is an external or internal profile.
So after my long novel (hopefully its understandable), is there an easier way to create a layered DXF file? converting to sheet metal and then producing a DXF off the flat pattern seems like a work around that I have accidently discovered.
Below is what a layered DXF file looks like in our nesting software. showing the interior and exterior profiles.
Below is what a DXF files looks like without layers, with nothing to tell the machine what do with the internal cut outs/profiles, holes, slots etc.
I am aware that Fusion has nesting capabilities, I have spoken to my employer and I don't believe we will be getting that extension unfortunately.
Thanks in advance.
