CNC Router- Multiple sheets, best practice?

[kevinorban]

Hello!

I am curious, what's the best method for setting up CAM when you are nesting objects to be cut on a CNC router and you have to use multiple sheets to fit all of the components? I have made a quick demonstration file of a simple bookshelf to be cut on a small machine with a bed 24" x 48". I have set it up to be easily nested but all the parts don't fit on a single piece of stock.

Is it best to layout enough parts to fill the stock, create the first setup, hide those parts, layout the remaining parts, then make the second setup? Or... 

Is it best to create a second piece of stock and layout the remaining parts with it's own CAM setup? Or..

Am I missing some simple solution to this? 🙂

I couldn't find this addressed anywhere in the forums or on the web. I'm not sure what the best way to do this is in CAM that doesn't have nesting so any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Kevin

[Steinwerks]

I haven't looked at your file but it sounds like you're working from a whole sheet of a standard size. I'd make a sketch of your standard stock and then place parts within it, using the Stock From Extruded Sketch option for the CAM. Make as many of these as necessary and nest them independently. You can make as many setups as you want and they don't need to be overlaid or anywhere near each other really.

[daniel_lyall]

the easiest way to do it is to use drawn sheets, and lay out points 

so what you do is draw the stock to size beside the model if you think you need more than one sheet draw how many sheets you need. just a drawing.

then you have a user parameter say body offset what will be the cutter size plus how much gap between each cut you won't if using a 1/2 inch cutter it would be 1/2 x 2 plus 1/8.

then before you place the first part put in a sketch what would be body offset in from 2 sides that gives you your first part postion in from the side.

then work out what is the first part to be placed draw a couple of lines the same length and width of the first part to be placed, then on the end of those lines draw the body offset line, change the length and width lines to construction lines.

it makes it easier to see where parts are to be placed.

then rinse and repeat.

when you move the body's (if they are components it makes it easier)  use the move command to move them just move the parts into the orientation you wont them nested.

then use the joint command to move them to their pre selected point, then hit capture position.

you wont to use capture position so when it is all nested you can move the timeline back to before the first part is moved so you can go from a completely nested model back to the cabinet or whatever you are making.

have a look at my youtube channel I did a vid on this  

[LibertyMachine]

Looking at your file, I'd say you were on the right track, more or less.

You drew out the stock, but that's not really needed, as you will see in the ScreenCast below. While @daniel_lyall explanation is the more advance method, a quick and dirty method would be closer to what you have, with duplicated components laid out. The danger of that is they need to be true duplicates, so if you make a change to the master, it becomes reflected in the clone.

[daniel_lyall]

I use to do it that way @LibertyMachine but things will and can go wrong after some updates, I had a heap of cabinet making stuff to redo a few times.

Haveing the ability to just put the cabinet or whatever back together can keep issues to a minimum, and there is just one model what can be a model or a nested sheet with just a sweep on the timeline. 

Also the drawin sheet is done outside the main components and the user parameters to do with it are all done after the model is solid and wont go nanana with changing a user parameter.

It is a stable way of doing it I find it is, it does take a bit longer to do.

On the upside if you need to change the model's size down it can just be left how it is on the sheets, if it's going bigger you have to start from scratch.

There is a 100 other ways it can be done so it's user preferences.

The more ways @kevinorban is shown or told to do it is better for everyone.

[kevinorban]

Thank you for the replies everyone! There was something helpful in each post.

@Steinwerks,

"You can make as many setups as you want and they don't need to be overlaid or anywhere near each other really."
Ok, got it! That was one of the things I definitely needed clarified. It makes much more sense now.

@daniel_lyall, Thank you for that info! I had watched one of your videos on Youtube but it sounds like I need to check out the one on nesting using parameters. That is something I will have have to mess around with as there is a lot of potential there. Your way definitely seems like it would work well if I was laying something out for production where the added time would really pay off. I hadn't thought of using the timeline to put the model back together for editing and visualization. That is really going to come in handy:) I really have to think about what the best overall strategy will be moving forward and appreciate your response. I was definitely looking for more of a quick and dirty way this time, just to get the model onto the machine and not as concerned with the efficiency of the layout. I will definitely try your method when I'm trying to get the most out of my sheets.

I'm curious how "things will and can go wrong after some updates" as that makes me a little nervous:)

@LibertyMachine, thank you for that screencast! I definitely needed the walk through. Selecting the bodies in the model area and using the fixed size box was the last piece of information I was missing for it to all make sense regarding the multiple sheets/multiple setups. I drew out the stock simply so I had something visual to use for laying out the parts, but sounds like I could have just used a sketch to save some time.

What a great forum. Thanks again!

Kevin

[daniel_lyall]

if things change by how there are to be done or if bugs are introduced, things can go very wrong.

it does not happen all the time in 2 years it has happened twices