Nesting From a Multi-Part DXF

[jmfowler1996]

I'm trying to import multiple parts from a DXF into the nesting utility so that I can nest them. The DXF contains multiple parts, in various quantities.

I would like to be able to nest those parts using the nesting utility, but it seems to treat the parts (closed loops) as one joint part. It does produce a warning in the 'sources' dialog, which says "multiple parts found", but it does not treat them as multiple parts. There are a lot of unique parts, so I really don't want to need to create separate files for them all, and the quantities are already sorted out in the dxf, so using single-part dxf files would require me to apply the quantities again, which seems unnecessary (Just to be clear, I don't expect Inventor to recognise similar parts and apply quantities automatically, but just to treat each instance as a seperate part of quantity 1).

I really would have thought there would be an option for separating the parts in the dxf. Is it possible?

Thanks in advance.

[AmyLiu · Accepted solution]

@jmfowler1996 

thanks for the feedback.

multiple geometry are treated as a single one when do Extract dxf to Nesting. this is current behavior. We have ticket logged for the requirements that expansion of multiple shapes in dxf(TRUNINV-173). 

[william]

Hello Amy

Any update on this? 
I have come across the same issues.

Cheers

[AmyLiu]

@william sorry that not support the multi-Part dxf right now.

while there is another workflow you may have a try, it is in Fusion 360 application, import the dxf file, then extrude the contour sketch to body, and create component based on body to do further nesting operation. 

see an example with 2 contours in dxf file, select the contour and do extrude can generate a component, yes I agree need manual work to do it. no so straight forward.

let me know if you think it's acceptable. thanks. 

[william]

thanks for the quick reply. 
I can see how you might work around it with the workflow you describe.
Still not a great solution, with the amount of files I have to work with and the time it would take to manually process each file it just becomes impractical. 
I would like to think that the developers could come up with a more intelligent solution, maybe some sort of geometry query that can interrogate the geometry in the dxf. I.e. if it is a closed contour and it is not inside another geometry - then recognise it as a part outline - add to nest study as seperate part. 

[AmyLiu]

Understood, it's not so convenient. I will ask PM to be aware of this in the ticket. thanks for your feedback.