Tube & Pipe CNC laser cutting (notching)

[Carl_mgfx]

Good day Forums

We are encountering clients that are using a program called Cyptube / Cypcut for CNC laser cutting and notching of tubes / pipes.  However they have found that the software only accepts IGES files and said IGES files from Autodesk software do not open.  We've tested this with Fusion, Inventor and other Autodesk packages with no luck.

My question is... What programs are out there to use for 1D nesting and CNC laser cutting of tubes and pipes?  Most importantly, which of these are compatible with Autodesk products?

[mcgyvr]

Have you tried changing the default IGES export options?

Have you tried the Inventor Nesting Utility?

How about Inventor HSM?

Do you have the product design suite collection? If so laser cutting (2d profile) is included in that.. Do you need 5 axis stuff?

[mcgyvr]

Adding..

Have you tried contacting the current tube cutting vendor to discuss why Inventor files aren't opening?

Have you tried using another software to potentially convert from say a "step" out of Inventor then let the conversion program convert to iges?

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi Carl,

It is possible the IGES export option is set to "Export as Solid." Most of the IGES importing software can only read in surface bodies, not solid bodies. It is because IGES is a primary surface exchange format. Try changing the export option in Export dialog -> Options -> select Out Put Solids as Surfaces.

Does it work better now?

Many thanks!

[Carl_mgfx]

@mcgyvr The nesting Utility and HSM aren't suitable for cutting tubes the way the customer needs.  We will be trying the different export options though.  We haven't contacted the vendor yet.

@johnsonshiue We reached out to another customer and they seem to have got it right with tweaking the export settings, we are waiting for confirmation on what they did.  It might well be the surface export option.

[Carl_mgfx]

@johnsonshiue  Thank you for the tip.  Changing the output to surface helped.

Import settings were also important as it seems the axis down the length of the tube needed to be specified on import into Cyptube.

We are still sitting with the question on what software to use to do 1D nesting of cut tubes/pipes.  Inventor Nest will do 2D nesting so this won't help.