Method/Gadget for Programming Many DXF Sheets?

[vtujoshua]

I have been working on a job that requires something like 1300 total parts (280 unique parts) using 5 different 3/4" plywood materials. Almost all of them are much more complex than a typical rectangle one might be cutting cabinets with. This has been a huge learning experience as far as programming, cutting, hold-down, and design.

Currently, I do all my design in Rhino, export either individual or multiple parts into DXF format, put those into a cloud-based nesting software, and then from there export them into individual sheets. I design each type of feature per part by layer. In this way, I can create a master toolpath template and simply import each sheet DXF into VCarve Pro 10 and apply the toolpath template. Using associative toolpathing in my master template, the program will automatically find any curves matching that layer and (for the most part) automatically toolpath the correct features according to layer via recalculation.

I am doing it this way because VCarve does not have the ability to keep track of part names/quantities nor the horsepower in its nesting algorithm to nest efficiently. In one test I ran head-to-head, VCarve nested a certain job at 22 sheets (1 degree rotation) where my external software was able to get it down to 16 sheets using what they label as "free" rotation (differentiated as being less than one degree but obviously this could not be infinite). Even performing this nesting test in VCarve basically locked up my reasonably powerful laptop for about 30 minutes. I have nested over 400 sheets worth of material (about 1 order for this job) in less than 10 seconds using my cloud-based nesting program. I realize this is not a fair comparison, but it is the reason I am obligated to use this method. It adds another few steps and a small cost, but is ultimately more efficient when I may save dozens of sheets of extremely expensive plywood and a bit of cycle time over the span of even just one order.

Design for this job takes dozens upon dozens of hours, so when you add exporting, nesting, adjusting, exporting, importing, toolpathing, etc this turns into quite a huge workload. Mistakes are prevalent due to general human error and this causes lengthy processes of renesting missing or miscut parts since the process cannot be done monolithically in one program.

I know that there are options out there (Alphacam, Almacam, Trunest, etc) that have more comprehensive tools, but they typically cost $15,000 or more just to get started. You may then be expected to pay for the software company to write your post processors for exorbitant fees as well as pay huge, yearly "maintenance" fees.

I'm able to drag myself through making design changes and redoing this entire process over and over, but I know there are some solutions that would make (and have made) this job much easier.

I've learned some Python, written a lot of Rhino scripts, had the software devs that work on the nesting software I use make changes on their end, and overall streamlined the process quite a bit. I'm reasonably happy with the steps leading up to VCarve, then I see a big gaping hole in efficiency (not the fault of VCarve).

As I understand it, VCarve can en-masse apply a set of toolpaths or toolpath template to many sheets at once IF the parts were nested in VCarve, but if you're merely importing .dxf files sheet-by-sheet, you're forced to simply import each sheet and program them individually. I've even sped up this process by diligently creating good toolpath templates and merely applying them to each imported sheet, but even this takes a lot of time when it doesn't need to. I may easily spend 10 hours per nesting set (10-200 sheets at a time) manually creating VCarve projects, importing dxfs, importing and applying toolpath templates, changing cut orders and start points, recalculating, saving .crv .tap and .html files, etc.

I think what would be super helpful would be to write or hire someone to write a gadget that can perform these simple tasks automatically. I learned a bit of Python and RhinoScript to help me out there, but it seems like LUA will be yet another thing I have to learn in order to pull myself up by my bootstraps if I want to make a gadget to simplify this.

-Is there any way Vectric would implement a feature to mass program imported DXF sheets?
-Are there any programmers/gadget makers out there who would be interested in helping me create a gadget for this?

Sorry if I've left any needed information out. Please let me know if any of this doesn't make sense.

Thanks!

Attached are some pictures of a birds eye view of some of the sheets I'm programming

[adze_cnc]

Since design is done in Rhino already perhaps RhinoCAM coupled with RhinoNest (if it still exists) might have an acceptable return on investment?

The powers that be here want to transition to RhinoCAM but I know that there are still jobs I will be cutting using VCarve even with RhinoCAM as the "best practice".

[vtujoshua]

I have tried demo versions of several different Rhino CAD/CAM plugins like RhinoCAM and RhinoNest for Rhino and none of them (in the admittedly short period of time I tried them) were able to perform the necessary functions to do what I want. I really do need to revisit those programs to make sure it wasn't operator error.

As much as I curse VCarve every single time I use it, I have yet to find a better/more efficient method to do this job. Through the mountain, rather than over it, I suppose.

I have tried to encourage synergy between all steps of my particular process because it has been what separated us from the competition in winning this job. VCarve has been a huge, critical part of my process chain in this job and I would rather add onto it rather than change platforms all-together. Rhino has been die hard rock solid for me as far as design in many capacities. VCarve has performed similarly in toolpathing. Short of a few [nightmarish] quirks, VCarve lets me be precise in basically all the ways I want to be precise with my machine. If all it takes is a gadget to amplify its ability, it would relieve me of a lot of unnecessary pain.

[Adrian]

One thing I would say when nesting in VCarve is not to worry about angles as low as 1 degree. The time difference between 1 degree and 3 degrees is massive but the amount of material difference is tiny 99% of the time.

[vtujoshua]

Interesting that Vectric seems to have quietly implemented this feature in v11 a couple months after I suggest it...

[Adrian]

Interesting that Vectric seems to have quietly implemented this feature in v11 a couple months after I suggest it...

It was in there before you mentioned it here as the software was still under beta testing but that is confidential and couldn't be mentioned on the main forum at the time.