Nesting Parts for Laser Cutting

This chapter will cover the topic of nesting optimization as deeply as possible without resulting in being too difficult for a novice.

As we are about to discover, learning how to manage nesting for a cutting process is essential to reduce production time and costs. Proper production optimization for large batches is quite a complex topic to cover since it consists of manufacturing processes highly intertwined with logistics and warehouse management. Therefore, we must simplify the subject and will focus on the manufacturing point of view only.

The goal of this chapter is to introduce all the tools that Fusion 360 offers for a proper nesting setup and the other options available. In addition to the basic software included in Fusion 360, we are also about to explore a valuable extension (called Nesting and Fabrication) with several additional features.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

• Presenting the example model
...

Technical requirements

To be able to properly follow this chapter, make sure that you have read Chapter 11.

The only special requirement to follow this chapter is to have a working license for the Nesting and Fabrication extension for Fusion 360. It is a subscription piece of software that can be obtained using the following link: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/nesting-fabrication-extension?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription.

If you just want to activate a trial license, you can visit the following link and follow the on-screen instructions: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/extensions/trial-intake.

However, this plugin is not mandatory since the key concepts and ideas are still valuable even without such an expansion.

Presenting the example model

As simple as it may sound, in order to create a nesting study, we should first start with a kit of parts to be nested. We will work with a welded structure that I created for that purpose:

Figure 12.1: Example part

As we can see from the diagram, it is a rather complex part with several different components. It is composed of 3 mm mild steel sheets, which are assembled and welded together.

There are a total of five different parts in the assembly that are repeated multiple times:

Figure 12.2: Example part instances

To create a kit of parts for the welded structure, we need to cut five different components in different quantities. The larger part has to be cut twice, and the smaller one has to be cut eight times, and so on.

Now that we have a clear understanding of the example part and its internal components, we need to start thinking about nesting optimization. As we discovered in Chapter...

Understanding nesting optimization

Nesting is all about placing as many parts as possible on the stock metal sheet we are about to cut. It’s a bit like aiming for a Tetris record where the shape of the brick has to conform to all the others to pack everything as close as possible.

However, we don’t really have to manually orient the components on the boundaries of the stock metal sheet, as there are now automatic processes that optimize part placements in just one click.

Saying that, there are two important factors to consider that are strictly interconnected with nesting: sheet format and batch volume. Let’s look at those now.

Sheet format

Sheet format is the easiest variable to optimize – we simply need to consider the size of the metal sheet we want to cut.

As we all know, paper sheets are sold in standard formats such as A4 and A3 and so on. Metal sheets work the same way; there are several standard formats, some bigger and some smaller...

Creating a nesting with Fusion 360

There are three different approaches for creating a nesting in Fusion 360, each with different potential:

• Manual placement
• The Arrange command
• The Nesting and Fabrication extension

Let’s review them now. Please keep in mind that the most complete toolset for nesting is not always the best way to go; if we have to manage simple productions, we may want to opt for a simpler solution.

Manual placement

This is probably the simplest yet most flexible way to go. We simply have to manually orient the parts onto a certain area using the Move tool in Fusion 360, much like we do inside the DESIGN environment for any assembly.

As simple as it sounds, this approach lets us position the parts exactly as we see them fit; however, it is the longest approach, and it doesn’t allow great optimization.

The Arrange command

A more advanced approach is to use a dedicated command called Arrange.

You can find this command...

Summary

That’s the end of the chapter. We have now covered a large number of concepts and options for nesting. Let’s briefly recap what we went through.

First, we analyzed our welded example part and the components it’s made of. Then we found out how sheet formats and batch lot numbers can affect the efficiency of nesting.

After that, we found an easy way to create nested geometries using Fusion 360’s Arrange command, though it’s quite a simple and limited way to approach nesting optimization. So instead, we explored a Fusion 360 extension focused on nesting creation and covered all the options for material and packaging setup.

Lastly, we created the nesting itself, discovering how to reuse metal sheets only partially used by previous operations.

All the points and hints discussed are critical for competitiveness in the manufacturing market. I hope that, even if we only had a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg, this still lets you become...