Input

Input to the program is based on the general selection tool and this input is normally generated automatically when activating this function through any of the interactive hull applications via a production program interface. This interface and the selection possibilities are described in Manufacturing, General About the Production Program Interface.

Two different types of selections can be done, either hull objects to be used to extract individual profiles (via panels, assemblies, ) or already existing nested profiles. In the latter case, it is assumed that a re-nest is wanted and a control question will be presented asking if this is really the case. The re-nest option is useful when nestings have to be updated due to design changes.

The selection of individual profiles aiming at the creation of new nestings will be followed by a user interaction where data specific to the profile nesting can be added as specified below.

First information to be given by the user is the base name of the nesting results. The nesting objects will be named with this base name concatenated with a two digit running number.

Next, information about raw material shall be given. In case project material is not used, then all profile materials available in the catalogue are presented in a dialog as shown below:

If project materials are used, then the profile materials assigned to the unit (block) are presented instead. The number of available raw profiles are shown within brackets on each line and also the database reference to the material specification. If a project pool is available, then the contents of this pool can be used instead. The Option button switches between the material assigned to the unit and the materials assigned to the pool.

In any of the cases above, the user can allow the nesting process to select the necessary materials automatically from the displayed lists. In this case, no material shall be selected (by clicking OK directly without any selection). When the material selection is done, the input data for the batch process is generated by the system and the nesting job is executed in the background.