Tekla Structures Plate Nesting finds the best layout pattern for cutting plates from the available metal sheets. Tekla Structures Plate Nesting uses DSTV NC files to create the nesting tasks and the nesting layout. The results are DXF drawings, which you can view using the Result Viewer. You need to have the Plate Nesting module acquired in your Tekla Structures license entitlement in order to do plate nesting. The plate nesting functionality is automatically available in Tekla Structures if acquired.
Phases Plate nesting has following phases: 1. Create NC files. See DSTV (p. 174). 2. Creating nesting tasks (p. 183) 3. Editing nesting tasks (p. 183) 4. Nesting tasks (p. 185)
5. Viewing nesting results (p. 186)
Creating nesting tasks
First you need to create NC files of the parts to nest. For more information, see DSTV (p. 174). Then follow these steps:
1. Click File > Export > CNC > Define Nesting Tasks... to display the Tekla Structures Plate Nesting - DSTV2TASK dialog box.
2. Set DSTV Directory to point to the NC files folder. 3. Enter a name for the task group.
4. Select the NC files you want to nest from the upper list, then click Add. 5. Click Start.
6. Tekla Structures prompts you ...directory does not exist. This is just for information. Answer OK to these prompts.
7. To preview the parts, highlight them on the Created Parts list. 8. Close the dialog box.
Tekla Structures groups the selected NC files into nesting tasks. Each task consists of parts with the same material thickness and grade.
Next step Editing nesting tasks (p. 183)
Editing nesting tasks
This is the second phase in plate nesting, where you set the manufacturing information or nesting tasks.
1. Select File > Export > CNC > Edit Nesting Tasks to display the Tekla Structures Plate Nesting - TaskEdit dialog box.
2. Click Browse to select the task.
3. Enter additional manufacturing information.
4. To define the stock required, click Define Stocks. For more information, see Defining stocks (p. 184).
5. To preview the plates in the task, click Define Parts. 6. To save the settings, click Save.
7. Click Yes, when Tekla Structures prompts you that the task file already exists. The Save Task Information dialog box appears.
8. Click OK to save the selected settings for the other tasks in the group.
Next step Nesting tasks (p. 185)
Task properties
The following illustration shows cutting cap and edge allowances:
Cutting Cap defines the cutting gap between nested parts to allow for tool size.
Edge allowance defines the clearance around the edge of a stock sheet to allow for trimming or clamping.
Defining stocks
You need to define the stock to use for nesting tasks. See Editing nesting tasks (p. 183). The stock sheet information includes the number of distinct stocks, the sheet size, and quantity. 1. Click Define stock to display the Stock sheet specification dialog box.
This is where you define the stock sheet information, including the number of distinct stocks. You also need to prioritize stock sizes. See also Stock properties (p. 185).
Left
Cutting Cap Bottom Bridge width
2. To define which stock to use, select a stock from the Available Stocks list, then click Add
to display the Stock specification - Add dialog box.
3. Set the stock properties and click OK. The stock appears in the Selected Stocks list. 4. After selecting the stock you require, click OK to return to the TaskEdit dialog box.
Stock properties
You can define the following properties for stock:
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Width and LengthThe width and length of the stock sheet. In the imperial version of Tekla Structures, you can either enter feet and inches, or just inches.
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QuantityQuantity of stock sheets of a particular size to use for the task. You can use a maximum of 9999 for each stock size.
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StretchableYou can use this option for tasks nesting more than one part. For stock sheets in reels or rolls, Tekla Structures Plate Nesting can stretch the sheet length to best fit all the parts.
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PriorityDefines the order in which Tekla Structures Plate Nesting uses the stock sheets. 1 has the highest priority, 99 has the lowest.
Nesting tasks
After you create tasks and edit the plates, you can run the nesting program. In this phase, Tekla Structures Plate Nesting optimizes the layout of plates on the stock sheets and saves the layout in DXF files.
1. Click File>CNC>Plate Nesting>Nesting… to display the Tekla Structures Plate Nesting - NestPRO dialog box.
2. Select the tasks to nest, then click Add. 3. Click Start to start the nesting process.
Error If you get the error messages Not all shapes are nested. Insufficient stock, you need to create the required stock and run the nesting again, because the available stock was not large enough.
Next step Viewing nesting results (p. 186)
Viewing nesting results
To view the nesting process results you need to start the Result viewer:
1. Click File > Export > CNC > View Nesting Resultsto display the DWG Viewer window. 2. Click File>Open.
3. Select the task file and click OK.
Zoom in or out in Result viewer window using the Ctrl key and the mouse wheel.
7
Import and export
Introduction Tekla Structures includes several tools you can use to import and export models and the information they contain. You can:
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Import data from other software and use it to create models and reports.•
Export data from Tekla Structures to use in manufacturing information systems and structural analysis programs.In this chapter This chapter explains how to import and export data in Tekla Structures, and describes the formats and tools available. The first section covers the basics of import and export. The final two sections give more details about the import and export options.
Assumed background
You should have some experience of modeling in Tekla Structures.
Contents This chapter is divided into the following sections: