Some fabricators, like Clarage, handle mostly custom orders that require extensive design work. Others produce a line of standard models in quantity. For them, the ability of the nesting database to store and instantly recall the CNC code for many different parts is especially important. Identifying useful software features can be easier than determining if a bridge software package will perform efficiently in a particular operation. It is faster and easier to use.
New algorithms give better nesting.
The rubber-band method does not nest parts inside complex profiles but instead is calculated on the outermost portions of parts as if a rubber band was stretched around them. The nesting software reduces handling time for sheets at Clarage because center punching, powder marking, and burning can be done while the sheet is on the table. Previously the sheet had to be moved between operations. When CAD design files move into the system, measurements do not have to be entered manually, reducing the chance of error and the need for extra checking of data. The system looks first at remnants, which do not have to be rectangular.