To access the settings for a processing station, select the processing station and click the Edit icon.
The Settings tab for the processing stations is the same across the different types of processing stations.
Name – Allows you to set the name for the processing station.
Activity Station – Allows you to select and set up the activity station to be used for this processing station.
Type – Allows you to select what type of processing that will be performed.
Premill Type – Allows you to select what type of premill settings for edge banding will be used.
Use Legacy Optimizer – Check this box to use Microvellum's Legacy Optimizer. Leaving it unchecked instead uses Microvellum's default updated optimizer.
Auto Assign Rules – Allows you to select instances in which parts can have this processing station automatically assigned.
Tool File – Allows you to select the tool file to be used for this processing station.
The Associates tab allows you to add secondary processing stations. This is commonly used with parts that require multiple machining or automation operations; i.e., the saw processing station would need edge bore and single part G-code associates assigned as they are secondary to the main processing station. This tab is also the same across the different types of processing stations.
The Nest tab contains a wide range of options and settings to control nesting optimization and machining operations.
Border Method – Allows you to select and setup which method to use for part border routing.
Optimization Strategy – Allows you to choose how to optimize parts within a material sheet. This includes options such as yield strategy, whether and by what method to group parts, part distance and maximum quantity per sheet, as well as additional options like True Shape Nesting.
Lead In/Out – Allows you to set up the offset and length for lead-in/out operations of part borders.
Small Part Threshold – Allows you to set parameters for determining when a part is to be considered small enough to require additional settings to help prevent part movement at the machine.
Small Part Handling – Allows you to set up how small parts will be handled. Options include performing a double pass or using tabs (See Nest Tabbing for more information).
Nested Parts Origin – Allows you to select the origin point (corner) for how parts will be placed on a sheet.
Don’t Rotate Parts With – Allows you to set parameters for when a part should not be rotated. This is used when a drill head contains drills of the same diameter along the Y-axis of the machine bed and different diameter drills along the X-axis.
Hole Quantity: A set parameter that will not rotate parts with the designated number of holes.
Hole Diameter: A set parameter that will not rotate parts that have a hole diameter bigger than indicated.
Drawing Options – Allows you to set up how the nest drawings are created. Drawings can be set up with different parts list text placement. Drawings can also be created using the standard WMF or in JPG format. They can also be set up to create multiple nest drawings.
Text Placement:
Text List: Part description and dimensions will be displayed below the nested sheet. A number will be placed on each part that corresponds to the text listed below.
Text on Parts: Dimensions and part names will be placed directly onto the parts on the nested sheet. When used with small parts, text may overlap with other parts.
Layout Grouping: How the nested sheet drawings will be grouped together after processing.
Group All Together: All parts will be arranged in one drawing.
No Grouping: A drawing will be made for each nested sheet in each material folder.
Group by Material: Parts will be arranged in one drawing for each material.
The Scrap tab contains settings for creating and using scrap.
Save Scrap Meeting the Following Requirements – Allows you to set up parameters that will allow the nesting optimization to create scrap “parts” when enough space is available. You can set up the parameters to use a minimum area and/or dimension. Or, you can set up the parameters to create parts based on a list of sizes. You can also turn on the option to have the system prompt you to commit scrap to a storage location during processing; otherwise, this will be a manual operation to be performed after processing.
Use Scrap from Inventory – Allows you to setup options for using scrap that has been committed to inventory. When using this option, you can also set up material trim widths/lengths (margins). A slider for Scrap Usage level allows for more precise control of the level of scrap utilized as material.
Destroy Offal – Allows you to set up parameters for destroying scrap. You can specify the maximum dimensions for the X and Y axes, and the optimization process will create a grid pattern routing operation to cut the scrap area into smaller pieces that will be easier to discard. You can also specify what tool to use, as well as the type and sequence for the operation(s).