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Thread: Anyone use vectric for nesting cabinet parts?

  1. #1

    Anyone use vectric for nesting cabinet parts?

    So I finally bought a cnc! I need some cam software but have a few questions.

    My machine runs on mach3 and I use cabinet sense for design. I'm planning on getting one of the vectric packages for nesting all my parts. I'm wondering how you guys manage work flow. Does it make a g code file for each sheet? And what is the easiest way to label parts when they come off the machine? I was thinking about trying to figure out a way to have a tablet with the sheet layout to make it easier to label.

    What do you guys do?

  2. #2
    We nest from cabinetsense to vcarve pro. We just print labels and stick them manually at the parts are cut. Not super efficient but dont run tons a day.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Daniel...
    Are you going to make a few cabinets or are you planning on making a lot of them, or cutting them as part of making your living?

    IF you are going to do a few, Vectric will work for you, but if you are planning on doing more than a few I would suggest that you acquire a cabinet program that has CNC output. There are some areas where Vectric's nesting algorithm works good, but rectangular cabinet parts is not one of them.

    Labeling is a feature of each program and each may do it a bit differently, use that as one of your wish list items when looking for a program.

    Sheet output options need to be set for your machine. Depending on your machines (and the software's) abilities, you may get 1 cut file per sheet, one cut file per tool per sheet, or one cut file per job.
    Gary Campbell
    CNC Replacement & Upgrade Controllers
    Custom 9012 Centroid ATC

  4. #4
    Gary is way more versed in this than I am but out average job is around 17-20 sheets and we haven't had any trouble. One thing super optimized cabinet may help with that we have to deal with manually is managing/inventorying drops.

    We manage drops by either pulling parts out of the nest or just cutting extra common parts.

    We have a large toolpath template that covers anything that comes out of cabinetsense with regards to cutting, boring, hardware. They all come out of cabinetsense on specific layers and each tool path is automatically generated.

    Our routine is export from cabinetsense, dxf batch import gadget in vcarve, select all, nest, load tool path template, apply template to all sheets gadget. Done. It outputs a .tap file for each sheet in a folder.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    What Gary mentions is what I've heard from many folks...V-Carve Pro or Aspire is fine for occasional cabinet cutting with nesting, but it's not optimal if you are going to be doing a lot of that kind of work. Something like Mosaic or other software keyed for cabinet work is going to be a lot more efficient. Pick your poison, in other words...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Gary Campbell View Post
    Daniel...
    Are you going to make a few cabinets or are you planning on making a lot of them, or cutting them as part of making your living?

    IF you are going to do a few, Vectric will work for you, but if you are planning on doing more than a few I would suggest that you acquire a cabinet program that has CNC output. There are some areas where Vectric's nesting algorithm works good, but rectangular cabinet parts is not one of them.

    Labeling is a feature of each program and each may do it a bit differently, use that as one of your wish list items when looking for a program.

    Sheet output options need to be set for your machine. Depending on your machines (and the software's) abilities, you may get 1 cut file per sheet, one cut file per tool per sheet, or one cut file per job.

    i really couldn't disagree more. i have worked at shops that used microvellum, cabinet vision, KCD. i think the main thing with all those software programs have going for them, is a all in one package. the thing i realized over the years is they all fall short in some area. what i will say is cabinet sense is the only software that nails design, and that is what has always frustrated me the most. are you saying that vectric doesn't nest multiple sheets well (waste material)? every thing ive seen it works really well with cabinet sense.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    We nest from cabinetsense to vcarve pro. We just print labels and stick them manually at the parts are cut. Not super efficient but dont run tons a day.
    how are you printing labels?

  8. #8
    Just conventional labels from the cut list.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Jones View Post
    are you saying that vectric doesn't nest multiple sheets well (waste material)? every thing ive seen it works really well with cabinet sense.
    Daniel, the Vectric software is focused on "single sheet" design whereas cabinet production focused software takes in "the job" more globally. You have your choice of one sided or two sided in Cut2D, Cut3D, VCarve Pro or Aspire, but only a single workspace which would typically be the size of one sheet.

    My bad...see post #15.
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 08-20-2018 at 8:29 AM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
    That's not true with nesting. You can nest 500 parts and vcarve will generate as many sheets needed in a single job and you can toggle between any of the sheets within that job.

    Other options may better facilitate tweaking the nest or reordering parts within a nest but we create 20 sheet nests in vcarve all the time. The remaining 19 sheets are all in view and editable but only the active sheet is edited then you just double click on any other sheet if you need to make changes.

  11. #11
    Two sided machining in cabinetsense is handled by the two sides parts having the second sides automatically saved within a sub folder called "flip" so if you must two side some parts you just set those aside and flip and run the appropriate part from the flip folder.

  12. #12
    mark when you are labeling your pcs. are you looking at the nest in v carve, or can you print out a visual of each sheet?

  13. #13
    Some of the software will have it built in or an app to go with it for labels. For instance Mozaik has this Mozaik Label App - View Label.JPG using one of these 41IWrVLa8yL.jpg

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Jones View Post
    mark when you are labeling your pcs. are you looking at the nest in v carve, or can you print out a visual of each sheet?

    We have done it several different ways. Vcarve doesnt have a way to quickly export .dxf's of each sheet for printing so we have:
    - Taken a screen shot of the entire next and printed it in portrait on tabloid in black and white (not a great option)
    - Exported a .dxf of each sheet and printed two sided to the package that sits in the shop
    - labeled as the parts are being cut or after being cut looking at the file pulled up on the machine pc (sits right next to the machine)

    My ultimate goal, and one I have spoke with CS and a couple other shops would be to go completely paperless in the shop as much as possible. If I were to move in that direction, I would install a second monitor on the control PC and put a large (23" minimum) portrait oriented monitor right above the machine PC monitor and have the VCP file with the next displayed on it and then I would just label directly from the monitor.

    I completely agree with Gary, Jim, and others, that if you are going to be a production box shop and thats all you'll do other than an extreme rare odd job it may be worth looking into one of the other options for a feature or two that is really necessary and worth the mind blowing cost of some of those options (mozaik may be the least painful). But as Ive said, our work is somewhat varied and I would have to have an array of software over and above the expensive cab software and the only way I could justify those software titles would be to run cabs all day every day.

    I couldnt agree with you more that the design and display qualities of Sketchup are what keep my in my current configuration. We do a good bit of commercial work and being able to integrate the work into the physical space, give our contractors detailed interface drawings taken directly from their as-built conditions, and so on are something I would not want to do in any other software.

    There are several things to work around with VCP and boxes. Printing the nest is one, dealing with your drops manually is another but its not all that bad. We just save our last sheet to a drop folder and then pull it up when we next the next job. Its not automatic, and you have to do a couple of them if you have a couple drops but again, not running boxes all day every day it works for us and having VCP, SU, and a few other titles allows us to do a lot of varied work.

    ** apologies for the repeated "next" for "nest". Im too lazy to go back and edit so you'll figure it out.
    Last edited by Mark Bolton; 08-20-2018 at 5:27 PM. Reason: Stupid Typos

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    That's not true with nesting. You can nest 500 parts and vcarve will generate as many sheets needed in a single job and you can toggle between any of the sheets within that job.
    I'm sorry...I was unaware that VCarve would generate multiple sheets. Not my world and unfortunately, I made an "assumption" based on use to-date. Sorry...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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