Anyone out there want to charge $25 / $50 to do quick nesting runs so the rest of us don't have to spend $1000 + / year on software?
Anyone out there want to charge $25 / $50 to do quick nesting runs so the rest of us don't have to spend $1000 + / year on software?
Oh, I found an open source... Deepnest.
I just assumed Googling "nesting software free" would result in BS.
Andrew - I have used Deepnest (or attempted to use it) on several occasions with poor results. It is sort of "hit-or-miss". It seems to work sometimes when inputting files in svg format, but other times not so much - and I had no luck with dxf files. I found it to be very frustrating to try to use. But it is free - for whatever that's worth.
Design Edge software, which came with my Plasmacam tables, works great and is reliable. I use it for nesting parts for cnc plasma cutting, but it will work for any vector format parts. If you need some parts nested, send me a PM and I will take a look and try to help you.
David
There may be some options for you here: CabinetPartsPro
Ryan has a stand-alone nesting program down the page that has a few limitations may be just what you are looking for.
Gary Campbell
CNC Replacement & Upgrade Controllers
Custom 9012 Centroid ATC
While not free, Vectric VCarvePro has a nesting module built in. It is not cheap, but not close to $1000 annually. I can test a file for you, if you like, to see if it will do the job for you.
Grant
Ottawa ON
Thanks for all the replies.
For now, the Deepnest software worked. It is a bit painful. I tried using a DXF from Fusion and it gave me a weird non-useable format. So then I made the rectangles (speaker cabinets) in the software itself and ran it.
It worked well enough.
I think I should have drawn all the components on a different plane. ?
Maybe worth digging deeper next time, but not this time
$250 is very reasonable. Fusion has an extension that does nesting, but they also seem to throw in other sheet metal tools so the cost is $1200 / year. That's not terrible for a full time shop with a laser cutter, etc I'm sure, but I just wanted to budget for a quote and konw how many sheets I needed.