Sheets tab

Use the Sheets tab to set up the sheet material for nested parts. Mastercam can create geometry to represent the sheets, or you can create your own geometry for the sheet. Mastercam uses the sheets in the order in which they appear in the list.

Sheet List

Displays the sheets of material to be used in the nesting session. All parts are nested on all the sheets in the list. Right-click in the white list area to add sheets to the nesting session. The dark area to the right displays a preview of the selected sheet.

  • Add rectangular—Mastercam creates a rectangle to represent the sheet. Enter dimensions below the Sheet list.
  • Add chained—Return to the graphics window to chain geometry to use for the sheet.
  • Add default— Mastercam creates a sheet with the dimensions from the nesting defaults file (DEFX). Use Save selected as default to change the default sheet size.
  • Add sheets from files—Retrieve geometry from another file.
  • Import from library—Opens a nesting sheet library (NSL or NSLX file) or nesting session (NST or NSTX file) so that you can import existing sheet geometry.
  • Save to library—Saves any sheets you have defined in the list to a nesting sheet library (NSLX file).
  • Save selected as default—Saves the selected sheet dimensions as the default in the nesting defaults file (DEFX).
  • Reset default—Resets the default dimensions to those found in the nesting defaults file (DEFX).
  • Move up/down—Changes the position of the selected sheet in the list.
  • Delete all—Removes all sheets from the list.

Size

These parameters become available when you use the Add rectangular command from the right-click menu. Mastercam creates rectangular sheet geometry. Set the length and width dimensions to the desired size.

Create necessary quantity

Mastercam makes as many sheets as needed to accommodate the parts and minimum quantities defined in the Parts tab. This control is enabled only when you have added a single sheet in the nesting session.

Quantity

Enter the number of sheets you will need for the nested parts. You can have Mastercam calculate the number of sheets based on the quantity of parts that you need by selecting the Create necessary quantity checkbox.

Priority

Sets the order in which the parts are nested. By default, Nesting starts with the largest part first. Use the priority setting to force the nesting of a smaller part before a larger part, by giving the smaller part Priority 1 and the larger part Priority 2.

Origin

Enter the XY position for the lower left corner of the sheet or bounding box that Mastercam places around irregular sheet geometry. The origin default is 0,0 at the current Z depth.

The origin for both regular and irregular geometry.

When Automatic sheet origins is selected, Mastercam positions the lower left corner of the first sheet at the 0,0.

Material

Enter a material in the field or click Materialto select a material.

Grain direction

Use when nesting parts on material with a noticeable surface direction. Set the grain direction to match the orientation of the grain on the sheet. When using grain direction, Mastercam rotates and positions the parts to match the grain, and disables the part step angle set on the Parts tab.

Grain direction applies to all sheets in the nesting session. It cannot be set on a per sheet basis.

Nesting corner

Select the corner of the sheet where you would like Mastercam to begin fitting the parts.

Multiple corners

Determines the location from which Mastercam calculates the best nesting strategy from four separate algorithms. Use this parameter to spread the number of required parts evenly throughout the sheet for better vacuumed sheet holding and/or to achieve greater sheet utilization. The sample below each option illustrates how that option affects the nesting result based on a lower-left nesting corner and a horizontal fill direction.

  • Off: Mastercam calculates the nesting strategy from the Nesting Corner only.

    Sheet showing nesting results with the Multiple Corner option OFF applied.

  • Flipped: Mastercam calculates the best nesting strategy from two corners: the Nesting Corner and the corner that is perpendicular to the Fill Direction and opposite the Nesting Corner. The sheet is optimized in the fill direction.

    Sheet showing nesting results with the Multiple Corner option Flipped applied.

  • Inverted: Mastercam calculates the best nesting strategy from two corners: the Nesting Corner and the corner that is parallel to the Fill Direction and opposite the Nesting Corner. The sheet is optimized diagonally from each corner towards the center.

    Sheet showing nesting results with the Multiple Corner option Inverted applied.

  • Four: This approach uses all four corners. Mastercam calculates the best nesting strategy from each corner of the sheet. The sheet is optimized from all four corners towards the center.

    Sheet showing nesting results with the Multiple Corner option 4 applied.

NOTE

This parameter is just one influence on your final nesting results. The nesting engine considers your choice in its calculations and will use it only if it produces a more efficient nest result. Visible differences between approaches can be subtle. You may be able to see the influence of an approach more clearly on the entry and exit orientation of toolpathed parts. We recommend that you experiment with different settings to find the best result.

Fill direction

(TrueShape nesting only) Determines the direction in which the sheet is filled with nested parts. A sheet's fill direction runs perpendicular to the part's nesting direction. For example, if you select an Upper Left start point in the Nesting corner field and a Horizontal direction in the Fill Direction field, Mastercam does the following:

  • Places the first part in the upper left corner of the sheet
  • Nests the parts vertically down the left side.

When the nested parts reach the bottom of the sheet, the next column of parts is positioned to the immediate right of the parts already nested filling the sheet from left to right.

Use this parameter to control drop and improve material usage. Choose Calculate to have Mastercam apply the most efficient fill direction.

Fill Direction (Horizontal) Fill Direction (Vertical)
Nested parts that efficiently fill the sheet vertically. Nested parts that efficiently fill the sheet horizontally.

Guillotine

(TrueShape nesting only) Arranges the nested parts so that straight cuts across the material can be made.

Automatic sheet origins

Select to have Mastercam automatically place the sheets at different locations in the graphics window. When deselected, you need to set a unique origin for each sheet to keep Mastercam from placing them in the same position.

Sheet-sheet distance

Enter the distance between the sheets placed in the graphics window.

Sheet margin

Works with the Accuracy setting in the Nesting Configuration dialog box to control the amount of space between the edge of the sheet and the nested parts. The higher the Accuracy, the harder Mastercam attempts to keep the part to sheet edge distance within the value you enter here. However, higher accuracy may also result in increased calculation times. With a lower Accuracy, you can expect a lower calculation time and your part to sheet edge distances to be further from this value.

NOTE

Toolpath motion may extend over the sheet boundary.

New

Starts a new nesting session. Mastercam reloads the nesting defaults file (DEFX) including the default sheet, if one exists.

Open

Opens a nesting session file (NSTX).

Save

Saves sheets, parts, and any parameter settings to a nesting session file (NSTX).

Save as

Saves the nesting session file (NSTX) to a new name.

Restore

Restores the defaults file and current nesting session to factory settings.

Config

Opens the Nesting Configuration dialog box.

New

Starts a new nesting session. Mastercam reloads the nesting defaults file (DEFX) including the default sheet, if one exists.

Open

Select to open an .INI file.

Save

Saves sheets, parts, INI files, and any parameter settings to a nesting session file (NSTX).

Save as

Saves the nesting session file (NSTX) or .INI file to a new name.

Restore

Restores the defaults file and current nesting session to factory settings.

Config

Opens the Nesting Configuration dialog box.

Delete

Allows the removal of one or more selected parts from a sheet.

Lock

Prevents changes to the position of selected parts on the sheet. When selected, the part color toggles from purple (unlocked) to grey (locked).

  • Save defaults: Saves all settings in the Sheets tab to the nesting defaults file (Nesting.DEFX or Nesting-MM.DEFX)
  • Load defaults: Retrieves Sheets tab settings from the nesting defaults file.

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