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Intense marketplace competition continues to spawn new techniques for improving production processes. And one that's quietly showing promise for parts manufacturers is called dynamic nesting.
This concept can be extremely valuable because it addresses a key element in controlling production costs: efficient use of raw materials. It also can help tighten inventory control and production scheduling.
Dynamic nesting resides directly between the computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) arenas. If used properly, this technology could be a keystone in the quest to convert computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) objectives into Just-in-Time (JIT) realities.
WHAT IS NESTING?
Currently, CNC punch, laser and plasma machines are driven by CAM programs that tell the machines how to cut parts out of sheet metal. Parts cut out of the same sheet are said to be "nested" together. Some sophisticated automatic nesting software packages are already on the market. Most retrieve parts information from a CAD database when the information is needed for production. They then send that data to a CAM program, which tells a machine how to build the parts.
True dynamic nesting-a step beyond simple automatic nesting-would move production data from a company's business application system (order entry, MRP, forecasting) directly to CNC engineering modules that create nested parts. This would allow for building nests "on-the-fly." It also would assure that each part in the nest is needed to fill a current order, automatically cutting inventory.
When perfected, dynamic nesting software would also generate production schedules, using the company's order data, to minimize the time between when production begins and orders must be delivered. In short, this technology could create a new synergy between business, design and manufacturing systems to greatly enhance a company's ability to compete from both a cost and customer-service standpoint.
MINIMIZING WASTE
The primary reason for nesting parts is to minimize waste. To accomplish that goal, the following factors must be considered before nesting any suite of parts:
* sheet utilization
* material handling after parts are produced
* part quantity
* time required to create the nest cost
* machine-tool movement
Sheet utilization--or using as...