Part nesting plans available as web service
1 min read
Swiss sheet metalworking machine manufacturer Bystronic has introduced a new online service, called ByOptimizer, that creates optimal cutting plans for accurate and cost-effective laser cutting.
A large part of the profit margin when profiling sheet metal parts is determined by the efficiency with which parts are grouped, or nested, on each sheet, according to Bystronic. The more parts that can be cut, the higher the material utilisation and the lower the overall production time for each batch of components. A consequential benefit is a reduction in power usage.
Until now, preparing detailed cutting plans required a great deal of time and know-how, but ByOptimizer does the job automatically and quickly. It is based on cluster technology by Swedish company, Tomologic, which groups part geometries on a sheet so tightly that minimal material is wasted on gaps between parts.
Compared with traditional cutting plans, ByOptimizer typically achieves a 15% material saving on a standard 2 m x 1 m sheet. If a batch can be completed using fewer sheets, set-up time is also saved.
The tightly spaced components are cut out of the sheet using the shortest possible cutting paths, resulting in faster job processing. Depending on component complexity and material thickness, Bystronic asserts that a batch of 60 components takes 19% less time to profile out of a single sheet with a ByOptimizer plan compared with using a traditional cutting plan.
Bystronic's new software also improves safety. It can call on a database of over 300 process parameters that take account of the geometry of the parts to be cut, raw material type, thickness and laser power. Comprehensive information is therefore available for generating not only efficient but also safe cutting cycles.
Implementation does not require high investment costs for new hardware or software, as ByOptimizer is an online service. All a user needs to start using the service is a PC with an internet connection, Bystronic's latest BySoft 7CNC software and a Bystronic laser cutting system. ByOptimizer sends a query to the Tomologic server for each cutting job, where the incoming data are processed and returned via a secure network. In minutes, an optimised cutting plan is ready to download to the machine's control system.
Video is a testimonial from Swedish metalworking firm CH Industry in Ekilstuna, Sweden.
