Combine Nesting is the process of joining multiple parts together into a single part referred to as a combined part.

Single Part

Combined Part

• The analysis of geometry, the creating of the common cut path and the new combined part is all done automatically by the software.
• A cutout will be created automatically whenever there is an inward notch along the edge of a part bordering another part.
• The program will combine dissimilar parts.
• Parallel geometry need not be the same length. Cutouts will be generated whenever the distance between parallel geometry exceeds the kerf distance.
• The program will generate a new cutting order to cut interior cutouts of the new combined part, minimizing the rapid positioning distance between the cutouts.
• A single pass cutter path will be created to cut parallel geometry of the individual parts that make up the new combined part.
• The single pass cutter path is output so that the cutter path alternates left, right, up and down between the common parts to minimize the rapid positioning distance.
• The cutter path compensates for the kerf when producing the direction of the cutter path.
• The code for the common cutter paths is output as subroutines wherever possible.

• The entire process of creating the cutter path for the combined part is automatic.
• A combined part will generally produce fewer pierces of the material when there are no notches along the edges of the individual parts.
• A combined part will always reduce the total cutting distance required to cut all the parts as compared to cutting the parts individually.
• It takes less time to cut the combined part than it does to cut the sum of the individual parts.
• The savings are 20 to 35 percent typically.
• The accumulated material saving between parts can sometimes result in more parts going down per sheet of material.
• The nests will have fewer pierces.
• Cutting travel distance will always be shorter.
• Rapid travel distance will generally be shorter.

The following is an example of the daily savings derived from combine cutting airbag parts.

Since each of the part geometry is common to another, a single pass of the cutter is all that is required to cut between the individual parts.

Combined Nest

Cutting Time Comparison 

This is the cutting time comparison of the nest shown above, with and without using Combine Nesting.

Combine nesting saved 30.3% in the cutting distance that resulted in the following savings:

280 parts per nest x 7 nests per day                    = 1960 more parts per day

1960 more parts cut per day x 5 days per week = 9800 more parts per week

9800 more parts per week x 48 weeks per year = 470,400 more parts per year

470,400 additional parts cut per year with Combine Nesting!