In 1996 after evaluating and sampling many brands of software we purchased the P.E.P. software to program our new Cincinnati CL-7A laser. The ease of use and automatic programming utilities sold us on the P.E.P. system. Our intentions were to have each laser operator program and nest parts as needed rather than use our engineering staff for this function. In our job shop environment the constant changing of sheet cutting layouts would take too much time to require this function from engineering. The P.E.P. software allowed us to meet this goal while giving our laser operators the tools to make better parts and handle last minute changes with ease. Last year we purchased a Trumpf 3000 watt 3030 laser and successfully integrated it into the P.E.P. system with minimal additional programming training. Our laser operators now run both lasers at the same time and are required to do the sheet nesting and any needed program modification with the P.E.P. system.
Our engineering department imports the customers DXF file into the P.E.P. software and the system will automatically fix many of the incomplete or incorrect geometry that arise from integration of the many types of CAD systems. As a job shop we import DXF's from many types of CAD systems and the P.E.P. importer works very well at making that operation seamless. Our engineers then store the part shape from the DXF on the central server. The laser operators then pull the flat DXF shape from the server, nest the required mix of parts, and add the lead-ins and cutting parameters for the sheets as required from the day's cutting schedule. This has become such a seamless operation that sheet nests are not saved just generated when needed. This allows the laser operator to add that "endless need for one more hot part" at the last minute without interruption or waiting for engineering to make changes.
I feel that the ease of use of the P.E.P. system has given our laser operators the power they need to cut good parts and make last minute quantity changes to fit our job shop environment. Thus, arc on time is improved and dependency on engineering is decreased helping us be more competitive.
Sincerely, Jim Peters
V.P. & Chief Engineer
Cartesian Corp.
230 Walnut St.
Lafayette, IN 47905
Jim@cartcorp.com