Price on cutting circles

[ALLOHIO]

I have a possible customer that wants a price on cutting 500/1000 1.75" circles out of 10 ga. Hotroll steel. Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Paul

[boodog710]

You can get 648 pieces out of a 48x96 piece using 3/8" web (spacing between parts). You can get more by closer spacing, just be sure the lead in/out is in say a 1 or 2 o'clock position. Do you have to remove the doss and clean the parts? My usual charge is 22 cents per pierce and 20 cents per inch cutting. You have 648 pierces (648x.22 = $162.00) and 4012.5 inches (4012.5x.20 = $802.50). Total is $964.50. Or $1.49 each. This is where you need to evaluate your customer. Will he go for this price? Before any figuring I guessed $1.25 each.

Jack

[mdwalker]

I have a possible customer that wants a price on cutting 500/1000 1.75" circles out of 10 ga. Hotroll steel. Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Paul

If I were quoting them they would be $1.13 each for 1-5 and .83 each for 20 or more.

[SCHIDTHEAD]

My pricing was right on with mdw; I am at .83 cents for up to 500 and .77 for 501 to 1000 pcs before tax.

[Dennis]

I myself always like to SELL AT A LOSS and MAKE IT UP ON VOLUME

[jimcolt]

I would cut those 10 gauge circles at $.52 ea in quantities of over 500. I would only have one pierce....and would chain cut these parts.....saving on consumables and pierce time. Should get around 1100 parts out of a 4 x 8 sheet of 10 ga.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

[CNCCAJUN]

Hey Jim, that's a great idea . . .
Now I'm trying to figure what the dxf for that would look like . . .

I would cut those 10 gauge circles at $.52 ea in quantities of over 500. I would only have one pierce....and would chain cut these parts.....saving on consumables and pierce time. Should get around 1100 parts out of a 4 x 8 sheet of 10 ga.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

[ALLOHIO]

Thanks guys. Jim I couldent figure out how to chain cut the circles.

Thanks,
Paul

[Dawgonhawg]

Mr too...Jim can you show us a example of the dxf file.
Thanks, Dawg

[ornametals]

jim, thats some crazy thinking. it took a minute to figure that out, but the time spent in editing would be far out weighed by the time saved by not piercing each piece. interesting thought process you or someone else came up with.

[iou]

I don't have a table yet, but the fab shop I used to work in did this a lot for cutting large quantities of the same part with no internal features. I'll try to explain: nest a full sheet and have all the lead ins connect with the lead outs but leave a uncut gap on the part half the kerf width. (It won't be a complete cut, but the kerfs will overlap and the part will drop out.) I think it goes something like that. I'm sure Jim can explain it better.

Ian

[jimcolt]

The easy way to chain cut is to have a good nesting software package. Using my ProNest 2010 (from MTC software....which is a Hypertherm company) I import the .dxf for one circle, choose to nest as many as will fit on the sheet size I am using, then choose "chain cutting".....and a few miliseconds later the parts all appear on the screen with one pierce. The ProNest also uses collision avoidance so it will avoid running over any previously cut part....eliminating collisions with tip-ups.

Now....I admit that If I did not have my demo copy of ProNest I would probably not spend the dollars for this nesting package as it costs more than my whole PlasmaCam cutting machine. There are however some lower cost nesting software packages that can easily arrange the cut path for chain cutting.

Chain cutting is great to use on any repetitive parts that do not have internal cuts.....as it minimizes the biggest effect on plasma torch consumable life, piercing. The actual cut length is much longer when doing chain cutting....but cut length has minimal effect of consumable wear.

The cost of this type of software is easilly justifiable in high production cutting applications....it often will pay for itself in productivity and lower cost parts in the first weeks or months of use.


Jim Colt

[vmax549]

Sheetcam has a simple nesting feature AND a linkcuts feature to create a continous cut.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

[I Lean]

Sheetcam has a simple nesting feature AND a linkcuts feature to create a continous cut.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

Where in Sheetcam do you find the link cuts feature?

[vmax549]

It is in the operatons function you set the max chaincut length and SC if it can will link all the cuts . The trick is to setup one section of parts where 1 column leadins/outs are opposed to the other that way the 2 columns will cut as a continuos cut then nest the job. Then you only have 1 peirce for each set of columns OR

You can also add in your drawing a leadover cut so SC can do the entire nested job as a single outside cut.

Hope that helps, (;-) TP

[trucks1948]

Thanks vmax549 looks like something else to learn.That's what i love about this site,someone always knows the answers and they don't mind sharing with the rest of us.Jim

[Leguftek]

So what does the ProNest 2010 do that the Sheetcam does not do? Quite a price difference for the software.....

[twicecustom]

I would punch them with our CNC Turret Punch,, ours is slow at 60hpm,, but, you cant cut even close to that fast. Plus nill cleanup.

[jimcolt]

Here are a few things that MTC ProNest CAM software can do.....there are more features as well. It is designed as a productivity and material utilization maximizer for high volume industrial machines.

Here are some of the new responsibilities that the high end CAM software systems have taken on in regards to CNC plasma cutting:
Advanced Cam Functions:
? Importing drawing files in many formats (not just .dxf)
? Recognizing features of the part drawing?.then applying profiles such as lead ins, lead outs and cut speeds that are proven to work best.
? Applying the correct kerf width from an ?expert? database for the material , thickness and power level being cut.
? Based on selected part quantities, the parts can be nested either using simple arrays, or can be nested using true shapes?effectively rotating and accurately fitting each part for best plate optimization and efficiency.
? Cad drawings with some errors?.can be automatically corrected, open paths closed, etc.
? Can be used to align grain structures of some materials, if needed.
? For better consumable life and less top spatter can automatically start the plasma on a previously cut edge (easier on consumables, faster piercing)
? Can support multiple plasma torch heads.
? Can automatically apply start and stop points in a manner that will eliminate the possibility of colliding with a tipped up previously cut part.
? Can apply start and stop points that will minimize heat input to the plate.
? Can (used with the correct plasma and height control equipment) automatically set all plasma, height control, and normal operator set parameters from an expert database?.operator only has to ensure the correct material is on the table.
? Can generate shop reports with productivity data.
? Can generate and calculate costing reports.
? Can pre-pierce all start holes ?.advantageous for thick plate, difficult piercing applications.
? Automatic chain cutting?.links parts with no internal cutouts for less pierces, longer arc on time?which is beneficial to consumable life.
? Can tie into MRP/ERP systems to control plate inventory?and can track and suggest use of plate remnants.
? Can automatically cut up the plate skeleton?for easy, quick removal.
? Can recognize hole profiles and adjust parameters and process gases to eliminate taper in plasma cut holes (on steel), when coupled with the compatible plasma and cnc.

So what does the ProNest 2010 do that the Sheetcam does not do? Quite a price difference for the software.....

[Rockrunner86]

It is in the operatons function you set the max chaincut length and SC if it can will link all the cuts . The trick is to setup one section of parts where 1 column leadins/outs are opposed to the other that way the 2 columns will cut as a continuos cut then nest the job. Then you only have 1 peirce for each set of columns OR

You can also add in your drawing a leadover cut so SC can do the entire nested job as a single outside cut.

Hope that helps, (;-) TP

I have tried to get sheetcam to do this with no luck, any chance of a set by set of a simple part like this thread is talking about?

Thank you,

Tyler

[I Lean]

I've done it in Sheetcam. The key is you have to have both a leadin and a leadout, and there needs to be a straight-line path between the two for S-cam to connect the dots. If you have one circle you're duplicating a bunch, then the lead in/out is on the same spot on each circle. (say, 6 o'clock) You need to have space under each row of circles for the path between each one--which means you can't nest them as closely as you would otherwise.

I'm guessing the more expensive software is smart enough to just go from one circle to the next, without needing to waste the material.

The best way I came up with to get around it, was to nest in groups of 3 circles, arranged in a triangle. Put the start points close to each other so the space between the 3 is used for the chain. Then nest the groups together. It's not as cool as having a single start point, but it's one pierce per 3 circles, which is still kinda cool.

[wishiwastorching]

Does anyone know if Torchmates software can do this?

[motoguy]

Good info. Looking at some chain cutting options myself.