corner cabinet stretcher issue

[Mark Hesketh]

is there a way to set the machine to recognize the fact that a stretcher for a corner cabinet is actually a small part and should therefore get a multiple pass? When I make corner-front base corner cabinets, I use 4" wide top stretchers. The overall area covered by the part from extreme corner to extreme corner is much larger than my "small part" size, so the machine always tries to cut it in a single pass... and ALWAYS pushes it at some point, wrecking the part. I have to recut my corner unit stretchers for almost every job. Is there any way to get the Thermwood to actually look at the part as being a 4" wide stretcher and not a large part of say 20" by 20"? I can't afford the extra machine time required by increasing my "small part" size.

Also, when creating an angled-front base corner cabinet, the machine always places the stretchers on a 45 degree angle to the x- or y-axis, resulting in alot of extra waste (as well as the same issue as above). If I change the part rotation angle to 45 degrees, it tends to rotate ALL of the parts on the sheet, and really increases the amount of waste by a large factor. Is there a way to get it to rotate only those angle-corner stretchers by 45 degrees, but leave the other parts at 90 degrees? In other words, a way to rotate a part so that the long edge is either in the x- or y-direction.

[Joe Soto]

Mark, There is a Control Nesting Update for the first part of your problem,

Changes/Additions for v5.37 (1/29/08)

Implemented parameter for performing Double Pass on outline pass of ‘skinny’ parts. A value for maximum width/length can be entered to determine if a part is ‘skinny’. Double Pass area value is still available as well. If a part is below or equals either value the part will be Double Passed. Double Pass settings are now accessed from a button in the Settings dialog. (ADDED)
Joe

[Mark Hesketh]

I hadn't seen that. Thanks Joe, I will take a look.