Profile Modeler Documentation

[Kerry Fullington]

Is there any "better" documentation available on the Profile Modeler and its relationship with eCabinets and Control Nesting. I am not finding the answers I need from the Profile Modeler Manual or the Control Nesting Manual.

My question today is: Can I assign Custom Tools to specific regions to profile when nesting parts with profiles created in eCabinets or will it always model the profiles when nesting?

[Josh Rayburn]

Hi Kerry,
There is no good documentation that I've found after repeated requests and searching.
As to your question: No you can't. Region 1 will use the "interior" tool and region 2 will use the "exterior" tool - end of story. Any additional regions will be modelled with the default tool group set up in profile modeler. This applies to nested modelling.
Hope this helps,
jnr

[Brad McIntosh]

Can I assign Custom Tools to specific regions to profile when nesting parts with profiles created in eCabinets or will it always model the profiles when nesting?

At present, Custom Tools cannot be assigned to specific regions when nesting parts. When nesting, all regions will be modeled with the Tool Group assigned as the "Default" in Profile Modeler.

** As far as I know, the only time Custom Tools can be assign are with MDF Doors. The is a single Interior and/or Exterior tool assignment that can be made. This only apply to MDF doors and cannot be used with any other profiled parts at this time.

As I see it, for Custom Tools to be used efficiently within a nesting situation, there would have to be the ability to pass a tool profile "name" or designation from eCabinet Systems that would inform Control Nesting of what Custom Tool to assign to the profile region. If such a name or designation was not defined, then the default Tool Group would model the profile instead.

! One issue that would present itself with Custom Tools in a nesting situation, is that of part clearance when a Custom Tool is being used on the perimeter of a part or group of parts - How does one efficiently space ALL parts, while allowing for enough clearance in specific areas so that a particular Custom Tool used on the exterior of one part does not gouge another possibly non-profiled part next to it?

[Josh Rayburn]

Hi Brad,
It is possible to name the tool and have it used for regions one and two in the nest.
You must have the .tol file named the same as the description field in Tooling Setup.
In order to set the amount of space needed for clearance, just set up additional part clearance as opposed to a collar.
This can be done with cabinet backs or other profiled parts, not just MDF doors.
jnr

[Josh Rayburn]

BTW either you or Kerry are welcome to call me for more info if you need it...
jnr

[Brad McIntosh]

According to Josh Rayburn...

It is possible to name the tool and have it used for regions one and two in the nest.
You must have the .tol file named the same as the description field in Tooling Setup.

Interesting... So it will only work for regions 1 and 2? How do you ensure that these regions are assigned in the correct "order"? Or does it not matter, as the tool will be assigned based on matching the .TOL name to the TOOL NAME in the Tool Name field in the Operation Tools Setup? I will have to check this out....

[Josh Rayburn]

Hi Brad,
I would be happy to explain if you give me a call. We have machined successfully using this feature with cabinet backs in the nest.
jnr

[Josh Rayburn]

Brad,
I didn't have time to type it out this morning, but I've got a minute now so I'll give it a try....
If you apply three different profiles to a part, the first two can be set to use specific tools.
1. The .tol filename used to apply each profile must match EXACTLY the description field in tooling setup. I'm still not sure why this matters, but it does.
2. The custom tools must be setup in Profile Modeller to set the shape (which is irrelevant), the feed speed, the stepover / max pen, RPM, etc.
3. The first profile applied to the part in the part editor will be the INTERIOR tool, and will be used for REGION 1 no matter what.
4. The second profile applied to the part in the part editor will be the EXTERIOR tool, and will be used for REGION 2 no matter what.
5. If there is a third profile applied to the part, it will be modelled with the default tool group set up in Profile modeller, no matter what....
6. From the Settings dialog in Control nesting, you must click the MDF Door Tooling Options button, and check (and select from the drop down) an INTERIOR TOOL and EXTERIOR TOOL.
Profile away.....
Hope this helps,
jnr

[Kerry Fullington]

Thanks Brad, Josh,

I will just have to settle for modeling as one of my profiles only needs one tool but has four regions.
Modeling takes too many passes, four per region. I am only going 3/16" deep with a 1/4" round nose tool but it takes two passes at two different depths to cut each region.

Kerry

[Scott Marshburn]

Kerry, Would it be possable to creat the tool paths as a dxf file in another cad program and then add that file to the nest?
I have done this often with glass mullion doors that require multable profiles . havent had any problams so far