> Main Menu The Main Menu System is very simple to use. The following description is offered just as a little clarification to the main menu items. Enter Run/Layouts From this menu selection you can input cut lists for new layouts and change existing cut lists or orders. After you have defined your Cutting Parameters Stock List, and Label Format, you will usually be working from this screen. Update Files Insert, Change, or Delete entries to data files which include Stock List, Cut List, Report Format, and Label Format. Program Upgrade Sheet Layout is available in three registered different versions. Hobbyist, Small Shop and Commercial version. The ONLY difference between the registered versions is in the quantity and number cut list items. <> Enter Run/Layouts This Screen is your main control screen. From this screen you can do everything except delete file entries. Job List Box First - You can "Insert" a new layout job or "Change" an existing layout job. If you Insert a new job, the name you assign to this job will appear in the list. Just click on the button indicating the action you want to perform. Second - After your job is defined you can: * Print the Stock and Cut list for the job by pushing "Print Input Data". * You can Layout, or, Optimize the job by pushing "Optimize Layout" * You can "View Last Layout" (and print) the last Layout Optimization Print Input Data The highlighted layout job shown on the left of the screen uses a variety of information such as Stock and Cut list information. When you select the "Print Input Data" button this information will be printed for your reference. View Last Layout This button does what the name implies, that is, it shows the last sheet layout job that you ran. You can scroll up and down viewing the individual sheet layouts. You can also print all the layouts from this screen. Some users do not print directly to the printer, rather, they save the layout job to a file and print it later using this feature. Optimize Layout Once you have entered your cut list you can optimize the layout at any time. Highlight the Job you want to optimize, then select the "Optimize Layout" push button. <> Layout Data Entry Prior to running a Layout Optimization you need to input the Job Name, and, select the Cut Parameters, Stock List, Report Format, and Label Format that you want to define for your job. Start by entering a Job Name Secondly - You must complete all the fields below the Job Name. Data Fields You don't have to remember the names of the various Cut, Stock, Report, or Label lists. Each entry will pop-up a list of available entries for you to use (that you have defined already). If you make a mistake, a pop-up list will appear for you to select from. You must complete all the fields for proper optimization. Cut Size Dimensions The dimensions indicated in this field should be used for the Cut List sizes that are entered. Trim Adjustment SL can either subtract or add a pre- determined dimension to the Cut List items to compensate for post cutting edge work. This feature is typically used for edge banding adjustments or allowances for a post cutting edge treatment. Multiply You should always enter your cut list for a single unit. That unit may contain various cut list sizes. Doing so has the following advantage. When you need to make more then one Unit you only need to indicate the number of Unit you need in the "Multiply" field and the cut list quantities will automatically be multiplied by that number for the optimization. This saves you from editing the quantity data field in each item of the cut list. Show Cut List Select this push button to display a existing cut list, or to add and make changes to a new list. After you activate this push button, a list box appears for the Cut List items. As always, you can now Insert, Change, or Delete items in the Cut List. Enter the Quantity of pieces you need for a given size followed by the width and length of that size. Further, it is suggested that you identify each part with a description or name, that is assigned to that part. This name will print out on the reports. <> Cut List Enter your cutting list including the Quantity, Width, Length, and optional description of the particular part. Note: If you leave either the Width or Length field blank, or "0", you will receive a error message at optimization time. This part will not be used in the layout. If you are manufacturing "multiple" Units of the same item, do not enter the quantity for all units here, rather, use the "multiply" field to automatically increase the number of required parts. <> Program Upgrade Sheet Layout is available in three different registered versions. Hobbyist, Small Shop and Commercial version. The only difference between the versions is in the quantity and number of cut list items that can be used in a single job. Product Restrictions The "Grain" direction control is disabled on the "Evaluation Copy" Values that exceed the allowable number of cut list items are automatically clipped at optimization time with no warning. Please see the Product Upgrade main menu item for further details on program capacities. <> Cut Parameters You will use the various cutting parameters to control how you want your material cut. You can indicate you cutting preference for cross or rip cutting and several other options. Cut Name Enter a description of the cutting parameters that you specify. For instance you could indicate the Saw Kerf, and the saw or operation in your shop to use. This description will appear in the scrolling list box. Saw Kerf Simply enter the width of material removed by the saw blade or cutting torch. If you are cutting glass the saw kerf would be left at 0.00. First Cut Direction You have three choices, Rip Cut, Cross Cut, and Either. You should normally select Either for the best efficiency. Rip Cutting. This instructs SL to make the first cut direction across the long dimension of the stock sheet. Cross Cutting. This instructs SL to make the first cut direction across the short dimension of the stock sheet. Either (Rip or Cross Cutting). This is the best cutting option for maximum layout efficiency and is highly recommended. The radio push button is defined as "Either". Grain Direction Many materials have a grain direction associated with them. If the material you are using has a directional nature, then you may want to specify that way the material is used in your final product. Fixing the grain mandates that the Width and Length of the cut size part is to remain consistent with the Width and Length of the stock material respectively. Grain control is disabled on the Evaluation Copy. Cutting Level This option allows you to specify the complexity allowed for the sheet layout. The selection may depend upon your manufacturing operation. Normally you would select maximum for the best layout efficiency. If you need to simplify the cutting patterns that sheet layout generates then you would select average or minimum. CAUTION: The minimum selection may result in some very poor layouts depending on the size mix of your cutting list. Optimization Level Normally, you should use Medium or High for the best results. Medium almost always does a better job optimizing then Low, however, depending on the size mix of your job High may not do any better then Medium. The trade off with using High is that the calculation time is longer. You be the judge, if the calculations take too long then choose a lower Optimization Level next time. <> Optimization Time The higher the optimization Level the longer the calculation time required by Sheet Layout. Obviously an optimization Level of Low is the fastest, however, the best layout may not be achieved. The trade off with using High is that the calculation time is longer. You be the judge, if the calculations take too long then choose a lower Optimization Level next time. Calculation Time Using an optimization Level of Medium is typical for many users. The time required to calculate the layout with an optimization Level of Medium is usually MORE then 5 times the time required for a Low optimization Level. A 10 to 15 times increase in calculation time is more likely for High as compared to low. The actual time depends on a variety of factors including your particular stock size, cut list size, and quantity mix. Obviously your calculation time depends on the speed of your computer system. With the newer systems (486 & higher) and particularly systems with a math co- processor, the calculation time is usually quicker then the printing time. Note: Using a printer buffer (hardware or software buffer) will improve the overall speed of SL when printing layouts. <> Report Format The diagram format screen is used to configure the operation and output of the optimization to suit your individual manufacturing needs. You can pre-define several "formats" for use with different materials or shop cutting equipment. Partial Page This setting print that layout and lists the cut sizes on one page. The scale is smaller, and SL may not be able to print the cut sizes on the diagram. If this is the case, the part number is printed on the diagram which is reference below in the part list. Full Page The setting uses a entire page for the diagram, and a second page for the cut size list. The scale is obviously much larger and generally provides a better diagram to cut from. Device The Device prompt has two "radio buttons" displayed as selection options, Printer & File. The optimized layout will be printed to the printer immediately or saved to a file. The File which has the exact same listing as a printed layout can be printed or simply viewed on the screen. To view or print this file select View Last Layout from the menu system. Operation You can direct SL to pause after each sheet layout is displayed on the screen. Alternatively SL can be left to run and print unattended until the order is completed. Usually this option is set to "continuous" for automatic operation during a printout. If you select "Pause at Each Display", then SL will pause and wait for you view the sheet layout printed to the printer. You are than prompted to push any key to continue. This will continue until the end of the order. Note: There is no way to stop the Optimizer after it has been started - except "CTRL BREAK". X-Y Scale "True" scale is just that. The stock sheet and part sizes are scaled on the printed diagram (in normal 80 character printing mode). The scale can be exaggerated. This feature permits you to print the diagram in an exaggerated mode so that the cuts on small pieces is easier to read on the printed layout. This feature is only active on the Full Page layout diagram. If one dimension of a stock sheet size is very long compared to the other, the short dimension will be stretched to make the display easier to read. However, this means that a square will no longer be printed as a square. An example of this would be a long board. Lets suppose the board size is 6" x 144". The 6" dimension would barely be perceptible on the screen or the printout. By allowing the X-Y Scale Stretch the 6" width will be printed as the full paper width. Report Dimensions In addition to the dimensions (inches, feet, etc.) printed on the layout, you also have the option of specifying a fractional or decimal format. Of course, fractions only work with the "inches" dimensions keeping with standard numeric conventions. You will also note that you have your choice of fractional units, such as, 1/4's, 1/8's, etc. Suit yourself and/or the shop. Please note that the fractions will be reduced to the lowest common denominator. In simpler terms this means if a fraction is 16/32", instead of printing 16/32" the reduced fraction of 1/2" will be printed on reports. <> Label Format Printing labels for production may simplify your manufacturing operation and significantly reduce errors. When SL completes printing the optimized layouts, you will be prompted to print out cut list labels if you have defined a label format. If you do NOT want to print labels, leave all the data fields set to "0". This will direct Sheet Layout not to prompt you for label printing. Label Format. Prior to printing labels you will need to define your label format. For example, you can print one or two labels across the page and specify the size of the label. Answer the prompts as to your best guess as to the proper measurements for you labels. Defining the label parameters may take a bit of trial and error. We suggest that you run an optimization job with one sheet of stock material and print the labels for that page. Usually within two or three tries you will have the proper formatting for your labels. <> Stock List From the Stock list box select the product you want to Change, Insert or Delete. Then fill in the form to describe the information for the stock material. Quantity. The number of stock sheets of a particular size. Some uses set the Quantity to 9,999, and then purchase the quantity of sheets that are required in the job as shown by Sheet Layout. Length. The length of the stock sheet. Width. The width of the stock sheet. Stock Name Enter a brief description of the product, such as, 3/4" Interior Plywood, 1/2" Oak Plywood, 1/8" Acrylic, Laminate, etc. Sheet Weight & Average Cost The "Sheet Weight" and "Average Cost" are based on ONE SQUARE UNIT of material. Let me say that again in a different way. Use the cost an weight of one square "SOMETHING" of material. It could be square inches, square feet, or square millimeters. The cost calculation is dependent on this calculation as are the weight and cost calculations on the printed layout. For example: Suppose a sheet of 4' x 8' plywood weighs 16 pounds and costs $48 dollars. There are 32 square feet of plywood per sheet ( 4 x 8 = 32 ). Then the Sheet Weight should be entered as 16 / 32 = 0.5 lbs/Sq Ft. The Average Cost would be 48 / 32 = $1.50/Sq Ft. Stock Dimensions Select the dimension that you want use to define the stock material sheets. Inches is the most common. Stock Order You may and most likely will have different sizes of plywood that you can use for a job. For example you could have different stock sizes as well as some "scrap" pieces that you want to use. Smallest Selecting this option will direct SL to use the stock material from the smallest to the largest stock sheet. It will use all available sheets of the smallest sheet size, then proceed to use all available sheets of the next largest sheet size, etc. SL will use the sheets in this order regardless of how well the cut sizes fit into the stock size. Best Fit Selecting this option will direct SL to consider each stock size in the list to determine which size provides the best fit. This method obviously has the advantage of providing the best material utilization if more then one stock sheet size is available. However, this method takes longer. SL will take twice as long to calculate the sheet layouts if there are two stock sizes to evaluate, three times as long to calculate the sheet layouts if there are three stock sizes to evaluate, etc. Don't forget that a math co-processor provides approximately a five time increase in speed. <> View File Use the cursor keys or your mouse to move up or down to view this file. <> Problems?? Hopefully you won't have any problems. If you do, please write down any error messages and report them to me. Nothing happens when I push optimize? Well something probably did happen, the screen blanked and then returned you to the main menu line. If you have a fast computer it may have worked just fine, you just didn't see it optimize. "View Last Optimization" to see if the job really worked. If something did go wrong, most likely error code 106 flashed on the screen very quickly. Run Error 106 This is the most frequent problem with Sheet Layout. The error is due to a data input error which is not 100% error proof (yet). If you have a runtime error # 106 you have somehow have an incomplete data set which SL needs to operate properly. If SL doesn't have good data it will halt with a run time Error 106. See the "ERRORS" section for a more complete description. Missing File Names or Dimension Units? "Sometimes I can't get all the files from the pick list, Go back to the field that you're having trouble with and enter a space as the first character in the field. Then push enter and when SL verifies your data the entire list will be present. Continuous Improvement!! I am constantly trying to make the program more "bullet proof" with enhanced error trapping. That's why I need reports of problems supplied by all users. These are the only "quasi bugs" that I'm aware of at this time. <> Run Error 106 The most frequent error is due to a data error. If you have a runtime error # 106 you have a data problem. SL needs a complete data set to operate, or it will halt with a run time error 106. For example: You must fill in all blank fields on the "Enter Run/Layouts" screen such as Cut Parameters, Report Format & Dimensions. Even though you shouldn't be able to have erroneous data or missing data there are some certain keystrokes that do permit this to happen. Usually a validate pop up screen will appear for you to select the file you wish to use if you have miss typed the file name. The name entered must coorespond to a name of a Cut, Report, Stock, etc. file that was provided or one you have defined. If the data does not match exactly then when Sheet Layout trys to optimize it will not be able to cross reference and find the data it needs. If the validate screen pops up and all the names that you think should be there aren't, cancel back to the "Enter Run/Layouts" screen and try typing a space in as the first character in the field, then push enter again. The entire list should then be displayed. A more subtel way to cause this Error 106 is to delete a stock, report format, etc. If the data is still called for and it's been deleted then error #106 will appear. Go back to the "Enter Run/Layouts" screen and check each field to be sure there is valid entry for each field. Visit the Stock, Report Format, etc., and verify the data for each by typing a space as the first character of the field and push enter. A validate pop up will appear to choose a valid name from. ERROR 201 Sheet Layout can fit up to 200 parts into one individual sheet. Any more then that and you'll see an non descript Run Time Error 201. If you have more then 200 parts per sheet, you really don't need a material optimizer - just cut it!