The first of a series of ‘logistics products’ to complement Radan’s sheet metal CAD/CAM software has been launched
(www.radan.com). Moreover, one early Radimport user — a lift manufacturer — has cut the time it takes to produce a lift from five days to two-and-a-half .
The software’s basic function is to make it easy to convert 2-D geometry files — such as DXF and DWG — into tooled Radan parts, either from single files or in batches. The importing of files can also be done with a configurable parts list in a CSV (comma-separated values) format from an MRP system. Benefits include geometry healing (such as closing profile gaps), and removing double lines and arcs.
Furthermore, text information can be transferred to attribute values (such as material, sheet thickness and customer name), extra information can be added to the part attributes automatically, and information such as part number or order number can be engraved on the converted part. After the geometry conversion, the parts can be saved as Radan parts or as an optimised clean DXF file, with information such as run time, weight and surface area saved as attributes in the part.
Dave Caughley, product manager for Radan’s new Logistics Group, says that for many sheet metal fabricators the work to prepare parts for nesting is extremely time-consuming, adding that once Radimport has created the Radan parts, the geometry files can be converted to a nest project. “The user has the option of editing the quantities and other properties of the parts before creating the Nest Project. Radimport can automatically launch the Radan Nester to start nesting straight away; and to increase automation and time saving even further, Radimport can be set to ‘watch’ specific directories and automatically process any files that appear in them.
“When the MRP system writes a CSV file of the next day’s production, the watcher picks those parts out from the DXF files, turning them into tooled Radan parts so that they are ready for manufacture the following morning.”
Furthermore, there are plans to introduce a 3-D version of the software later this year. In this case, Radimport will take 3-D assemblies and files from packages such as Autodesk Inventor and SolidWorks, and flatten out the sheet metal parts that need to be cut before carrying out the same conversion and nesting processes.
Radimport is the first of five logistics products being launched in 2013 and 2014. The next three products to be launched later this year will make it easier for manufacturers to quote accurate prices, manage the operation on the shopfloor, and provide the link to other systems — such as MRP — to simplify writing and reading CSV and other files. A machine management module is scheduled for 2014.