Grain Direction
Rolled metal sheets have a property called grain direction, which affects the strength of the parts cut from that sheet.
To ensure accuracy and avoid defects such as breaking of parts during the subsequent mechanical operations like bending, it is necessary to cut critical parts, such that they have pre-defined and proper grain direction.
Setting Grain Direction in CAMWorks Nesting
CAMWorks Nesting provides the option to attach grain direction with each part and sheet. The user must separately define grain direction for part and sheet.
- The Grain Direction field in the Part Data tab of the Create Nesting Job dialog allows you to set Grain direction for the Part.
- The Grain Direction field in the Sheet Data tab of the Create Nesting Job dialog allows you to set Grain direction for the Sheet.
The Grain direction field is a drop down list from which you must choose any one option. The options are:
- X direction
- Y direction
- None (default option for both part and sheet)
Default Grain Direction
By default, the grain direction for all parts and sheets is set to 'None'.
Assigning Grain directions
The Grain Direction which you can assign to a particular sheet is dependent on the Grain Direction of the Parts which will be nested within that sheet.
The allowed relationship between the Grain Direction of the part(s) and sheet is given in the following table:
Grain Direction of Part |
Allowed Grain Direction for Sheet |
Description |
X |
X or Y but not None |
If a part has grain direction “X”, then at least one of its corresponding sheets should have either “X” or “Y” but not “None” as its grain. |
Y |
X or Y but not None |
If a part has grain direction “Y”, then at least one of its corresponding sheets should have either “X” or “Y” but not “None” as its grain. |
None |
X or Y or None |
If a part has grain direction “None”, then the corresponding sheets can have either “X” or “Y” or “None” as its grain direction. |
Steps to set Grain Direction using the Part List/ Sheet List
- In the Part Data tab of the Create Nesting Job dialog, highlight the part in the Part list for which you wish to set the Grain Direction.
- In the part list, double click on the column labelled Grain Direction for the highlighted part. Choose the desired Grain Direction from the dropdown list.
- Observe that the Grain Direction field for this part has changed accordingly in the Grain direction field given below the Part List.
- Now click on the Sheet data tab of the Create Nesting Job dialog.
- In the Sheet List, highlight the sheet on which the part will be nested.
- In the Sheet List, double click on the column labelled Grain Direction for the highlighted sheet. Choose the desired Grain Direction from the dropdown list. Note that Grain Direction can be assigned only as per the rules given in the table above.
- Observe that the Grain Direction field for this sheet has changed accordingly in the Grain Direction field below the Sheet List.
Steps to set Grain Direction for Part/Sheet using the dropdown List
- In the Part Data tab of the Create Nesting Job dialog, highlight the part in the Part list for which you wish to set the Grain Direction.
- The parameters of the highlighted part will be displayed in the fields below the Part List grid.
- In the Dropdown list labelled 'Grain Direction', choose the desired Grain Direction.
- Observe that the 'Grain Direction' field for this part has changed accordingly in the Part List.
- Now click on the Sheet data tab of the Create Nesting Job dialog.
- In the sheet list, highlight the sheet on which the part will be nested. The parameters of the highlighted sheet will be displayed below the sheet list.
- Set the Grain Direction for the sheet. Note that Grain Direction can be assigned only as per the rules given in the table above.
- Observe that the Grain Direction field for this sheet has changed accordingly in the Sheet List.