There are numerous CAD/CAM systems and formats for 3D design in sheet metal manufacturing, and each company works with a different one. When manufacturers receive a request to produce a three-dimensional part or assembly, they often have to ask customers to provide the file in a compatible format or in a disassembled mode. If that’s not possible, manufacturers must break down the assembly into its individual components, unfold each piece, convert them into a 2D format, and identify the remaining components, such as screws, nuts, or washers. This process involves relying on self-created tables for bend radii, shrinkage factors, and years of accumulated expertise regarding material quality, sheet thickness, and the specifics of bending tools or pressbrakes.
Automatically Read, Unfold, and Calculate 3D File Formats
What used to take sheet metal manufacturers many hours, Assembly to Nesting can now do in just a few minutes. With A2N, Lantek customers can now directly import a wide range of commonly used 3D file formats. The software automatically unfolds the parts and converts them into 2D formats for production. During the installation of A2N, manufacturers can integrate their individual know-how, which the system then converts into formulas and applies automatically in the future. If a company is already using Lantek Bend, A2N can access the required information for tools and material shrinkage during the bending process through its connection to the bending software. Additionally 3D Models with bevels are recognized automatically and setup up with all needed technology for processing allowing the user to control and modify any part of the bevel cutting process.
The cloud-enabled A2N technology can be implemented in various ways, depending on the company’s level of digitalization and the sophistication of its Lantek software architecture. If a company uses the 2D and 3D nesting software tools Lantek Expert and Lantek Flex3D, A2N unfolds the components and imports them into these systems. For companies using the Lantek MES Manager for production management, A2N ensures that entire 3D assemblies are stored as complete items with all components. If the company also uses Lantek Integra Quotes for quotations, A2N provides the added benefit of integrating the automatically unfolded assemblies, including all purchased parts, directly into the quotation process.
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