Solutions

Using Spreadsheets and Other Methods for Drawing-Free Manufacturing

Not everyone needs or wants to proceed with engineering and manufacturing their products from a "draw it first" approach. Drawings are great for visualizing what you want to make, and they can give you a quick check on how things line up and come together, and are often required for client review and approval, but many products, from cabinets to closets to store fixtures to millwork - don't require or benefit from the "draw it first" method. Drawings are also not the best vehicle for communicating manufacturing information although over time, primarily using layers, this need has been accommodated. For example, do you really need to draw a closet shelf or cabinet back in order to manufacture it? The same can generally be said for may other cabinet and closet components, including doors and drawer boxes. It's not unusual for a CADCode users to keep a spreadsheet form handy for filling in parts that don't require additional machining beyond cutting them out of the panel. But you can go much further than this, creating far more complex components. You can also take advantage of parametric formulas to modify your parts automatically, and far more accurately and faster than redrawing them.

CADCode easily imports data from spreadsheets and databases (including ERP systems) - as long as the data includes the dimensions and machining details, CADCode can generate optimized patterns for cutting parts on saws or out of a nest, as well as machining programs for single and nested parts, and part labels for printing in the office or on the shop floor. If you're interested in a different approach that may add to or replace your drawing program, ask us about working with spreadsheets and using XML to communicate the manufacturing data to CADCode.

While we're on the subject of new approaches - recent innovations in CADCode include working with inventory management systems that load saws and routers, and pre-labeling panels before they're cut. We're also about to launch a new product that makes re-work fast and easy for the machine operator to replace a damaged part without having to go back to the engineer in the office to generate fresh code.

If you have a specific production problem you'd like to solve, give us a call. We can't guarantee we'll find a solution, but we're always interested in expanding on what CADCode can do to make you more productive and profitable. 

Solutions

Software solutions from CADCode Systems are your key to unlocking the door to simple, easy, and powerful automation with the end-results of better product quality, higher productivity, and increased profits.

Our software solutions have been developed by experts with both hands-on experience making products as well as engineering software solutions. We've heard from more than one customer that, "Your software just works."

Our goal is to enable you to make use of today's computer-driven technology without having to become an information technology expert. We want you to focus on the priorities of your business - making stuff and making money. We want to make the job of getting your orders from the front door to the back of the delivery truck as easy and effortless as possible.

We want to put the control back into your hands so you and your business are not constrained by the limitations of any software program or system integration.

It's also about standing behind our products and behind you, our customer, with support to keep your solutions working and your shop or factory productive.

 

At-a-glance:

For product engineering and design, with links to order entry, CADCode works with and accepts inputs from a number of cabinet and closet design programs, spreadsheets, databases, and customer-created custom applications.

For enhancing the use of AutoCAD or BricsCAD for design and production: ACAM

For saw optimization and saw code: OptiSaw

For nest optimization and nested machine code: NestMaster

For work cell automation using saws and point-to-points: PartMaster

For complete shop automation using a mix of manufacturing approaches with multiple machines: ProductionMaster

For parts labeling, including barcodes: NestLabel/SawLabel and SessSaw

 

CADCode — Nest, Saw, Label and Machining Solutions

CADCode – Nest, Saw, Label, and Machining Solutions

CADCode

CADCode is manufacturing software designed to give you your choice of your software and hardware components by integrating third-party design and specialty software with CNC machinery for both work cell and nesting-based manufacturing. Avoid obsolescence by using a central control interface to import part information from multiple sources and output ready-to-run g-code programs and part labels for a vast library of CNC machine controls.

ProductionMaster™– Combines all of the components needed to run production with a work cell (saw and point-to-point) and nested-based manufacturing – file import, optimization, saw code, machine code, and labeling – all from a central control interface and with the option to run any job, or all jobs, through all of the machines simultaneously.

NestMaster™– Complete package for industrial nested-based manufacturing, including flexible file import, block optimization, advanced nesting processes, and at-the-router part labeling.

NestMaker™– Economical but full-featured package for nested-based manufacturing geared to the small shop with one router and a single source for data.

NestLink™– Basic file import and conversion to nested g-code programs for routers.

PartMaster™– Complete package for manufacturers using work cells for panel processing, featuring flexible file import, saw optimization and programs, parts labeling, and g-code for one or more point-to-points.

PartMaker™– Economical but full-featured package for work-cell shops needing file import from a single source, saw optimization and code and point-to-point g-code and  part labels.

PartLink™– Basic file import and conversion to g-code programs for point-to-points.

OptiSaw™– Stand-alone saw optimization for either automatic or manual panel saws, with either saw programs or pattern print-out.

NestLabel™–On-demand, at-the-machine labeling for nesting routers. Call up and display cutting patterns (nests) via barcode or selecting jobs from a directory. Select the part on-screen and click to print a label for a fail-proof one-to-one correlation between the part and label. NestLabels saves your work if you need to switch between panels. Reprinting a label is as simple as clicking on the part a second time. For pre-labeling sheets before they’re machined, consider our laser projection option. Requires a PC with pointing device (mouse or touchscreen) and barcode label printer; hardware is not included.

SeeSaw™ - Automatic, real-time labeling for label-capable CNC saws. When the operator selects a job for processing, the saw automatically access the label database for the label information and generates the signal to print a label as parts are cut. Can be set to print individual or stack labels. Requires a standard Windows-compatible barcode label printer; hardware is not included.

SawLabel™OnDemand – For at-the-machine on-demand labeling for manual saws. Call up and display cutting patterns via barcode or selecting jobs from a directory. Select the part on-screen and click to print a label for a fail-proof one-to-one correlation between the part and label. SawLabels OnDemand saves your work if you need to switch between panels. Reprinting a label is as simple as clicking on the part a second time. Requires a PC with pointing device (mouse or touchscreen) and barcode label printer; hardware is not included.

ACAM­­ (Automated CAM Module) – Now expanded to enhance the use of BricsCAD® or AutoCAD® production work. Import jobs via DWG files, eliminating the need to collect and import individual DXF files. Right-click on parts in CADCode to edit on-the-fly in your CAD software and choose if you want to save changes to the original file. Automatically generate fresh code from your modified results. A ‘must-have’ for BricsCAD and AutoCAD users.

BricsCAD®CADCode Systems is an authorized Bricsys Partner and BricsCAD reseller. Order yourBricsCAD products and all-in maintenance through our dedicated link. Click on the icon to be directed to the BricsCAD site to register for a free 30-day trial.

 
 

 

 


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