Ⅰ. Overview

Parts Combination can help you to combine the parts with the same section during nesting. 

After combination, it is available to configure the technique and toolpath order within the combination, and apply the combined results to other parts with the same section for future nesting and sorting.

The main scenarios are listed below:

（1）When there are toolpaths around the cutoff line, including the marking or holes, with Parts Combination, the cross-parts holes can be sorted accordingly. The cutting head travel can be reduced, and the cutting efficiency can be enhanced as well.

（2）Two parts (one long and one short) require weld assembly. Due to the random placement during part nesting, the cut parts may have been over-cut or under-cut, resulting in a poor welding effect.

However, if the long and short parts are treated as an integrated unit before repeated processing, it can be ensured that either all long parts are undercut (with excess material) or all short parts have undercut (with excess material). Combined with TubePro's bevel inner shrinkage and outer expansion function, stable batch processing can be achieved through A-axis angle compensation.

Ⅱ. How to use

1. Special notice:

(1) The combined parts cannot be edited in Section Toolpath, or re-edited.

(2) For Auto Nest, the combination configurations of techniques, fly-cut, and sort distance will not be changed. Neither will change the co-edge types, distance, and part orientation inside the combination.

(3) It is also not available to perform Reverse, Rotate for combined parts in the Nest interface.

2. Procedures

① Click the parts in the part list, and click  Parts Combination. Then configure the parameters.

(Notice: Parts Combination is available only when the number of parts with the same section is more than one. If the part is one or none, the icon will be greyed out.

② Click Next to enter the Parts Combination page. Follow the instructions below, and click OK when it is done.

Notice: Right-click the nested results under Parts Combination, and you may perform Reverse All for the result.  The number of tubes cannot be modified until parts are added to the nesting result. Once parts are added, modification becomes available, with the upper limit determined by the number of parts.

③ After the previous step, click OK to go back the nesting interface. The combined parts will be displayed in set in the part list. 

During Nesting, the combined parts and other parts with the same section can be nested in the same tube, without changing the configured nesting parameters.

Ⅲ. FAQs

1.Why is Parts Combination greyed out, and not available?

This function is only available when the number of parts with the same section is greater than or equal to 2 and there is at least one part present in the main interface.

2. What does the material picking marker indicate after Parts Combination?

After parts are combined, the entire assembly is nested as a single unit. However, in actual machining, the internal cutting lines of the combined parts must retain their cutting line attributes and trigger the material picking action in TubePro. Therefore, to enhance clarity on the machining process, a material picking marker is added to the internal cutting lines of the combined part.

3. After Parts Combination, will the cutting software count the parts based on the original number or the number of combined parts?

Parts Combination will not change the cut0ff lines.

Thus, if five parts are combined as one unit, then the count in TubePro is still 5. The part-picking happens for each part falling, and the count will accumulate as well.

Ⅳ. Operation Demo