Common Inputs
Note: these options are ignored if Hydroforming is the primary process group; use
Sheet Material Stock Options in the Hydroforming process group, instead.
For Laser Cut, Laser Punch, OxyFuel Cut, Plasma Cut, Plasma Punch, Waterjet Cut, and Turret Press, you can define the following process setup options:
• Part Orientation: specifies whether the part’s tightest bend (that is, the bend with the smallest radius) is parallel to or perpendicular with the sheet grain.
o Not Specified. This is the default. aPriori selects the VPE’s default orientation.
o Position Bend with Smallest Radius Parallel to Grain. Bends are sometimes oriented parallel with the grain, for example, in order to minimize cracking.
o Position Bend with Smallest Radius Perpendicular to Grain. Bends are sometimes oriented perpendicular to the grain, for example, to maximize strength.
• Grain Direction: specifies how the grain is oriented on the sheet. Grain can run parallel to the sheet’s width or length. aPriori automatically selects the VPE’s default grain direction. These options are provided:
o Parallel to Sheet Length
o Parallel to Sheet Width
• Sheet Width Trim Strip—Margin along Material Width: specifies the size of the margin along the width of the sheet. The margin is required to feed the sheet through the machine.
o Default value: uses the VPE’s default trim strip dimensions.
o User override: user-specified margin in millimeters.
• Sheet Length Trim Strip—Margin along Material Length: specifies the size of the margin along the length of the sheet. The margin is required to feed the sheet through the machine.
o Default value: uses the VPE’s default trim strip dimensions.
o User override: user-specified margin in millimeters.
• Part Spacing (trim around the part) for True-Part Shape Nesting: specifies the size of the margin around each part for true-part shape nesting.
o Default value: uses the VPE’s default part spacing.
o User override: user-specified margin in millimeters.
• Part Spacing (trim around the part) for Rectangular Nesting: specifies the size of the margin around each part for rectangular nesting.
o Default value: uses the VPE’s default part spacing.
o User override: user-specified margin in millimeters.
• Step Angle for True-Part Shape Nesting: specifies the part rotations aPriori considers in order to optimize nesting. aPriori considers non-negative, whole number multiples of this value that are less than 360 degrees.
o Default value: uses default value of 90 degrees.
o User override: user-specified value between 1 and 360 degrees.
When you use machining operations along with sheet metal processes, you can also define:
• Part Tolerance Threshold
• Tool Material Preference
• Surface Roughness
• Virtual Tool Preference
• Setups