Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Request and discuss new features
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cicada909
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Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2018 1:24 pm

Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by cicada909 »

Hi all! First off thanks for the awesome program, together with our plasma table it let my wife & I quit our full time jobs & work together and for that I'm very thankful. I have a few things I'd like to suggest (or be taught how to use them if they're already there & I've overlooked! Though I did search a bit so I don't believe I've missed anything)

- Some versions ago, any part duplicates that are daughters/children of the master copy were automatically hidden. Now it seems it defaults to an exploded view showing them all. Is there a way to configure my software to go back to hiding them? I find it clogs my part list and I spend un-needed time collapsing the exploded views.

-A hot key for new tool operation would be amazing! Right now I have to move the mouse over to symbol & click it, or into the general tool operation area & right click and select the symbol with the mouse. If this could just be done by pressing a key (bonus points if the key is user configurable) that would be awesome. And to make things even faster, if "OK" in the tool operation window is already highlighted, so all I have to do is pound the enter button. It gets a bit tedious/wastes time that could be better spent around the shop when I have to keep precisely mouse selecting 2 different little symbols every cut operation for a sheet with 40 different parts which all use clones of the same tool, if it could just be a 2 key affair that would be wonderful!

-Kinda the same thing as above, but what about CTRL & click all the parts you'd like to have the same operation applied to, & then setting a cut operation, & it automatically applies it to every part. Probably more programming on your end, which is why I bring this up 2ndly.

-Inserting multiple parts in one go. I click "new part" find it in my file directory & add. Some of our product is sold as one item, but is a combination of 4 different parts or whatever which all make up the assembly of the product. They're all saved in the same file directory, but I have to manually add them one-by-one. Can it be changed so I can CTRL + click all of them, & all 4 items (or whatever number of files) are automatically inserted?

That's all I've come up with! Looking forward to your thoughts, or any ideas on stuff I may be over looking! Thank you!
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djreiswig
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:47 am
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by djreiswig »

You can copy the operation from one part and paste it into the different parts. Might make your process a little faster. You can copy multiple operations at once.

I just recently discovered saving parts. You can set up a part with the drawing, operation with the desired tool and then save it as a .part file. Then when you want that part next time, just insert the part from the .part file and it's all set up.
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Les Newell
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Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by Les Newell »

Thanks for the feature requests. A lot of SheetCam's functionality has been driven by feature requests. It can be difficult at times to predict what functions are actually needed.
cicada909 wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 9:15 pm- Some versions ago, any part duplicates that are daughters/children of the master copy were automatically hidden. Now it seems it defaults to an exploded view showing them all. Is there a way to configure my software to go back to hiding them? I find it clogs my part list and I spend un-needed time collapsing the exploded views.
Hmm, good point. I could add a 'collapse all' right-click option.
-A hot key for new tool operation would be amazing!
Yes, hotkeys are on the to-do list.
It gets a bit tedious/wastes time that could be better spent around the shop when I have to keep precisely mouse selecting 2 different little symbols...
If the size is an issue the development version of SheetCam has options for 3 different sizes for the buttons.
-Kinda the same thing as above, but what about CTRL & click all the parts you'd like to have the same operation applied to, & then setting a cut operation, & it automatically applies it to every part.
The quick load plugin may help your work flow (Plugins->quick load). You need to make sure all of your drawings use standardized layers. Set up a part with the correct cut operations for each layer. Save the job as a template (File->save job as template). In the quick load plugin select your drawing directory and select the files you want to load. Turn on 'load template' and browse for the template you want to use. Now when you click on the load button a new part will be created for each drawing and each part will have the template applied.

I am trying to find a good way to have one set of operations that apply to all parts, rather than having separate operations for each part.
motoguy
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 12:02 am

Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by motoguy »

Would it be possible to have the overcut as a part of the tool, vs the jet cutting window? That way the overcut amount would be tied to the material thickness. I use small .06 overcut on 14/16ga (w/ torch off before end code), but this goes up to .1 overcut with .125 material. Occasionally I overlook this for forget to change it when I change tools/materials. If it could be tagged to the tool (which is tied to material), that would be handy.
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djreiswig
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:47 am
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by djreiswig »

I've asked a couple of times about tying the leads to the tool vs the operation, since the lead lengths are usually tied to thickness. Les said he was considering it a while back, but I haven't heard any more about it for a while. Must be on the back burner.
cicada909
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2018 1:24 pm

Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by cicada909 »

Wow, thanks for all the replies everyone!!!

I was in the shop all day Friday cutting and played with the copy-paste method of issuing cut ops which definitely sped things up. But the save part/open part business, that's a game changer!! I'm creating a directory of saved parts as I sell them, but wow, I can't even begin to explain how excited I am over the save part thing haha. So awesome!

This led to one more feature request: make sure when you are adding hot keys, that there's one for open part.

I did mess with batch load briefly and it looked quite promising, but I was quite pleased with the "instant" results from the part method, especially it saving where I put my start points as I was manually moving them to an optimal spot everytime, and now that's a one-&-done setup

Can't thank you all enough, shows what I get for just going off a few minutes of youtube tutorials to learn sheetcam & never consulting the manual haha. Have a great weekend everyone!
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djreiswig
Posts: 471
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Location: SE Nebraska

Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by djreiswig »

I had a similar reaction when I discovered parts. :lol:
motoguy
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 12:02 am

Re: Some feature requests for optimizing workflow

Post by motoguy »

Keep in mind, saving the .part saves the parts exactly as it's set up at that time. If you change your tool numbers, or your rules, etc, you'll need to address that when you re-open the part.

I've changed my cut rule names, and Sheetcam is spazzing out trying to open old .part files with cut rule names that no longer exist.

Consider the .part file to be a snapshot in time. Every time you open that .part file, you'll be transported back to that point in time (re your tools, names, cut rules, etc). Not a big deal when the .part time is only a week ago. Can be a pita when the .part file was created a year (or two) ago, and you've changed ALL kinds of stuff since then.
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