Punch - Die and Nesting Software
components that were supposed to make the CNC Plate
Fabricator operate.
Nesting Software
For the on board PC computer to perform the machine functions there
is a program defined as nesting software. In this case they provided
MTC / Pronest nesting software. The represented use of, and order of
events for this software is; the parts are drawn in a Computer Aided
Drafting program (CAD) like AutoCAD, then imported into Pronest
which in turn places the parts on a virtual steel plate to arrive at
the optimal material usage. Pronest organizes the processing order
e.g. punch first, stencil second, scribe third, plasma cut, and
finally dump the part into a container. The Pronest program then
writes a numerical program code called Computer Numerical Control (CNC)
code for the onboard PC computer to process the parts. Pronest shows
a graphical representation of the part CNC code.
Punch / Die ("Y" Unit)
The punch and die are in essence a unit. One is useless without the
other. The punch is a hardened stem of steel material in various
sizes and shapes, hydraulically forced down through the steel plate
to remove material commonly called a slug. It then retracts as
another hydraulic press called the stripper which surrounds the
punch, presses against the material surface to allow the punch to be
pulled out of the hole it just created. The die block unit allows
the material to have a solid surface to rest on while the extreme
hydraulic pressure required by the punch to press the slug through
the steel plate is in process. The die opening is slightly larger
than the punch stem allowing the slug to pass through without
deforming/bowing the steel plate. The Franklin plate fabricating
machine never had success in this area as well. Most conventional
operations have the punch and die stationary with the punch aligned
directly over the die and the material is moved to position. The FMI
plate fabricator was represented to move the material
in "X" axis and the punch and die or "Y Unit" moves in the "Y" axis.