This update is essentially a nesting and plotter software update. The most notable changes are:
- auto-nesting module
- straight blade attachment for cutters
- arc smoothing for improved plotting and cutting
Monday, October 12, 2015
ProSail version 4 released
20 days ago Armstrong-White Automation (NZ) Ltd announced release of version 4 of their ProSail software. This is well known and easy to use sailmaking software which is on market for decades.
This update is essentially a nesting and plotter software update. The most notable changes are:
This update is essentially a nesting and plotter software update. The most notable changes are:
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Dimenssion-Polyant 2016 News
Dimension-Polyant has released product guide for 2016. Main news are:
- Carbon Sport – our new line for Club Racing Sails
- LITE SKIN - With our specially engineered surface structure (patent pending) we could replace the former double taffeta styles. The laminates become substantially with just a minimal loss in chafe resistance. Available on GPL and Carbon Sport styles. Also it is available to order it as PSA Laminated Patch Material
- FLEX® Ultra – last year’s newly introduced line got completed with SL (super light) and H+ (heavy plus) versions
- UVM® Light Beige – due to the increased demand at Classic Yachts we have implemented four AP styles again in our standard range without any minimum order quantities.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Auto-nesting
Last year many sail design software producers have included auto nesting option in their software. Mainly it is NestFab solution used. I was quite interested in this modules but also in other similar solutions. This article is quick overview of my findings.
Most manual nesting jobs sailmaker can do within average 15min with efficiency between 80-95% depends on sail type and cut (and different materials (colors) used and roll availability). So my quest was to find solution which can do better efficiency as first condition and better needed time as second condition (but not so important as auto-nesting time it is computer time not yours).
NestFab
There are to versions of NestFab.
First one is Standard which is very slow and not efficient. No meter how long I let it to run it could not reach better then 80% efficiency. Small gaps between panels make it really slow to get any solution. So Standard engine did not satisfy my first condition. This version cost $2200 per copy.
Second one is Advance version. This version is very quick and efficient (within 100sec 88%efficiency, within 700sec more then 90%). So this is very good candidate for sailmakers. Regarding price it is add-on to standard version. This add-on costs $1250 per year or $5000 for perpetual use. You will have to calculate your savings based on number and kind of jobs you mostly have to see is it worth investment.
Also good thing is that SailPack (you have to buy it as sailpack add-on with little bit different prices) and SmarAzure (I don't know their purchase policy) have implemented interface to Nestfab which will save you time with file export/import.
NestFab have its online variant http://mynesting.com/ but it uses Standard version. Price is $7-$4 depending on quantities which is quite higher than similar service NestLib online.
RhinoNest
This is add-on to Rhino 3D. It is reasonably fast but not efficient (similar to NestFab standard). It did not satisfied my first condition. Its price is quite low 500EUR. But you have to have Rhino which is 1000EUR.
To my knowledge there is no interface between sail design software so you will have to deal with export/import.
NestLib Online
NestLib Online as its name says is online nesting solution. You have to upload your files to server and start nesting job. It is free to try but optimized option with better efficiency is not available in free version. With optimized option activated it is quite slow (more then 60min) and you still do not get satisfying efficiency (little better then NestFab Standard version).
Price is 2$ per downloaded job. So you can run many jobs but you pay just ones you download files afterwords.
Again to my knowledge you have to deal with export/import by yourself.
There are probably many other nesting software which I have not tested so if someone did please write comment here about your experience.
Most manual nesting jobs sailmaker can do within average 15min with efficiency between 80-95% depends on sail type and cut (and different materials (colors) used and roll availability). So my quest was to find solution which can do better efficiency as first condition and better needed time as second condition (but not so important as auto-nesting time it is computer time not yours).
NestFab
There are to versions of NestFab.
First one is Standard which is very slow and not efficient. No meter how long I let it to run it could not reach better then 80% efficiency. Small gaps between panels make it really slow to get any solution. So Standard engine did not satisfy my first condition. This version cost $2200 per copy.
Second one is Advance version. This version is very quick and efficient (within 100sec 88%efficiency, within 700sec more then 90%). So this is very good candidate for sailmakers. Regarding price it is add-on to standard version. This add-on costs $1250 per year or $5000 for perpetual use. You will have to calculate your savings based on number and kind of jobs you mostly have to see is it worth investment.
Also good thing is that SailPack (you have to buy it as sailpack add-on with little bit different prices) and SmarAzure (I don't know their purchase policy) have implemented interface to Nestfab which will save you time with file export/import.
NestFab have its online variant http://mynesting.com/ but it uses Standard version. Price is $7-$4 depending on quantities which is quite higher than similar service NestLib online.
RhinoNest
This is add-on to Rhino 3D. It is reasonably fast but not efficient (similar to NestFab standard). It did not satisfied my first condition. Its price is quite low 500EUR. But you have to have Rhino which is 1000EUR.
To my knowledge there is no interface between sail design software so you will have to deal with export/import.
NestLib Online
NestLib Online as its name says is online nesting solution. You have to upload your files to server and start nesting job. It is free to try but optimized option with better efficiency is not available in free version. With optimized option activated it is quite slow (more then 60min) and you still do not get satisfying efficiency (little better then NestFab Standard version).
Price is 2$ per downloaded job. So you can run many jobs but you pay just ones you download files afterwords.
Again to my knowledge you have to deal with export/import by yourself.
There are probably many other nesting software which I have not tested so if someone did please write comment here about your experience.
Monday, February 16, 2015
AzureProject Version 5.0 PREVIEW
Just revived newsletter form Smar-Azure with announcement of new major version of their sail design software. Not much info about enhancements so contact Smar-Azure for details.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Dimension-Polyant 2015 News
This news is quite old one (from October 2014) but it is worth mentioning here.
So for 2015 main news from Dimension-Polyant are following:
So for 2015 main news from Dimension-Polyant are following:
- New Optimist cloth 140 OD HTP plus
- Much more attractive prices on Pro Radial (about 7-10% lower prices depending on style)
- Heavy Styles are now in 140cm width (before there were much more widths 55cm, 110cm, 165cm, 91,4cm 165cm depending on style)
- Storm orange price reduction for about 42%. Storm orange 340 style seems removed from production, so now there is just storm orange 400 style.
- FLEX ultra - ultimate cross-cut cruising laminate (have Ultra-PE fiber (similar to Spectra or Dyneema))
- Stealth surface (film) for performance laminates (some styles)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)