Boards selected for a part list ready for optimising
Optimisation automatically creates a Board list for every Part / Cutting list. The Board list is the set of candidate board sizes available for optimisation. The boards are selected from the Board library using the Material code for each part to identify candidate boards.
To view the Board list, at the Part list:-
● Select: View - Board list
or
Select the Toolbar option
The Board list can be viewed at the Part list before optimising and manually adjusted if necessary. In many cases the Optimisation can proceed without the need to check the Board list.
The board list can also be selected from the File Tree at the main screen.
Board list operation
The board list grid can be edited and adjusted (like a spreadsheet) in the same way as the Part / Cutting list. The general edit and search operations are the same as for the part list and cutting list.
Selecting the Board list
At the part list or cutting list there is an option to manually move to and view the Board list. For this option the program always attempts to re-create the board list (or create a new if one does not yet exist).
If a board list already exists the program prompts:-
Overwrite board list with data from board library
Select Yes to create a new board list
Select No to keep the existing list.
This prompt does not occur when the board list is created automatically when selecting optimise at the part list of cutting list.
New boards added to library since board list was last used
If the existing board list is retained or the program attempts to create a new board list the program also checks whether any new board sizes matching the materials in the part list or cutting list have been added to the board library since the board list was last used.
If so the program prompts:-
Add new boards from library
Select Yes to add the new Boards. Select No to ignore the new boards
Board list fields
The board list fields are mainly the same as the fields for boards as set out in the Board library. The board library stock fields are NOT included. The board list also includes fields from the material record:-
It can be useful to have this information on a 'per board' basis, for example, when setting up reports, labels, or calculated fields.
Notes
- for some special boards or limited cases it is useful to not use the Board library but to create a separate board list and optimise using that list with the Batch Optimisation method. Use the Board lists option for creating separate board lists.
Material not found
If the material code is not found in the Board library a default entry is created in the Board list.
Board code: New material code
Material code: New material code
Dimensions: 0 x 0
Thickness: 0
Information: Blank
Stock qty 0
Cost 0.000
Stock Flag 0
Grain N
Parameters Blank
This makes it easier to list the missing materials and update the board list manually.
- Default boards are only created in the part list / cutting list editor, not automatic routes which create working board lists as these present no opportunity for editing
- If a material exists in the library but there is no free stock (and hence no boards) no default board is created.
- The error message Data not correct - no boards appears - this indicates that the default boards must be edited.
