July 2010
SigmaTEK Services Group Under New Leadership
SigmaTEK Services Group is a consulting and design service that customizes SigmaNEST and all other SigmaTEK products, to the needs and requirements of its customers.
SigmaTEK Systems, LLC is proud to announce the promotion of John Leuzinger to Director of the SigmaTEK Services Group (SSG). John graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2001 with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. John was employed at R.A. Jones & Co. and TSS Technologies and has experience as a Manufacturing and Quality Engineer. In 2005, John joined the SigmaTEK team as an Applications Engineer and within one year was promoted to the position of Project Manager. By the spring of 2008, SigmaTEK Services Group was formed in response to feedback received from the customers of SigmaNEST software, and John was given the title of Services Project Manager. His experience and product knowledge has led to his most recent promotion to Director of SigmaTEK Services Group.
John will be leading our team of Project Managers, responsible for planning, designing and implementing automation and integration projects available in the SigmaTEK product line. He will also be responsible for growth, in terms of sales and manpower, within the Services Group. John’s first plan is to equip his team members with the tools necessary to communicate the tremendous value the SSG offers.
John is eager to undertake this new challenge and says, “I believe my strong customer-relationship skills, coupled with the experience of having implemented a wide range of SigmaNEST automation projects, give me the confidence and capability to tackle the new challenges that lie ahead for the Services Group.”
SigmaNEST Feature: Tool Sorting
SigmaNEST software offers substantial benefits to users creating programs for punching machines, particularly when it comes to tooling and tool sorting. Tooling can be applied to geometry at the part level or during the nesting process. It can then be activated to run according to user-specified parameters. SigmaNEST even allows programmers to use a combination of part level and nest level tooling, optimizing tool assignment as the nest is being created. When Auto NC is activated, SigmaNEST automatically applies tooling to the nested parts by rapidly evaluating optimized cutting data about all tools used for the production of parts. The software determines the best tool selection by calculating the cutting data in light of user-defined priority coefficients applied to job criteria such as maximum tool life and minimum overall cutting time. The tool library, where SigmaNEST gathers and updates data about each tool, can be populated with custom tools created by importing geometry or accurately drawing tools using SigmaNEST CAD.
After tooling has been assigned to a nest and directional and other preferences have been set by a user, SigmaNEST sorts the tools required for the operation accordingly, then displays the optimized tool order in its graphical user interface. The tool sorting procedure was strategically designed to sort tools for entire punching operations, rather than for individual parts. Because punch machine turrets have a limited number of tool positions available for automated tool changing, it is important to select the optimal set of tools for a given operation, not just the tools that may produce a single part most effectively. Using a post-processing method that rationalizes a set of tools, SigmaNEST reduces the number of unique tools required, while ensuring a minimal decrease in performance compared to tooling that was individually optimized for parts.
Advanced tool sorting relies on SigmaNEST’s capability to mathematically assess the subtle interplay of user-defined technological constraints to make optimized tool selections automatically, a task that is difficult to complete manually. SigmaNEST software offers consistent best-tool selection and tool-order optimization, producing considerable reductions in punching time and cost when compared with non-optimal solutions.
Tech Tip: Quick Find
The Quick Find function helps locate any function within SigmaNEST by typing a portion of the function name into the search bar. To activate Quick Find, select the star button in the Quick Launch toolbar or press CTRL-F. As you type, the matching functions are listed and are activated by using the down arrow and pressing the “enter” key. It is possible to type separate words or partial words to distinguish between different facets of a function. For example, to import a SolidWorks file it is searchable by typing “i s w” or “solidw” or “s works”. Quick Find can also be used to locate a part in the work space by typing distinct characteristics about that part’s geometry. For instance “3 Rec” will locate a rectangle with 3 defined points, if that part has been created. This function is very useful to the user when searching for one particular part out of hundreds of parts. Use the Quick Find function to become more efficient in daily tasks.
SigmaNEST Product Feature: Inventory & Job Tracking
It is not difficult to conceptualize that purchasing new sheets of metal instead of using existing sheets, on-hand and available, is an unnecessary investment. Though it may seem to be an oversimplification, companies frequently do this when they allow their inventory to go unmanaged. SigmaNEST Inventory Control provides an integrated material stock and remnant database with plate history and traceability, remnant tracking (with graphics) and inventory status and cost reporting. Within the Advanced Nesting module the software will even suggest the best sheet for a job from the inventory. By using the three functions that SigmaNEST Inventory Control provides, your company can reduce working capital and increase overall utilization of pre-purchased material. What a great tool to manage inventory!
The SigmaNEST Job Tracking module offers work order tracking and forecasting with automatic production scheduling and job status reporting. This module improves work flow and fabrication efficiency, and operates using an integrated order material inventory database that is automatically updated. SigmaNEST Job Tracking also automatically generates job status reports that indicate whether parts are on order, in process or completed. This module can be integrated with nesting to allow for orders to be combined, thereby ensuring sheet utilization.
