Material purchase calculator needed

[EsoEng]

Is there a simple program that can automatically determine in the most efficient way how many x-metre lengths of square section extrusion are needed for a given design comprising multiple different lengths of the same square section? A program that can also take many different sheet steel sizes and automatically arrange them into a given size representing standard stock sheet sizes in order to determine how many stock sheets to purchase? Will Solidworks do this, and if so how?

I'd be grateful for any help. Thanks.

 

[IRstuff]

There's a couple of programs that do that calculation, but I'm not recalling what it was called

TTFN
faq731-376

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529


Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
There is a homework forum hosted by engineering.com:

http://www.engineering.com/AskForum/aff/32.aspx

 

[GregLocock]

http://cutting-optimization.optimalprograms.com/

etc

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[EsoEng]

Many thanks. I'll give it a try. It looks like the just the thing I had in mind!

 

[mcgyvr]

For arranging multiple parts on a sheet is called a "nesting program"
I'd suspect Solidworks has a partner that offers that as an add-on.

Solidworks alone should be able to do the calcs for framing.
I know Inventor (similar to solidworks) can.. Inventor has a frame generator and you can build cut lists from it.
Best to ask on the Solidworks forum.