Part Nesting in Solidworks

[5axis]

Has anyone found a plug-in, software package or developed a macro that will nest assembly parts within Solidworks?

I would like to nest the flat parts in an Solidworks assembly on a defined sheet size.
Most nesting I have found is a separate package that requires you to output/export your data.
I need to nest the solid model parts that I have developed in Solidworks and keep them in Solidworks for further processing.

Thanks for any help,

 

[rocheey]

I've looked and havent found. Im suprised the makers of CamWorks hasnt done this; the standalone version of their product (ProCAD/ProCAM) has a nesting module.

Or perhaps not. I'd investigated coding up my own nesting plugin, and realized that the overhead if having a dozens of flat patterns on dozens of sheet files dogged down the application quickly, especially as compared to an external 3rd party app that only has to work in 2d.

Using blocks instead of flat patterns speeds things up great, but the parametrics are (directly ?) gone.

I'd still like to see it done though, and if it has been done, sure would like to hear who did it.