Cut Optimization

[Anonymous]

Hi there,
I would like to know how do you handle cut optimization of, lets say, structural steel profiles or OSB panels.
For example: I have a long list of HEB beams of various lengths and a total sum of profile types.
I have the commercial standard lengths of HEB profiles which are 6 or 12 m.
How can you get the exact minimum commercial profiles needed?
I know I can use Cut Optimizer Software to do this... I just wonder if there is a way to do this inside AC using properties expressions or something else?
Cheers,

[Laszlo Nagy]

You could use Expression-defined Properties. There would be a Property that would calculate the amount of 6m and 12m elements needed based on the length of the element, by rounding it up to the nearest 6/12 meter value.

[Anonymous]

Hi Laszlo,

Sorry, but I think I didn't make myself clear.
The problem is: With rounding it to 6 or 12 m, it may give me "wasted" pieces that I could use (or not) to make others, but I can't get an account of these globally in order to optimize the cuts.
I mean, sometimes 2x12m piece can be enough, but 4x6m pieces can't (without joining "wastes").

Does this make sense?

[Laszlo Nagy]

So, if I understand this right, some lengths require only 6 m long parts, some require both 6 m and 12 m long parts, and some lengths require only 12 m long parts.
So there should be two Properties calculated for each element: the number of needed 6 m parts, and the number of needed 12 m parts.
You could use rounding and fraction operators/commands in Property expressions to calculate these values.

Examples:
10 m element needs 1x6 m part.
16 m element needs 1x12 m part.
20 m element needs 1x6 m and 1x12m part.
And so one.


Is that what you need?

[Barry Kelly]

I think Braza's problem may be one that Archicad can't solve directly?
Let me explain what I think the problem is, and if I am wrong please correct me.

The beams come in standard lengths of 6m & 12m and can be cut to any size.
Braza need in his job one beam 3m long and another 8m long.
Expressions in properties could be used and will determine that for the 3m beam he must order a 6m beam and for the 8m beam he must order a 12m beam.
In fact he only needs to order one 12m beam as he can cut both the 3m & 8m beams from it.

I don't think there is a way for Archicad to determine that the waste from one cut can be used for another shorter beam.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Sorry Laszlo and Thank you Barry.

I was afraid it would be the answer.
I think I will have to look for specific cut optimizer software.
Thanks anyway for both.

Cheers,

[runxel]

You might solve this with the Grasshopper connection tho.
Well, at least if you have Rhino. (Don't know how the price tags compare to cut optimizer software)

[Anonymous]

Agreed Runxel. That GH might do the trick.
But I think specific cut optimizer software is more straight forward, both for linear and surface cuts.
Anyway... It would be nice if AC could handle BM with a more market oriented interface, for example: If you create an, OSB panel/tile/HEB Profile BM, it could have an option to define if it is a panel/tile/Profile/Aggregate/etc to enter standard sizes, lengths and thicknesses and things like that.
Maybe someday... For now GS must have more important things to address.