Supplementary English-Only Training Materials
Note: These materials are offered only in English as supplementary examples for a deeper dive into Fiery LLC products.

Nested Base Manufacture Wizard and DXF

The Nested Base Manufacture Wizard helps prepare batch production jobs, where one-or-more DXF files (designed in AutoCAD or similar CAD-based software) are imported into ProfileLab and then automatically applied with machine-ready tool paths for output. If a DXT file has been prepared (i.e., a list of all the DXF files that make up an assembly), ProfileLab will parse the DXT file and import the assorted DXF files.

A DXF file itself represents a "piece" that will be cut, and each layer within a given DXF file can be assigned a tool path. A DXF file with several layers can potentially have multiple tool path operations applied (e.g., drill points, cut paths, decorating paths, grooves, etc.). Before proceeding with the wizard, please consider the following overview of the process, and make note what portions you need to plan in advance of starting the wizard:

  1. For each of your DXF files, there can be one-or-more layers, and it is expected that the layer colors are named in a convenient manner, such that you can identify and map each layer to a specific tool path.
  2. Save the DXF files into a common directory. If a DXT file has also been prepared, then ProfileLab assumes that the DXF files are in the same directory as the DXT file.
  3. In ProfileLab, it may be necessary to define new materials, tools, and/or cut templates that will be used when machining each piece (i.e., the color layers of a given DXF file):

    • For specifying new materials, go to Machine > Materials Library. Make certain that your material and its thickness is defined before creating cut templates.

    • For new tools, go to Machine > Tool Library. Make certain that each of your tool bits are defined before creating cut templates.

    • To define new cut templates, go to Machine > Create Tool Path., or refer to the Creating Tool Paths section for other methods of defining cut templates. Make certain that there is a cut template defined for each type of tooling operation that you want to perform.


  4. At this point, you will be ready to begin the wizard. Go to File > Nested Base Manufacture Wizard, and proceed through the wizard pages:
    • On the first page (Jobs for batch import), click Add Job and load the DXT file. Alternatively, a solitary DXF file can be loaded instead of a DXT file.
    • On the second page (Assign Machining Strategies), assign a cut template to each of the DXF layers. Where the given piece is considered to be "small," an alternative cut template can be designated.
    • Optionally on the third page (Nesting configuration), specify how the tool paths are to be nested upon the material.
    • Optionally on the fourth page (Sorting Configuration), improve the efficiency of cut jobs by modifying the rules that control the order of cutting operations.

  5. Once the wizard is complete, the resulting tool paths will be on the workspace and ready for output to the machine via Machine > Output.

  6. In addition to cutting the pieces, labels can be printed and affixed to each piece via Machine > Output > Cut Toolbox > Print Labels.