act/cut 2d product flyer

CAD/CAM for cutting and punching

The nesting and programming reference solution

for 2D cutting and punching-nibbling
act/cut 2d product flyer
The CAM software suite for cutting and punching
Advantages and benefits
• Support of machines of any types and brands.
• Support of any cu ng technology requirements.
• Powerful nes ng algorithms and op mized tool
path research
• Automa c user assistance at any stage of
the programming and ability to work in full
automa c mode.
• Easy-to use.
• So ware openability (interac on with
various 2D/3D CAD systems and Produc on
Management Systems or ERP solu ons).
• Available built-in customiza on tools.
• Availability of complementary and task-oriented
modules: metal sheet part unfolding/folding,
libraries of 3D and 2D shapes, le er and
drawing cu ng, stock and manufacturing order
management.
act/cut 2d
SupporƟng a wide range of machine and technology require-
ments at every step of programming - from part preparaƟon
to the NC code generaƟon, including nesƟng and tool path
definiƟon - act/cut can pilot any types of machines.
Providing unique nes ng algorithms that fit any type of
cu ng needs, act/cut significantly decreases material loss
rates and improves produc vity.
Whenever possible, the so ware operates in full automa c
mode. However, in very touchy situa ons, act/cut, in order
to ensure the most efficiency, operates in interac ve mode,
and the user makes the final decision.
Open and customizable, act/cut imports part geometries
from any CAD so ware and easily interacts with
Produc on Management Systems or ERP solu ons. Various
complementary modules can be op onally integrated to
act/cut.
act/cut automaƟc nesƟng
decreased preparaƟon Ɵme by
a factor of 2 and improved
material use by 23%.
Socata
act/cut 2d product flyer

Main functions

2D cutting Punching
• Support of all technological parameters • Support of all technological parameters and
Remote software and machine configura ons. machine configura ons (including punching
operation or combined machines).
• Tool library management.

• Launching order management: parts and formats are grouped according to material and
thickness for nes ng purposes.
• Manufacturing order and format stock management (act/manager op onal module).
• Connec on to produc on management and ERP systems (act/manager op onal module).

CAD import and • Import of sheet-metal parts from any CAD system, including neutral formats (DXF, IGES, DWG,
2D geometry creation DSTV and STEP) and na ve formats (Solid Edge®, SolidWorks®, Ca a® V4/V5, ProEngineer®, etc.)
• 3D part import and unfolding (op onal act/unfold module).
• Advanced func on for 2D geometry crea on.
• Part measuring and lis ng.

Technology • Numerous func ons linked to the cu ng
technology enabling an op mized planning
of cu ng opera ons.
• Alloca on of cu ng-technology specific
features (bevel, lead-ins/outs, micro-
junc ons).
• Automa c configura on of cu ng
condi ons according to user-defined
strategies.
• Automa c or manual machining tool
alloca on (punching, notching, nibbling, etc.)
• Special and mul tools management.
• Possibility to work in micro-junc on mode.
• Automa c or manual evacua on control
(trapdoor, li , pallets etc.)
• Part or part layout ver cal and horizontal
duplica on.
• Possibility to save complex machining
characteris cs to apply them on iden cal
parts.
• Turret management: moun ng angles,
possible moun ng posi ons, clamps,
accessibility zone and models (pre-
configured turrets to be further completed).

Automatic and interactive • Numerous nes ng strategies either in full- • Automa c an -collision func on taking tools
automa c mode or in full-interca ve mode. into account.
nesting
• Automa c an -collision func on. • Common cut management using different
• Automa c control of part posi oning tools.
constraints (symmetry and rota on) and • Part posi oning by work areas and between
automa c management of nes ng priori es. clamps.
• Nes ng in mul ple formats and sheets.
• Support of various technological
requirements : mul -torch cu ng (oxy-
cu ng) , common cut, posi oning between
(laser), etc.
• Nes ng in remnants or off-cuts.

Streamlining the use of sheet formats, combined

with act/cut nesƟng performances enabled us to
decrease loss rate by 10 points.
Trane
act/cut 2d
act/cut 2d product flyer

Main functions

2D cutting Punching
• Automa c calcula on of tool paths • Automa c calcula on of tool paths
Tool path optimization respec ng technological constraints (for respec ng the part evacua on and tool use
example to avoid warping). order.
• Interac ve modifica on (lead-ins, cu ng • Interac ve modifica on of tool or or
sequence, trajectory, etc.) sequence, etc.
• Simula on of tool path. • Simula on of tool path.
• Automa c calcula on of off-sets in straight • Common cut ensuring the evacua on of a
and beveled cut. single part at once.
• Specific cu ng func ons: con nuous
cu ng (to minimize lead-ins), common
cut, skeleton cu ng, programmable bevel
management, control of marking etching
and boring systems, speed control in
water-jet cu ng (accelera ons or
decelera ons), loop support, collision
avoidance with parts already cut, etc.

ISO code generation • Advanced post-processor generator.

• Programming with or without sub-programs.
• Cycle me calcula on.
• Prin ng of customizable workshop documents (PDF).

All round benefits with act/cut

• Full automa on available for every step
of the programming process (CAD-CAM
Reduced preparation interfaces, nes ng, tool assignment and tool
path defini on ...) and opera on possible in
and programming time «batch» mode.
• «Intelligent» features: selec on of
op miza on strategies according to specific
situa ons; re-use of recorded scenarii in
similar contexts.
• Smooth-integra on to the client’s
Informa on System: direct and automa c
links with CAD solu ons, ERPs and other CAM
modules (bending, unfolding, etc.)
• Control of all your machines using the same
so ware.
• Complementary task-oriented modules
(folding/unfolding, le er and drawing cu ng,
tube cu ng, 3D cu ng, etc.)
• Simplified programming (user friendly,
so ware standardiza on, flexible switch
between automa on and interac vity).
• Easy to learn (short learning curve).

Using the same programming soŌware for all our

cuƫng machines, and on all of our producƟon
sites enabled us to share our resources.
Marchesini Group
act/cut 2d
act/cut 2d product flyer

All round benefits with act/cut

• Decreased material loss rate thanks to • Nes ng in remnant sheets.

op mized nes ng.
Material savings

Reduced cycle times • Tool path op miza on. • Management of peripheral loading/
• Support of cu ng technology requirements unloading units .
resulting in increased (mul -torch cu ng in oxy-cu ng, common
machine productivity cut, laser head up/head down, etc.)

Improved quality of • Op mized cu ng quality resul ng from • Repeatability of both programs and
the support of technological constraints for situa ons.
manufactured parts cu ng condi on alloca on, lead-in or tool
defini on, tool path research, speed and
accelera on descrip on, etc.

Savings on consumables • Reduced number of piercings (bridges, chain • Op mized management of cu ng

cu ng and common cut) and tool path condi ons.
and tools op miza on. • Reduc on of the number of punch strikes
(common cut, op mized notching, etc.)

Reduced handling • Reduced number of remnants to manage. • Management of loading/unloading and part
in the workshop • Skeleton cut with management of various sor ng (palle za on) systems.
evacua on modes.

Increased safety • Implementa on of collision risk avoidance
(collision between cu ng head and an
around the machines actual cut part).
• Simula on features showing which defined
opera ons can be performed.
• Programming methods forbidding release
of off-cuts (punching, rou ng) guaranteeing
that released parts or off-cuts, are held by
the machine.

Improved workshop • Consistent programming methods for
organization and different machines.
• Programs created on a single machine can
production response time easily be reused on another
• Manufacturing order management with
automa c pooling of parts to produce
• Management of remnant sheets and off-
cuts.
• Streamlining of the necessary sheet formats,
and reduc on of the number of cut sheets
(intelligent automa c nes ng).

Improved data organization • Numerical data archiving and document
and process quality traceability.
• Know-how formalizing.
• Program standardiza on.
• Significant reduc on of poten al errors.
• Integrated task-oriented modules simplifying
data exchanges.
• Data integrity control at each step of
the programming process (for example:
valida on of nes ng a er a geometrical part
modifica on).
• Be er streaming of data between services
(Design departments, Methods, Produc on,
Quality, etc.)

The various shortcuts found within all levels of the

soŌware, and its full integraƟon in the Windows
operaƟng system resulted in fast programming.
Nichrominox
act/cut 2d
act/cut 2d product flyer
The software for all your machines
Laser cutting
Providing efficient and automated nest-
ing capabilities combined with the ability
to support all laser cutting functions as
well as to manage a wide range of tech-
nological parameters, act/cut is the most
productive and effective solution for pro-
gramming your laser cutting machines.
Plasma cutting and oxy-cutting
Thanks to its ability to meet specific
machine requirements, including heat
constraints, involved in oxy-cutting and
plasma cutting, act/cut is a powerful
and flexible solution which efficiently
combines automation and user
interaction, when required.
Punching-nibbling
act/cut’s added value in punching-nibbling
technology lies mainly in the software’s
powerful automation (tool allocation,
machining sequence, nesting, part
evacuation, etc.). This makes act/cut a
highly productive solution for on-demand
production of numerous and varied parts.
The software can manage all loading/
unloading peripheral systems and is perfectly adapted to combined
machines.
Waterjet cutting
Particularly suitable for continuous
cutting whether you manage large-scale
nesting or unit cutting projects, act/cut
can meet any types of waterjet-cutting
requirements in terms of tool trajectory,
cutting speed or lead-ins/outs control.
With its ability to easily adjust parameter
setting to any kind of material that can
be waterjet-cut, act/cut is the programming solution for your waterjet
cutting machines.
Alma
CAM software
15, rue Georges Perec - F-38400 Saint-Martin-d’Hères
Tel. +33 (0)4 76 63 76 30 - info@almacam.com
www.almacam.com
The same software pilots
all your machines,
using any type of
technology.
act/cut’s architecture and customiza on
possibili es, makes the integra on of technologies
and machines very easy. It creates a single
environment to control all of your machines,
taking advantage of the various machine features.
Thanks to its easy learning, streamlined
programming method, easy collabora on between
users, and its technological excellence, act/cut is an
unequalled produc vity booster.
Aluminium sheet routing
Aluminum sheet routing technology is
specific to the needs of the aeronau-
tics industry. Today, numerous aircraft
manufacturers and subcontractors use
act/cut on a daily basis to pilot their
NC routing machines. With high nest-
ing performance and the ability to meet
all the technological requirements and
constraints of the routing process, act/cut is the ideal solution for the
programming of your aluminum routing machines.
Wood panel routing
Alma has developed a unique expertise in
the field of wood panel machining on 2.5
axis machines. act/cut is a high added-val-
ue software solution for all manufactur-
© Alma 2012 - Non contractual document
ers who have significant needs in terms
of part nesting. Furthermore, a dedicated
module that combines geometry recogni-
tion functions and automatic machining
functions, enables any CAD-designed 3D part to be imported, prepared
and programmed.
Optional act/cut modules
• act/unfold: 3D import and unfolding of sheet metal parts.
• act/shapes: library of developed shapes for boiler making.
• act/sign: transforma on of pictures and fonts into CAM
ready files for cu ng.
• act/manager: cu ng process management
(manufacturing orders, stock, launching orders) and
data import from/export to produc on management
and ERP systems.