Beta Optimizer Changes

Beta Optimizer Changes

As of build 25.1.0325.641, Microvellum’s optimizer for block nesting, sawing, and scrap management has received an update to improve its functionality. This new optimizer is considered to be in beta form, with development ongoing and new features planned to be added in future builds. Listed below are instructions on interacting with and the various changes made to the optimizer. 

Enabling the Beta Optimizer 

Fig. 1: The new "Optimizer Type" menu.
To utilize the beta optimizer, you must enable it in the settings of the processing station you plan to process with. Selecting “Beta” as the Optimizer Type will cause the processing station to be run using the beta optimizer. Selecting “Legacy” will run the legacy optimizer instead.

Changes - Nest tab

The Nesting processing station has undergone multiple changes within the beta optimizer. Certain existing settings from the legacy optimizer have been removed due to being rendered obsolete, while others have been relocated (undergoing no changes in functionality, only location within the interface). Additionally, multiple new settings have been added to enhance the user control and the results of the optimizer.  
Fig. 2: The Nesting Processing Station settings when using the beta optimizer.
Within the beta optimizer, the following settings from the Legacy optimizer are noticeably changed:

Replaced/Removed Settings

Optimization:
Strategy – The strategy option has been removed. Its settings can now be handled through specifications found in other settings.
Part Grouping – The part grouping option has been replaced with the “Part Sorting and Grouping” section, which allows for near identical functionality in terms of grouping and sorting selection. 
True Shape Control – The True Shape control slider has been replaced with a singular set option: “True Shape Nesting Enabled”.
Alert
True Shape nesting with the beta optimizer is, at the time of writing, still in development. Users who wish to utilize True Shape Nesting must still do so with the legacy optimizer.

Relocated Sections

Don’t Rotate Parts With: The “Don’t Rotate Parts With” section has been relocated to the center left of the interface. Additionally, a second (identical) set of fields for hole quantity and hole diameter has been added.
Drawing Options: The “Drawing Options” section has been relocation to the center bottom-left of the interface.
Small Part Threshold group: The Small Part Threshold section has been relocated to the top right of the interface. 

New Settings

Optimization group:
  1. Optimizer Persistence – This slider adjusts the amount of time the optimizer operates and analyzes patterns of material, potentially resulting in better results. It has selectable options of 250, 500, 750 or 1000 Patterns. The level selected represents the number of patterns that the optimizer will continue evaluating without improved results found. Each time that a new, better result is found, the optimizer’s persistence counter resets to allow an additional ‘selected value’ patterns to be checked again. The recommended settings are 250 and 500. 
Notes
A ‘Pattern’ as used above represents a single solution or optimization of parts on sheets.  Assuming one has the expected results, a single pattern represents all parts (or as many parts as possible) placed on the fewest number of sheets for that solution.
  1. Max Quantity Per Optimized Sheet – This textbox has been disabled until development is complete on this feature.
Part Placement Restrictions group:
  1. Minimum Small Parts Distance – This option sets part behavior to function the same as the ‘Optimization Strategy: Small Parts to Center’ option did in the Legacy optimizer. Select the percentage representing the minimum distance away from the edge of the sheet that small parts should remain during optimization. (Small Part Threshold must be set to use this setting.)
  1. Parallel Route Restriction Distance – This option allows the user to specify a minimum distance between routing operations on parts and the nearest parallel sheet edge. This feature only considers face 6 routes if “Run Face 6 First” is enabled.    

New Settings - Saw Tab

Fig. 3: The Saw Processing Station settings with the beta optimizer.
  1. Sheet Selection Type – This allows the user to decide if they wish to optimize using priority sheet selection or weighted sheet selection. For more information on this setting and different sheet selection types, consult this article. 
  2. Optimizer Persistence – Allows the user to choose how persistent the optimizer is when deciding to stop or not. The number selected represents the number of patterns that the optimizer will continue evaluating without improved results before stopping. Users can select between 10, 25, 50, and 100 patterns.
  3. Stacked Material Preference - This slider sets the level of priority the optimizer assigns to either yield or stacking material sheets. This setting has replaced the Labor/Yield strategy slide.
  4. Cut Preference Slider – This slider allows the user to control the level of rip and cross-cut operations. Placing it at either end will ensure that the corresponding cut is always applied first. This setting replaces the cut preference radio buttons.
  5. Perfect Grain Attempt Cut in Initial Sheet – This checkbox, when disabled, sets the optimizer to create a separate sheet for perfect grain containers. When enabled, the optimizer instead attempts to cut the perfect grain parts in the same container it was placed in. This setting was changed from radio buttons to a checkbox. 

Changes - Scrap Tab

Fig. 4: The Scrap Processing Station settings with the beta optimizer.

  1. Scrap Usage Preference – Allows the user to define how much they prefer scrap to be used. Minimum (far left) sets scrap to be valued at the same level as regular sheets. Maximum (far right) sets the optimizer to prefer the use of scrap over regular sheets of material.

Optimizer Progress UI

Fig. 5: The Optimizer Progress UI.

The Beta Optimizer has a new and improved progress UI that displays when optimization operations are underway. This UI has multiple settings, progress bars, and other vital information that assists users in keeping track of the progress of their optimization. 

UI Elements:

  1. Optimizer Tabs – These tabs allow the user to swap between the different operations the optimizer is undertaking to watch each step of the process.
  2. Processing Station Status – This element shows the processing station being optimized and its status. The status can be one of 5 options: 
    1. Awaiting Start – The optimization instance has begun processing.
    2. Formulating Patterns – The optimization instance is currently analyzing and processing.
    3. Complete – The optimization instance has completed with a valid result.
    4. Failed – The optimization instance has failed to create a valid result.
    5. Aborted – The optimization instance has been aborted by the user.
  3. Time Display – Displays the elapsed time since optimization began and the estimated time remaining until optimization is complete.
  4. Optimization Instance Progress Bar – A progress bar that visually displays how the time elapsed compared to the time remaining in the optimization operation one is currently on the tab of.
  5. Preliminary Optimization Results – This section contains multiple labels that display information about the current best optimization result:
    1. Total Stacks – This is the number of total stacks of sheets. Currently this label is only displayed when optimizing using a saw processing station. 
    2. Total Sheets – The total number of sheets used.
    3. Yield – This displays the yield of all sheets. (The percentage of usable space that is filled with parts.)
    4. Total Scrap – The percentage of usable space that was used for scrap.
    5. Total Waste – The percentage of usable space that goes to waste, not filled by a part or used as scrap.
    6. Optimized Parts – The number of parts the optimizer was able to place, and the number of parts originally selected for optimization.
    7. Total Patterns Evaluated – The total number of valid patterns evaluated and created by the optimizer.
  6. Enable Continuous Optimization Checkbox – This checkbox allows the user to force the optimizer to continue optimizing past the original time estimate. When enabled, the optimizer will not stop until the user clicks the “(H)Accept Preliminary Optimization Results Button” or unchecks the Optimize Indefinitely Checkbox.
  7. Abort/Cancel Optimization Button – This button allows the user to abort optimization early. This makes it so optimization stops and does not finish processing. If all optimization instances are aborted, then everything from the current batch is also deleted. 
  8. Accept Preliminary Optimization Results Button – This button allows the user to stop optimization early and accept the current best results available. This button is only clickable after the optimizer has created at least one valid result.
  9. Overall Processing Text – This text informs the user of the current state of overall processing.
  10. Overall Processing Progress Bar – A progress bar that visually displays the overall progress of all ongoing optimization operations. The label next to the progress bar details the current processing step the optimizer is currently on.
  11. Overall Cancel Button – This button cancels all ongoing optimizer instances. If all instances are already complete, this button instead says “Close” and allows the user to close the entire UI window.

Missing Parts Dialog

Fig. 6: The new missing parts pop-up alert.
A pop-up alert has been added to notify users when parts are missing once optimization either starts or finishes. The error displays the number of parts that were able to be placed and the number of original parts. This menu has 3 options: Abort, Retry, and Ignore. 
  1. Abort: Aborts the current optimization and its post optimization processing. 
  2. Retry: Allows the optimizer to continue attempting to get a better result. Selecting Retry enables Continuous Optimization, so one must manually accept after choosing this option. 
  3. Ignore: Ignores the error and allows the optimization to finish using the parts that were able to be placed.

Restrict Placement by Drill Reach Improvement

Fig. 7: The 'Restrict Placement by Drill Reach' option in the Nest settings.

An improvement has been made to Drill Reach Restrictions. When using the legacy optimizer, if a part with VDrill machining is outside the drill’s reach, in some scenarios the legacy optimizer would not be capable of creating a valid result, which would cause an error. To remedy this, the beta optimizer instead restricts part placement by the drill’s reach, preventing operations outside of the drill’s reach from occurring in the first place. This can be enabled under the “Part Placement Restrictions” setting in the Processing Station, by checking the “Restrict Placement by Drill Reach” box. The optimizer will automatically adjust parts and materials to solve these issues. 

As an example, suppose one is running an operation with a part at 0 rotation and a VDrill machining location that is outside the possible drill reach (as in Figure 7). With the legacy optimizer, the issue might produce an error, but with the beta optimizer, the issue should be analyzed and a solution determined to bring the machining spot into the container: flip the part 180° to bring the point into the container (as seen in Figure 8).

Fig. 8: A VDrilling point outside of the nesting container.
Fig. 9: The part flipped 180 by the beta optimizer.

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