• Purchase & configure the Cut Rite® software from Stiles Machinery to consume the PTX file.
  
• Create a project and work order in Microvellum.
  

This tutorial utilizes the Microvellum work order and demonstrates how to configure a Cut Rite® processing station within Microvellum. Processing with that station results in a file of the type “Parts & Boards – ASCII/Unicode CSV,” with a PTX file extension. That file is then optimized inside Cut Rite for optimized results. 

Tutorial: Create and Configure a CutRite Processing Station in Microvellum

1. Depending on the version of Microvellum, use one of the methods below to access the screen to set up a new processing station.
   
1. Click Toolbox Setup > Processing Station Setup. If your version does not contain that command path, click Toolbox Setup > Options > Processing Stations. One of these two commands opens the processing station management screen.
   
2. Click the button for Edit Existing Work Order and select a work order to open it and display the processing station management screen.
   


Fig. 01 – Processing Station Management Screen



2. Click the Add button in the Processing Stations section of the screen.
   


Fig. 02 – Add Processing Station Button



3. Add a station Name in the appropriate box. (The box for Activity Station may remain blank.)
   
4. Drop down the list box and select a station Type of “Cut Rite Parts File.”
   
5. Click the Settings tab and enter Premill Type and Auto Assign Rules as necessary for your company. See information on those subjects elsewhere in the Microvellum help system.
   


Fig. 03 – Processing Station Settings




6. Click the Associates tab and add any secondary processing stations as required to pass edgebore or single part barcodes passed through to the Cut Rite parts file.
   

   You must first set up all your necessary processing stations in the Processing Station Management screen, then follow the steps below.
   

1. Click the Add button (plus mark icon) to add a blank row.
   
2. Click the cell in that new blank row in the Index column and enter or select a number that represents the priority of data to appear on the labels. In other words, if you have multiple machines that produce the same type of G-Code, such as multiple point-to-point machines or multiple edgeboring machines, the lower this number, the higher that Associate will be in priority for displaying its data on the labels.
   
3. Click the cell in that new blank row in the Type column and enter or select one of the processing station types from the list.
   
4. Click the cell in that new blank row in the Name column and enter or select one of the processing stations from the list. These are stations that have already been set up from the Processing Stations Management screen.
   

To delete an existing Associate, select the line to delete, and click the Delete button (trash can icon). Click Yes to confirm the deletion.




Fig. 04 – Processing Station Associates Showing One Point-to-Point and Two Edgeboring Associates



7. Click the Files & Pictures tab to set various properties necessary to create the Cut Rite PTX import files.
   
1. In the “File Location” section, click the Browse button to select a folder where the Cut Rite PTX files will be created.
   
2. In the “Part Picture File Location” section click the Browse button to select a folder where any part picture files for use with an auto-labeling machine are to be created.
   
1. Select the Picture Type, Pixel Size, and Zoom Factor as needed by the auto-labeling system.
   
2. If the Picture Type “WMF” is selected, you may also select the option for “Use Legacy WMF Format” if required by your auto-labeling system.
   


Fig. 05 – Processing Station Files & Picture Properties

You have now completed the creation and configuration of your Cut Rite station. You are now ready to process work order data with that station and the others you have created to support your complete manufacturing process.

Microvellum does not provide support for setting up your Cut Rite system. See the Cut Rite help system for specific tasks and details, or contact your Cut Rite representative. 

When your Cut Rite system has been set up, and the PTX file imported, optimize your data using Cut Rite.

A sample PTX file created using this tutorial is attached as an example of its format.