Sort Cuts By

Sort Cuts is the re-arrangement of the cut blocks in the sequence based on a set of sorting rules. The sorting rules are defined in a sort task. The option to select the sort task is provided in the dialog interface.

Since sorting can be used numerous times to determine the best sort, temporary vectors are generated between the cuts so that you can see the results. Do not confuse these temporary vectors with the index lines developed during tooling motions. These temporary lines will disappear upon the next redraw command.

If you are sorting and developing tooling motions, the temporary vectors are not generated since the index lines are produced during tooling motions development.

Sequence Sort Options-1

Sequence Sort Options-2

Sequence Sort Options-3

This will sort using the lowest number tool 1st, as many times as it can, sorting those cuts by closest point, then change tools to the next highest tool number and continue sorting by closest point, etc....

Tool Sort, Closest Point

This will sort using tool number 1st, then area (smallest to largest), and then closest point.

Tool Sort, Area, Closest Point

This will sort using lowest tool number 1st, then rank number, and then closest point. Looking at the example below, the cuts for tool 1 are gathered, then sorted by rank and placed in order according to closest point. Next, the tool 2 cuts are gathered, then sorted by rank and then selected according to closest point as some of them are the same tool and rank.

Tool Sort, Rank, Closest Point

This will sort using rank 1st, then lowest tool number, and then closest point. In fact the particular example shown below the cuts will be placed in the same order as the sort above. All cuts are sorted by rank first, and then within the ranked cuts, the tool numbers are sorted, lowest first. Last the cuts are sorted according to location from one cut to another within the rank and tool sort.

Rank, Tool Sort, Closest Point

This will sort using rank 1st, then lowest tool number, then area (smallest to largest). Once again, setting the Sequence up in the same order as the last two since the area sort is last, cut 1, cut 2, and cut3 are placed in Rank and then Tool order first and since there is only 1 of each rank, the area sort is really canceled out. The tool 2 cuts (4-9) are sorted by rank and since there is only one cut with rank 4, it has to be first. There are 3 cuts with rank 5, but they are all the same tool number and area, so the sequence places them in an order (any order for these cuts would be valid, even if it was not according to closest point...we just got lucky there) and finally there are two rank 6 cuts and both are made with the same tool number, but one is smaller than the other so it must come first.

Rank, Tool Sort, Area

This will sort using rank 1st, then area (smallest to largest). This order is still similar to the last few, as the rank sorting is the first key. Cuts 1-4 are ordered according to rank, then cuts 5-7 are made in any order since they are the same rank, and area. Finally cuts 8 and 9 are made in area order, since they are the same rank.

Rank Sort, Area

This will sort using rank 1st, then area (smallest to largest), then closest point. This is once again the same order as the last few (you couldn't get this order in a real job, honest). Since the cuts 1-4 are in rank order and there are no duplicates, we move on to cuts 5-7 which are the same rank, and same area. They get sorted according to closest point (remember before we just got lucky, these cuts only have to appear in this order during this sort key). Finally, cuts 8 and 9 are made with the same rank, so they get sorted according to area and the sequence is finished.

Rank Sort, Area, Closest Point

This will sort using lowest tool number 1st, then area. Since the location of the cuts is not a factor, they are tool sorted, then sorted according to size. Cuts 1-2 are the same tool and area, cut 3 is made with tool 1 and is larger than cuts 1 and 2 so it comes after. Cut 4 is the smallest tool 2 cut, so it is next. Cuts 5-8 are all the same tool and area, so they get picked in no particular order, then on to cut 9 which is the largest cut made with tool 2 so it comes last.

Tool Sort, Area

This will sort using closest point only. The tool number, area, rank, etc are all ignored.

Closest Point only

This will sort using area only. It will start with the smallest and work towards the largest shape. No other factors are considered.

Area Only

This will sort using rank only. The lowest rank is first, progressing toward the highest. Decimal and Integer numbers are allowed. There are no other considerations.

Rank Only Sort

This option will sort by moving from the end point (lead-out) of a cut to the next closest start point (lead-in).

Start, End Point

This will sort cuts made in a clockwise direction starting with the lowest X and Y and cut in Increasing X and Y positions until it gets to the end of the CW tool paths and then reverse its direction walking the Sequence back to where it started.

CW First, Zig Zag Increasing X and Y

This will sort cuts starting at the farthest lead-in in X and Y and then proceed to the next closest lead -in while decreasing in X and decreasing in Y values.

Decreasing X, Decreasing Y

This will sort cuts starting at the farthest lead-in in X, but lowest Y and then proceed to the next closest lead-in while decreasing in X and increasing Y values.

Decreasing X, Increasing Y

This will sort cuts starting at the farthest lead in in X and Y and then proceed to the next closest lead-in while decreasing in Y and decreasing in X.

Decreasing Y, Decreasing X

This will sort cuts starting at the farthest lead-in in Y, but closest in X, and then proceed to the next closest lead-in while decreasing in Y and increasing in X.

Decreasing Y, Increasing X

This will sort cuts starting at the closest X and farthest Y lead-in, then proceed to the next closest lead-in while increasing in X and decreasing in Y.

Increasing X, Decreasing Y

This will sort cuts starting at the closest lead in in both X and Y and then proceed to the next closest lead-in while increasing in X and Y values.

Increasing X, Increasing Y

This will sort cuts starting at the closest X, but furthest Y lead-in and then proceed to the next closest lead-in while increasing in Y and decreasing in X.

Increasing Y, Decreasing X

This will sort cuts starting at the closest lead-in in both X and Y and then proceed to the next closest lead-in while increasing in Y and increasing X.

Increasing Y, Increasing X