Nesting in 3D Printing Helps Optimize Space

Modeling is a key step in additive manufacturing, especially when it comes to the creation of complex parts. In the 3D printing sector, there are a number of CAD programs available for 3D printing. With a growing market, players in the sector need to reduce their production times, while saving materials and without compromising part quality. The question is: how can 3D-printed products be produced faster? The answer is simple: simply increase the number of parts produced in a single print run. This is where nesting software comes in to optimize this stage of the 3D printing process.

Nesting software has a fairly straightforward role. It is used to achieve maximum savings in materials and part production time. Indeed, in and of itself the software is not considered to be CAD software, as it does not allow you to design a model. Instead, its role is to optimize the placement of parts on the printing bed to achieve the maximum parts per printing volume in a single run. Whether automated or manual, 3D nesting sorts, orients and organizes 3D files to maximize space inside a 3D printer, without interfering with non-manufacturing areas.

Parts are positioned and oriented to optimize space in the 3D printer (photo credits: Materialise).

However, inefficient use of nesting can lead to material wastage and printing errors. Nesting software in 3D printing thus works like the video game Tetris, where the aim is to place each block in a very specific square to optimize space on the game board. It is now increasingly available in CAD solutions as an additional design option. Some of the solutions available on the market include Sculpteo’s Fabpilot, CoreTechnologie’s 4D_Additive and Autodesk’s Fusion 360 and Inventor Nesting. Most nesting solutions are extensions to CAD software.