General Technical Information
Sheet Metal Cutting Calculator
Sheet Metal Cutting Calculator
Overview
This is a Windows Forms application designed for managing and analyzing DXF files used in sheet metal cutting operations. The program processes CAD drawings to calculate cutting parameters, material utilization, and nesting optimization.
This project is currently under development. Feel free to contact us if you’d like more information.
Core Functionality
DXF File Management
• Import & Export: Read/write DXF files in various AutoCAD formats (R10 through 2018, including binary versions)
• Batch Processing: Load entire folders of DXF files for analysis
• Multi-file Support: Can select and process multiple DXF files simultaneously
• Auto-splitting: Automatically detects and splits multi-part drawings into individual components
Drawing Analysis & Calculations
The program analyzes each DXF file to calculate:
• Dimensions: Width and height of the part
• External measurements: Contour length and area
• Internal measurements: Hole/cutout lengths and areas
• Material utilization: Net filled area (external minus internal)
• Nesting area: Minimum bounding rectangle for optimal material placement
• Internal contour counting: Number of holes or internal features
Project Management (.smcc files)
• Project files: Save/load collections of DXF records as compressed XML projects
• Thumbnail generation: Creates preview images for each part
• Grid view: Displays all parts in a sortable, navigable table
• Reordering: Move parts up/down in the project list
• MRU lists: Recently used DXF and project files
Drawing Cleanup Tools
Automated cleaning operations include:
• Explode blocks: Converts all block insertions to individual entities
• Remove annotations: Strips dimensions, text, leaders, and hatches
• Flatten 3D: Projects all entities to Z=0 plane
• Normalize: Standardizes entity properties
• Remove duplicates: Eliminates coincident/overlapping entities
• Auto-join: Connects near-coincident endpoints
• Spline conversion: Converts splines to polylines
• Delete by property: Remove entities by color, layer, or line type
Visualization Features
• Filled area display: Shows gradient-filled regions for better visualization
• Nesting rectangles: Displays minimum bounding boxes
• Dark/Light themes: Multiple display modes including system default
• Grid & axes: Configurable display options
• Highlight errors: Shows non-connected entities
Output & Reporting
• Excel export: Exports project data with embedded thumbnail images (using ClosedXML)
• Image export: Save drawing previews as JPEG/PNG/BMP
• Print preview: Multi-page project reports with thumbnails and measurements
• Plot/Print: Direct printing of DXF drawings with customizable settings
Interactive Tools
• Contour analysis: Click to measure specific contours
• Delete contours: Interactive removal of closed regions
• Pan & Zoom: Standard CAD navigation controls
• Entity joining: Manually connect entities
Technical Features
• Unit support: Multiple measurement systems (Decimal, Architectural, Engineering, Fractional, Scientific, Windows Desktop)
• Precision control: Configurable decimal precision
• Image hashing: SHA256-based duplicate detection using thumbnail comparison
• Registry persistence: Saves user preferences, window positions, and MRU lists
• Custom file dialogs: Enhanced with custom folder shortcuts
Use Case
This application is tailored for sheet metal fabrication shops that need to:
1. Analyze multiple DXF cutting files
2. Calculate material requirements and waste
3. Optimize part nesting for minimal material usage
4. Generate reports for production planning
5. Clean up CAD files from various sources
The program emphasizes automation and batch processing to streamline the workflow from CAD design to manufacturing execution.
Sheet Metal Calculation On Line