pronest logoProNest® CAD/CAM part nesting software for advanced mechanized cutting is designed to supercharge your cutting operation, helping you achieve greater automation, efficiency, and profitability. Brought to you by the cutting experts at Hypertherm, ProNest can optimize performance for plasma, laser, waterjet, and oxyfuel cutting machines.

Software information

Benefits

Material cost savings

Powerful, high-yield nesting reduces your material costs and increases profitability.

Ease of use

Incredibly easy to learn and use, with intuitive screens, and a wide variety of helpful features.

Breakthrough technologies

ProNest is the only software that provides full support for Hypertherm’s SureCut™ technologies including True Hole® and Rapid Part™, which are delivered automatically without operator intervention, and True Bevel™ which greatly reduces bevel set up time.

Increased productivity

Modules like Common Line Cutting or Chain and Bridge Cutting can increase efficiency, and reduce cutting time and consumable wear.

Beyond nesting

More than just a nesting software, ProNest includes powerful features to help manage your entire cutting operation. You’ll be able to quote jobs, manage work orders, and monitor machine status, all in one place.

Unlimited technical support

Unlimited access to technical support, training, and software updates is included with your purchase.

Supported applications

Cut process support

  • Plasma – conventional air/oxygen (ex. Powermax®, MAXPRO®)
  • Plasma – high definition (ex. XPR™, HyPerformance®)
  • Laser
  • Oxyfuel
  • Waterjet

Machine applications

  • Bevel machine*
  • Drill machine*
  • Plate machine (e.g., Peddinghaus)*
  • Reposition machine (e.g., combination punch)*

* Requires optional module

Standard features

Comprehensive machine support

  • All major brands/manufacturers/models

Advanced part design and development

  • Integrated 2D CAD program to create and edit CAD files
  • Variable Shape Parts library to develop common parts from templates

CAD/CAM import and conversion

  • Import CAD files (industry-standard file formats)
  • Import PDF
  • Raster to vector converts static images to CAD
  • Import Bill of Materials properties from CAD files
  • Automatic CAD file correction and error notification
  • Automatic spline/ellipse smoothing and reduction
  • Separate multiple parts from a single CAD file
  • Automatic mapping of CAD layers to processes (cut, mark, etc.)
  • Automatic update of nest for part revisions
  • Automatic part corner radiusing for optimized laser cycle time and part quality

Fast, easy job setup

  • Material database (with grade and gauge)
  • Customer database
  • Custom remnant creation (define irregular shapes for nesting)
  • Plate list
  • Part library
  • Assembly database
  • Grain constraint
  • Safe zones for plate clamping applications
  • Multi-head cutting

SureCut™ technology and built-in process expertise

  • True Hole® technology capable
  • Rapid Part™ technology capable
  • True Bevel™ technology capable
  • Advanced process support and job setup on the CNC
  • Material type, thickness, grade and class-based process parameters:
  • Separations for part, plate, and pierce spacing
  • Kerf compensation and feedrate
  • Quality and dynamic feedrate calculator for waterjet
  • Lead-in/out style optimized for part geometry and quality
  • Cutting techniques
  • Pre-pierce and edge pierce
  • Moving pierce techniques for waterjet
  • Disable automatic height control based on part geometry
  • Pre-heat timing for oxyfuel
  • Cut sequencing (automatic or manual)
  • Vaporize protective film layer prior to laser cutting
  • Automatic tabbing/micro-joints
  • Fly cutting

Interactive manual nesting

  • Jobs can contain sheets for different material types, thicknesses, and classes
  • Color parts according to part property
  • Group parts into clusters for nesting
  • Drag, drop, bump, and auto-bump parts on the nest
  • Move, mirror, and drag to rotate parts
  • Prohibit/permit nesting inside of a part
  • Part interference detection
  • Edit lead-in/out position and properties within the nest
  • Animated cutting sequence simulation
  • Control cut direction and cut sequencing on part-by-part basis
  • Plate cropping

Detailed reporting

  • Management and shop reports
  • Export reports directly to PDF, Excel Spreadsheet, CSV, or webpage

Simplified costing and quoting

  • User-defined machine and labor production costing
  • Automatic calculation of part production costs and part/nest utilization
  • Quoting tool including itemized part costs, secondary processes, markups, and discounts

Choice of output

  • OneClick™ feature runs all of your most common job tasks automatically
  • Post-processor with advanced NC output
  • DXF output

Modules

Productivity modules

  • Automatic Nesting
  • Nesting System Optimization
  • Common Line Cutting
  • Collison Avoidance
  • Chain and Bridge Cutting
  • Skeleton Cut-up

Enterprises modules

  • Data Sync
  • Plate Inventory
  • Work Order Processing

3D process modules

  • Pipe and Fittings
  • SOLIDWORKS® Software Interface
  • Inventor® Software Interface
  • Creo™ Parametric (formerly Pro/E) Software Interface

Machine interface modules

  • Reposition Machine Interface
  • Bevel Machine Interface
  • Drill Machine Interface
  • Plate Machine Interface

 

System requirements

CPU

1.4 GHz processor or faster
(3 GHz recommended)

Memory

8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended)

Display

VGA display with at least 256 colors and a resolution of 1024 x 768

Disk space

6 GB available disk space

Microsoft® Windows® operating system

64-bit OS only

  • Windows 10
  • Windows 8 or 8.1

Spreadsheet program

Microsoft Excel® 2010 or later is recommended for editing ProNest settings spreadsheets.

Resources