7. ProNest 2019 Cut List Import

Owned by Chris Randolph
Last updated: May 13, 2019

Import and Process Production for a ProNest Cut List

Cutting a nest produces new inventory - remnants. Follow these steps to get this remnant information back from ProNest and entered into Tekla EPM's inventory.

Send nests out to CNC

Sending a nest to CNC, from the ProNest standpoint, fabricates the piece. This step must be taken before importing a cut list in to EPM.


  • The process of sending nests to CNC populates the ProNest database with information about the nests and the remnants created. Afterward, EPM can add those remnants to the EPM inventory.
  • If the ProNest to EPM Nest Summary report has not yet been imported to EPM, re-generate it (or generate it for the first time) after sending files out to CNC. There will be more information available about the remnants and inventory used at this point.

Import a ProNest Cut List

Do not import a cut list from ProNest until it has been sent to CNC from ProNest. If you sent the nest to CNC before sending the HTML report to EPM, this step may not be necessary.

  • Open Inventory in EPM.
  • Choose Import, the ProNest Cut List from the Inventory menu.

Once a cut list is imported from EPM it can be Cut in EPM, relieving inventory of the plate used, and adding the proper remnants.

Keeping Inventory up to date through Production

  • Open the Production Control Job, select "Review" then "Cut Lists" from the Production Control menu.

  • At the bottom of the window, click "New Cut List".

  • click "Make Report", then "Save Cut List"

  • Enter a description and due date for your cut list.

  • Now, the new cut list will show up on the cut lists screen.

  • Double click a line to see the cuts on that cut list.

  • Double clicking one of these lines will bring up details about the cut.

  • Click "Nest Image" on the upper right to see images for this nest.

  • The top left shows the External Nest ID, and the software creating this nest, followed by a list of all the parts on this nest. The middle shows the ProNest image of the Nest, and tabs across the top show each remnant and each part in the nest.
  • After the machine has cut this plate, click "Cut" at the bottom of the Cut Lists screen.

  • Enter information for the inventory piece actually used.

  • Click "TFS" to remove the inventory piece from EPM's inventory and add the remnants created to inventory. The cut list will now show "Complete"

  • Remnants will be added to inventory.

  • Double clicking the remnant piece will open up a picture of it.

  • This remnant is linked to the ProNest database and can be returned to ProNest for further nesting.


Troubleshooting

A common problem when performing the Take From Stock ("TFS") is to receive the error "External Nesting Result is not available". This occurs when the cut list that was imported from ProNest to EPM could not be completed as imported.

Some common causes of this situation:

  • The ProNest job was sent to CNC with the initial nesting, but the material in EPM needed to be ordered - so the inventory didn't exist in EPM when ProNest labeled this part "cut".
  • The ProNest job was sent to CNC multiple times.
  • The cut list was imported to EPM before the material being cut has been received in to Inventory.
  • Something in the nest changed in EPM, invalidating the nest. (Perhaps the reserved inventory was used for something else).

To cure this "External Nesting Result is not available" error:

  • Make sure all inventory needed for this nest is in stock (not on order, but received) in EPM, then
  • Open the job in ProNest and re-send it out to CNC.
  • Then Import Cut List from ProNest again in EPM. This time it should link properly.