3. ProNest Initial Setup

ProNest Integration Setup

These tasks must be performed before using the ProNest Integration.

For the ProNest integration overview, see ProNest Integration.

See also Set up Tekla PowerFab for ProNest in the Product Guide.

Verify that ProNest and DataSync are working

If you're not sure that they're working, refer to the Pre-Setup requirements task list.

Enable ProNest Integration

1. In Tekla PowerFab, click the Maintenance ribbon tab and select Integration Settings > ProNest

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2. To add the option to send the inventory to ProNest and to add ProNest as a choice of nesting software for a combining run, select Enable ProNest for Plate Nesting.

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Nesting Request File Format

A nesting request can be sent either using the Work Order service, or the PNL/SNL file exchange.

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• The Work Order format allows sending of the parts list in a single click - It will automatically import to the Parts List in ProNest and be available for nesting.
• The PNL/SNL format allows sending of both the parts list and the available inventory. It will create a set of two files with the same name (one having a .pnl extension, and the other a .snl). Opening the PNL file with ProNest will import the parts, select them for nesting, and set the "Plate List" (available inventory for this nest) to the plates contained in the SNL file.

Database Connection Tab

In order to keep Inventory in sync, PowerFab reads the ProNest database. On this tab, we create and test a connection to the ProNest database.

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• IP address is ProNest-Server\PRONEST by default. The machine name must be the machine with ProNest on it (this is not necessarily the machine with Tekla PowerFab). From within ProNest, File->Help use the contents of the Database: field.
• Click "Test Connection". If it does not successfully connect, check ProNest to see if the database is Networked, or double-check the machine name.

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Inventory Sync Tab

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• The Inventory Sync Folder must be readable (and writable) by both PowerFab and ProNest, so if they are on different computers, it must be a shared folder.
• Data Sync Command Path is the path to the DataSyncCmd.exe that you added to the PowerFab workstation (or perhaps the server) in the Pre-setup tasks.
• Inventory Sync Timeout is the amount of time that PowerFab will wait for a non-responding Data Sync. 3-5 minutes is usually sufficient. (Just enter a number, the "minutes" will be automatically filled in)
• Material Display Format must match ProNest Regional Preferences
• Last Inventory Sync shows the date and time of the last successful inventory sync.
• Last Inventory Sync Error shows the error that Inventory Sync encountered (if any).
• Show File Location Errors for Cut Lists shows errors related to the location of the machine file that ProNest produces.
• Import Cut List before Inventory Sync Check this to receive updates on what is cut before running inventory sync (checked is recommended).
• Sync Material On Order: Do not select this to avoid sending material that is not yet received.

Come back to this after you are satisfied with the setup and field mapping:

• Enable automatic syncing by selecting the Enable Automatic Inventory Sync check box.
• Select an interval for running the Inventory Sync task. This interval should be frequent enough to keep your Inventory in sync, but not be constantly running. 10-60 minutes is probably ideal. (Just enter a number, the minutes will be automatically filled in).
• They can also do this with an automated event, and the Automated event is the preferred workflow.

Transfer Settings Tab

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Five fields in Tekla PowerFab are mappable to fields in ProNest. They are:

• Remnant ID: This is a unique ID that PowerFab assigns to each remnant. It will not change once assigned, and can be made visible in both PowerFab and ProNest by mapping this field to a ProNest field.
• Heat Serial # Field: The Heat Number of an inventory item automatically maps across to ProNest. If you also use the Heat Serial Number field, map it here.
• PO # Field: This allows you to see what PO an inventory item is on from ProNest.
• Bill of Lading Field: If you use this field in PowerFab, you may also want to see it's contents in ProNest.
• Secondary Location Field: The Location of an inventory item automatically maps across to ProNest. If you also use Secondary Location, map it here.

Set ProNest Grade and Size Designations

Sending nesting requests from Tekla PowerFab to ProNest requires that the two software packages agree on the name and thickness of each type of plate included. In Tekla PowerFab, most plate is labeled "PL". In ProNest, plates can be "MS", "AL" or "SS" (or some others), depending on the grade. In order to accommodate this difference, Tekla PowerFab includes a "ProNest Designation" for each grade.

1. On the Maintenance ribbon tab, select Shapes/Grades/Sizes.

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2. In the navigation tree on the left, select Plates.

3. Select one of the plate shapes from the display grid, and the Grades tab on the right.

4. For each Grade:

• Click Edit Grade.

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• Under ProNest Shape Designation enter MS for any grade that is Steel (MS = Mild Steel), SS for any grade of Stainless Steel, and AL for any grade of Aluminum. If you regularly use a plate that does not fall into these three categories, contact your ProNest representative for the appropriate abbreviations.

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There are also some materials where ProNest and Tekla PowerFab disagree on the thickness. (This generally occurs with gauge plate). 

If/when this happens, edit the dimension of the plate in question in Shapes/Grades/Sizes: Select the Dimensions tab and click Edit Dimension. You can enter in the thickness that ProNest wants in the ProNest Design field.

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If your instance of ProNest is new, then there's a possibility that there are no materials (or very few materials, and no grades) in your ProNest materials database. 

If this is the case, you need to export materials from Tekla PowerFab to ProNest after we put in all the ProNest Shape Designations in Shapes/Grades/Sizes.
1. To export materials, on the Shapes/Grades/Sizes ribbon tab, select Export > Export to ProNest.
2. In ProNest, open the Materials Database (Data tab, materials), then choose file > Import, and import the file that Tekla PowerFab created.

Then we have materials, with grades, that are useful.

Inventory Display Fields

Tekla PowerFab offers several fields in Inventory that prove useful to this integration.

Remnant ID shows the Tekla PowerFab ID of any Remnant. This is a static number, and will not change.

ProNest ID shows the PlateID of the plate in ProNest Inventory.

Remnant Name shows the name of the remnant (Description Field) in ProNest.

Remnant Type shows whether the remnant is a skeleton or a remnant.

To display it in your Inventory Display Fields go to Maintenance > Inventory > Inventory: Edit Display Fields.

Setting ProNest as the Default Plate Nesting Software

If desired, set ProNest as the default Nesting Software for each module that allows external nests.

1. For Combining, Estimating, Production Control or Requisitions go to Maintenance > Company Standards for the desired module.

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2. Click Combining Optimizations and go to the the Plate Nesting Settings tab

4. Select ProNest from the drop-down. This choice will become the default for every nesting run.

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Setup in ProNest

ProNest Settings

In the File menu of ProNest, select Preferences:

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In General, under Options > CNC Output, check every box, then click OK.

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Setup for Reporting back to Tekla PowerFab

To get information about a nest back to Tekla PowerFab, use the ProNest to Tekla PowerFab Nest Summary report.

1. Place the file "ProNest to Tekla PowerFab Nest Summary.fr3" in the ProNest custom Reports directory. By default this is C:\ProgramData\Hypertherm CAM\ProNest (year)\Reports (FastReport)\Custom Reports.

2. To open the Report Manager, select Reports on the Home tab.

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• The ProNest to Tekla PowerFab Nest Summary should appear in the Custom Reports list.

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If desired (for use in ProNest's One Click), add a Batch containing this report.

1. To add a batch, go to  File > New > Batch.

2. Make sure an HTML destination is included in the Destinations. If it isn't, add it by clicking File > New > Destination on the Report Manager window.

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3. Select HTML to see the properties of the destination. Make sure that Pictures is set to JPEG.

4. To run the report, select the Reports dropdown, Export to Tekla PowerFab and Send to > HTML.

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