Deleting CAMduct generated nests in ESTmep

[Bonedigger]

Is there a way to delete nests that have been generated in CAMduct when you open an maj in ESTmep? If the items have been nested, ESTmep will not allow you to delete them, or even edit them. Or is the only solution to go back and delete the nests in CAMduct first? (I'm using ESTmep 2022)

[Jona]

I took a look and didn't see anything. I couldn't even find a way to view nests, so I doubt it exists. I even tried saving as an ESJ in CAMduct before opening in ESTmep.

Which kind of makes sense, shop personnel probably wouldn't want estimators deleting their NC's - on purpose or accident.

[Bonedigger]

Which kind of makes sense, shop personnel probably wouldn't want estimators deleting their NC's - on purpose or accident.

Yes and no. Obviously you don't want the nests deleted on the fab side. But even after making a copy of the job, it's not editable in ESTmep (e.g. project managers combining majs for tracking the job using ESTmep) unless you first delete the nests in CAMduct.

[Jona]

I'd assume because when you make a copy, it retains the NC information, but doesn't create a new NC. Instead you have 2 MAJ files looking at the same set of NCs. And deleting the NC in the copied MAJ is the same as deleting it in the original.

In EST one can batch MAJ files together in the Job Wizard without needing to modify them. Show New Job Wizard>Existing Job>Batch Process Jobs Together. Select the files needed then click the "+". Then Select a process. I usually choose "None" here. Select Next and it'll combine the selected files.

[Bonedigger]

No, the nests don't have to have an NC written. Even with "untitled" nests (nests with no NC), it won't let you modify items in ESTmep if they're nested. Batch processing jobs with nests carries the nests over, and even keeps the NC's for the nests if they're written. On the ESTmep side, we run a few scripts and exports for pulling costs from our system (something we don't deal with on the CAMduct side), so we have to be able to modify items.

Edit. By the way, duplicating a job through the Job Browser deletes the NC from the nests in the duplicate and disassociates them from the original, so deleting nests in a duplicate doesn't delete the NCs in the original.