Format Model For Cartons

You can use the Format Model to create and save different carton box designs. The Format Model record allows you to create a  library of box models that you can use in Estimates.

Note: For more information about how to create a Format Model, see Creating A Format Model.

Note: The system limits the engineering simulation for Carton Box products to up to 1,000 different layouts, in Estimates and Jobs. If it goes over that limit, the system aborts that simulation and starts a new one.

 

Design A Carton Format

You can use the tools on the Model tab of the Format Model screen to edit and design carton formats.

iQuote already has a library of carton formats based on the ECMA (European Carton Makers Association) standards available for you to use, that you can access by going to the Format Model List screen on Sales > Records > iQuote > Product Specification > Format Model. The designs available are the ones that belong to the A, B, E, and X ECMA groups.

You can overview and, if necessary, edit those designs using the Scheme field on the Format Model record screen. The scheme is a script representation of the ECMA design, with data such as the flaps' sizes and position, so that the system can understand and analyse it in Estimates.

Note: iQuote is also able to understand and process most of the FEFCO (The European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) designs.

Note: Contact your EPS representative if you want to create your own JavaScript code for the Scheme area or edit it.

 

Nesting

Nesting is an analysis that iQuote can apply to carton box products, when estimating, to take advantage of the product's design in order to reduce waste. In a nutshell, it avoids blank spaces on the substrate by fitting the product repetitions into the gaps of its own design, rather than just placing one repetition next to the other, as displayed in the image below. 

Note the gaps between the product repetitions:

There are five different ways that the system is able to analyze and fit one product repetition into the other; each one being a different Nesting Type.

Straight nest: the system simply takes the design shapes as they are and approach them as much as possible, making the gaps smaller.

Reverse 2nd row nest: the system rotates at 180º the second repetition row and approaches the shapes as much as possible. 

Reverse 2nd row align nest: the system rotates the second repetition row at 180º and also aligns the shape considering the columns.

Reverse 2nd column nest: for this type, the system first rotates the whole layout to be in the vertical. Then, it rotates at 180º the second repetition row and approaches the shapes as much as possible. 

Reverse 2nd column align nest: for this type, the system first rotates the whole layout to be in the vertical. Then, it rotates the second repetition row at 180º and also aligns the shape considering the columns.

 

Each of the Nesting Types has its pros and cons: some of them allow you to use a guillotine type of cut, while others you need to use a die cutter; some of them avoid more waste than others; some may not work for your product design; and so on. It is possible to set each Format Model to allow the use of only one of the types, some, none, or all.

 

Defining the nesting type

To configure which type(s) of Nesting you want iQuote to consider when calculating the estimate for a product that uses a specific format model, follow the steps below.

Go to the Format Model screen at Sales > Records > Product Specification > iQuote > Format Model. The Format Model List screen opens.

 Find a Format Model that has the Format Type field set as "Box" and click to edit it.

On the Nesting Type field, select the check boxes corresponding to the type(s) that you want to make available for this format model. You can also leave all of the options deselected.

Note: If you do not configure the system to use any of the Nesting Types, when iQuote calculates the Estimate engineering, it considers that you chose to use "No Nest". That is, it just places the shapes next to one another considering the maximum outer margins.

Click Save.

 

Using nesting in an estimate

To use the Nesting in an estimate, applying it to a Box Format product, follow the steps below.

Go to Sales > iQuote > Estimate and create a new Estimate for a box product.

On the Product tab, make sure that the Box Format characteristic is selected.

On the fields related to this characteristic, enter the product sizes and choose the "Format Model - Custom Design" option on the Format Type field, so that you can use the models that you created and the ECMA models.

On the Format Model drop-down list, the system will load all of the models that have the Box format type. Choose the model that you want to use in this Estimate. The system will load the model's design to the right.

(optional) If you do not want the system to calculate this specific Estimate considering the same Nesting Types as the ones that you enabled for the format model that you selected, do all of the following.

Click the Model Details button. The Model Details window will open.

On the Nesting Types field, select the check boxes related to the types that you want iQuote to calculate for this model in this Estimate or deselect the ones that iQuote should not calculate.

Click Ok when you are done.

Click the Die layout button. The Die Layout window opens.

In the Horizontal gap and the Vertical gap fields, enter the size of the gaps that must exist between the product repetitions.

Click the Automatic Fit Options button on the grid's tool bar. The system will then calculate all the Nesting options for that model, according to the Nesting Types that you enabled for it.

The Automatic Fit Options window will open and display a grid with the different Nesting options. Click on each one of the rows to see a representation of the layout below the grid.

Note: The grid will display options for the "No Nest" too.
The "No Nest" is the only nesting option that allows you to calculate with only 1 repetition of the product in the layout.

Select the layout(s) that you want iQuote to consider in the engineering simulation and click Confirm.

On the Die Layout window, click on OK.

Go back to the Estimate page and Calculate or Recalculate the engineering.

Note: If you need to change the layout that the engineering selected, go back to the Automatic Fit Options window, select a different option, and recalculate the Estimate.

 

If you want the system to consider all of the possible Nesting layouts in the engineering simulation, you do not need to open the Die Layout window and load the options. You can just calculate the Estimate and wait for the system to simulate all of the options, picking the one that is the least expensive between them.