Foam and inserts
Case inserts built up sheet by sheet, with a pocket for every item they hold.
Foam case inserts, packaging fitments and shadow boards: an insert built up from sheets, with pockets for the items it holds, cut through the sheets they reach or routed part-way.
What you can design
3 parametric designs come in the library's Foam and inserts folder (File › Run Parametric…): open one, type your sizes and the drawing follows. Open any of them in the viewer to try it.
The trade's tools
For a drawing whose industry is Foam and inserts, the toolbar and Edit › Tool offer these tools beside the general drawing, editing and dimensioning tools. Each is parametric: change a size, or move a point it was drawn on, and what it made follows.
Tab (micro-joint)
Tabs (micro-joints) left uncut in a cut, to hold the part in the sheet.
On the toolbar's Bridge or Tab button
Bridge
Bridges in a die's rules: where clicked, spread along a rule, or cleared.
On the toolbar's Bridge or Tab button
Edge Notch
A V or U notch cut into an edge.
On the toolbar's Notch button
Foam layers
An insert's sheets, top to base, laid out side by side to cut.
Pocket
A pocket with finger pulls, through the sheets its depth reaches.
On the toolbar's Pocket button
Shadow pocket
A pocket round an item's own outline, a clearance out.
On the toolbar's Pocket button
Exports
File › Export › Export… lists these formats first for a Foam and inserts drawing:
And the formats every trade uses:
Machine profiles
File › Send Using Machine Profile sends the drawing to a machine in one click, with the format, options, layer names and pens it needs. These come with the app:
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CNC router (DXF, depth in the layer names)
DXF and DWG
CNC routers through Vectric, Alphacam, Enroute, Fusion or the machine's CAM
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CNC router (G-code, tools from the layers)
G-code
Routers whose control runs G-code (Fanuc-style, Mach, LinuxCNC, grbl / FluidNC)
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Emulator: CNC (G-code)
G-code
ParametrIQ machine emulator
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Emulator: laser (LightBurn)
LightBurn Projects
ParametrIQ machine emulator
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Emulator: laser (SVG)
SVG for Glowforge and xTool
ParametrIQ machine emulator
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Emulator: plotter / cutter (HP-GL/2)
HP-GL
ParametrIQ machine emulator
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Emulator: sample-maker (CF2)
CF2
ParametrIQ machine emulator
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Emulator: sample-maker (DDES3)
DDES3
ParametrIQ machine emulator
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Kongsberg table (CF2)
CF2
Esko Kongsberg X / C / XN / XP (i-cut Production Console, iPC)
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Kongsberg table (DXF)
DXF and DWG
Esko Kongsberg (i-cut Production Console, iPC)
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Laser CAM by colour (DXF)
DXF and DWG
CO2 and fibre lasers whose software sorts by colour (RDWorks, LightBurn's DXF import, LaserCut, Trotec Ruby, Epilog)
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LightBurn laser (project)
LightBurn Projects
CO2, diode and fibre lasers run by LightBurn (Ruida, Trocen, TopWisdom, GRBL, Galvo)
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Rule bender (CF2)
CF2
Automatic rule benders: Lasercomb, Kongsberg/Esko, Serviform, Data Technology, Prima, Suzhou SLD …
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Rule bender (DDES3)
DDES3
Rule benders and die-making systems that read DDES3
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Sample table (HP-GL, a pen a tool)
HP-GL
Aristo, Elitron, Valiani, Data Technology and other tables that read HP-GL
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Waterjet (DXF, cut and etch)
DXF and DWG
Waterjets through OMAX Intelli-MAX, Flow FlowXpert / FlowCut, KMT or the machine's CAM
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Zünd Cut Center (DXF)
DXF and DWG
Zünd G3 / S3 / D3 with Zünd Cut Center
Reports
File › Reports… works these out from the drawing, to save as a web page or as CSV:
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Foam and gasket material quote
What the pieces cost at each quantity.
Read more
The help's page for the trade describes each tool, design, report and export in full.
Other trades
Get ParametrIQ CAD
Included in every plan. Install it, activate it, and start with File › New or File › Run Parametric…