1. What EQUEL is
EQUEL is designed for companies that produce PE foam inserts for equipment, instruments, tools, optical devices, electronics, military and industrial cases, measuring devices, and other products requiring accurate protective packaging.
The operator uploads a customer STEP or DXF file, checks the preview, chooses production settings, and receives DXF outputs, material information, and cost estimates.
2. STEP workflow
Upload a STEP file
Use STEP/STP files when the customer provides a 3D model of the part or object that must be placed into foam.
.step .stp
Choose the slicing axis
The slicing axis defines the foam stacking direction. Choose the axis that corresponds to how the object will lie inside the insert.
Check preview before export
The preview helps confirm that the orientation, dimensions, and slice structure are reasonable before creating production files.
Generate DXF package
After checking settings, EQUEL generates layer DXFs, combined DXF, ZIP package, and report information.
3. DXF rebuild workflow
DXF rebuild mode is used when the customer or constructor already provides 2D cutting geometry, but the file needs cleaning, checking, grouping, or interpretation.
After selecting a DXF file, EQUEL shows a rebuild preview before export. This helps the operator check whether outer contours, inner cutouts, and layer labels were interpreted correctly.
DXF rebuild can help with blocks, duplicated geometry, polylines, mixed units, closed contour detection, layer labels, thickness notes, and dirty helper geometry.
4. Options explained
Model interval used for slicing STEP geometry into layers. Often 10 mm, but it can be adjusted.
The foam stacking direction. Wrong axis can produce valid but wrong production files.
Changes top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top layer order.
Mirrors output geometry to match machine or workshop orientation.
Special interpretation for cases where internal cut geometry is more important than the original outside contour.
Searches for rectangular areas inside cutouts that may be recovered as useful scrap.
Groups identical consecutive layers into one thicker layer record.
Adjusts estimate for unusually complex jobs.
5. Arc-Line Overlap
Arc-Line Overlap controls the cutting start point when a straight line connects to an arc.
In many CNC cutting workflows, if the tool or knife starts exactly at the line-to-arc connection point, the beginning of the cut can become visually or mechanically imperfect. The transition may look ugly because the start point is placed exactly where the straight segment and curved segment meet.
To avoid this, EQUEL does not start the cut at the arc connection point. When a contour contains a line connected to an arc, EQUEL splits the selected straight line in the middle and uses this deterministic midpoint as the cut start area. The tool can then continue through the line and arc without lifting, producing a cleaner transition.
The default overlap is usually small, for example 2.0 mm. The exact value depends on the machine, tool, material, and workshop practice.
6. Model thickness vs material thickness
Some customer models are not drawn exactly according to real foam thickness. For example, a model may look like seven layers of 10.3 mm even though the real foam stock is nominal 10.0 mm.
Expected material pitch: 10.0 mm Model pitch in STEP: 10.3 mm
EQUEL can follow the model geometry while keeping material calculations based on real nominal foam stock.
20.6 mm model 20.0 mm material
7. Output files
- Individual layer DXF files
- Combined master DXF
- ZIP package with DXF outputs
- Production information file
- Structured report with dimensions, cut length, material, mass, and cost information
8. DXF color meaning
red — outer contour green — inner curved cuts magenta — inner straight cuts yellow — full circles cyan — recoverable scrap rectangles gray — dimension annotations white — layer labels
The final meaning should still be checked according to the operator’s machine software and workshop standards.
9. Checklist before export
[ ] correct input file selected [ ] correct slicing axis selected [ ] preview looks reasonable [ ] dimensions look correct [ ] slice thickness is correct [ ] layer order is correct [ ] outer and inner contours are detected correctly [ ] material settings are correct [ ] cost settings are current [ ] DXF output opens correctly in machine/CAD software