# Getting Started

# How to launch NIO

Once NIO is installed and your license is successfully activated, you can launch the application in two ways:

From the application shortcut on your desktop:

Or from the shortcut in the Start Menu under the Paramethod group:

# Discover the user interface

See the NIO User Interface article.

# Create your own data

Out-of-the-box NIO comes with demo data to let you play with the application and give you a feel of what information goes where. Soon enough, you will want to use your own materials and parts. Here are some general guidelines on integrating NIO in your environment.

# Create Material Categories

This is an optional step, but it will help keep organized and find materials faster. List all the materials you wish to manage in NIO and determine how you want to group them. By similar physical properties, manufacturing process, etc... For each category, you minimally need a unique name and optionally a description and an image. You can find more information on creating material categories in this article.

# Create Materials

You will need the unique name and certain physical properties of the materials you manufacture part from and the available thicknesses for that material. While you browse your material supplier website, perhaps it will be a good time to download the related data and safety sheets to attach to the materials.

# Create Nesting Parameters

Nesting parameters are mostly driven by the material and your manufacturing process and equipment. The type and width/diameter of the cutting tool will impact the minimal distance between parts, while the machine and clamping system will affect the margins. Creating standard and reusable nesting parameters per material allows anyone with minimal manufacturing knowledge to operate the software and generate valid nests.

# Create Sheet Formats

This is the sizes of the materials you keep in inventory or can procure from your suppliers. You will need the unique identifier and physical dimensions for each of the formats.

# Create Your Parts

By importing your CAD files and assigning the appropriate material thickness.

At this point, you have all the reference data created and ready to be used to run various scenarios. The next steps are to create an order, launch the nesting job and analyze and export the result.