TOPSPro Package Design and Pallet Software User’s Guide Version 6.8 July 2017 Print Version TOPS Software Corporation Copyright © 1996-2017 TOPS® Software Corporation. All rights reserved. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the agreement. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of TOPS® Software Corporation. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent product specification or commitment on the part of TOPS® Software Corporation. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Word™ is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Excel™ is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Power Point™ is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. TOPS® is a registered trademark of TOPS Software Corporation. MAXLOAD® is a registered trademark of TOPS® Software Corporation. MIXLOAD® is a registered trademark of TOPS Software Corporation. Adobe Acrobat© is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. TOPS® Software Corporation 1301 Central Expy South, Suite 200 Allen, Texas 75013 USA Telephone: (972) 739-8677 Facsimile: (972) 739-9478 Information: [email protected] Technical Support: [email protected] Sales: [email protected] MVP [email protected] Web Site: www.topseng.com Table of Contents Preface .........................................................................................................................ii About TOPS Pro ............................................................................................................ ii How the User Guide is Organized ............................................................................... iii Chapter 1: Getting Started ...........................................................................................1 System Requirements/Specifications ........................................................................... 1 Installing TOPS Pro ....................................................................................................... 2 Starting & Setting Up TOPS Pro .................................................................................... 6 Setting Up Client Machines for Network Install ........................................................... 7 Upgrading to TOPS Pro V6.8xx - Data Migration .......................................................... 7 Export data (from Current version) ...................................................................... 7 Import data (to new version) ............................................................................... 8 TOPS Pro Program Icon Group .................................................................................... 9 Uninstall and Move TOPS Pro .................................................................................... 10 Contact Information ................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: The Basics ................................................................................................11 Control Panel ............................................................................................................. 12 Menu Bar ........................................................................................................... 13 Windows Toolbar ............................................................................................... 14 Template Toolbar ............................................................................................... 15 Button-Style Menus ........................................................................................... 16 Right Click Menu ................................................................................................ 17 Customize the Control Screen Background ........................................................ 17 Package Design Sequence .................................................................................. 18 Shortcut Buttons ................................................................................................ 18 Perform a Simple Analysis .......................................................................................... 19 Define the Package Design Sequence ................................................................ 19 Save the Package Design Sequence as a Template ............................................ 19 Define Shipcase and Pallet Parameters .............................................................. 20 Revise Parameters for an Analysis (if necessary) ............................................... 22 Analysis View ............................................................................................................. 23 Solution View Pane ............................................................................................ 24 Solution View Menu .......................................................................................... 26 Statistics View Pane ........................................................................................... 27 Solution List Pane ............................................................................................... 28 Solution List - Tab View ...................................................................................... 29 UnitLoad Layer Parameters ........................................................................................ 30 Unitload Drawing Options ................................................................................. 32 Function Buttons................................................................................................ 33 Options Button .................................................................................................. 34 Print the Analysis ....................................................................................................... 34 Define Print Parameters ..................................................................................... 35 Table of Contents | i Add Text, Lines, or Images to Printed Output .................................................... 38 Change the Company Logo in Printed Output ................................................... 41 Setup Default Printers and Printer Pen Width ................................................... 41 Copy TOPS Graphics to Other Programs .................................................................... 42 Copy a Single Graphic ........................................................................................ 42 Paste Special ..................................................................................................... 43 Save the Analysis ........................................................................................................ 45 Direct Email From TOPS Pro ....................................................................................... 46 Email Analyses as Graphics Reports ................................................................... 46 Email Analyses as Text Files ............................................................................... 47 Email Stacking Strength Results ......................................................................... 47 Direct Export to PDF ................................................................................................... 47 Chapter 3: Advanced Features ...................................................................................49 Exercise #1: Fixed Carton-New Shipcase-Pallet Analysis ........................................... 50 Exercise #2: New Carton-New Shipcase-Pallet .......................................................... 55 Exercise #3: Shipcase Consolidation Analysis (Database Function) .......................... 60 Exercise #4: Knockdown Analysis .............................................................................. 63 Paste-On Graphics ...................................................................................................... 70 Export ......................................................................................................................... 73 Export a Graphic ................................................................................................ 73 Export a Product Report .................................................................................... 74 Export a Shipcase ............................................................................................... 74 Export a Carton .................................................................................................. 75 Export an Analysis .............................................................................................. 75 Export to a Robotic Palletizer ............................................................................. 76 From Artios to TOPS: Box Data for Palletization ................................................ 78 Setting Defaults in Artios CAD............................................................................ 78 Launching TOPS Pro ........................................................................................... 79 From TOPS to Artios: Box and Pallet information .............................................. 81 Quick Print Template System ....................................................................................