CNC punch usage

[yarden.saa]

Hi CD,
I am not sure if I am using the right technical words so please forgive me for the first time.
My team has a sponsor that make part for us in a CNC punch machine.
To this day we gave to the machine operator pdf drawings of the parts we needed. It was not efficient at all because the operator had to copy the drawings into the machine. We assume we could save about a week in the build season by exporting the 3D models of the parts into a format which the machine knows. I know the machine is old but the operator told us it can read dxf files. We tried to do it without success. Probably we did not do that right, so I am looking for detailed instructions how it should be done.
I am also checking an option of programming the CNC by ourselves, It seems unnecessary because we don't really know how to do it.
We are using NX Unigraphics 6, I know many of the FIRSTers don't use it but I assume the instructions should be the same.

Thanks,
Yarden