Sure BobP,
first set the covering parameters as 18,6,4,6 and b=17. Use search strength=Extensive and bias to 0%. At the "my numbers" panel click on "select all numbers". Switch to the filters panel at the coverage engine and enable the option "filtered over overall coverage". The final step is to say how to position the numbers, so switch to the positions filter (the same can be done via the number groups but the positions filter is much faster in this case).
You'll create 6 position filters:
#1- range 1-3 in Guide mode
#2- range 4-6 in Guide mode
#3- range 7-9 in Guide mode
...
...
#6- range 16-18 in Guide mode
Click optimize and in about 1 minute you'll get the covering in 17 blocks. it may take less or more, since the engine will pick a different route on each run but you'll make it at the end. Other bias settings might be faster so you may try to reduce/increase the bias too. You'll know that the covering has been 100% constructed by observing the coverage information at the progress panel. In particular, we are interested in the coverage of the wheel as filtered, so observe the "- Filtered " coverage indicator.
cheers
lottoarchitect