Nesting for a usable offcut#

Nesting fits parts onto a sheet. The goal isn't just to fit them, but to leave the leftover as one useful piece, not scraps.

Pack From shapes the offcut#

  Left Edge                    Bottom Edge
  ┌───────────┬──────┐         ┌──────────────────┐
  │ parts     │      │         │     offcut       │
  │ packed    │offcut│         ├──────────────────┤
  │ here      │      │         │ parts packed here│
  └───────────┴──────┘         └──────────────────┘
  long strip left over         wide band left over

Same waste, different shape. A strip is good for rails; a band suits panels.

Rotation Step is a step, not a limit#

45° means "any multiple of 45°", so 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°… It does not mean "up to 45°".

Finer steps pack tighter but take longer. On plywood or MDF use 15°. Where grain shows, use None.

Nest inside holes#

Fits small parts inside big ones. Saves material, but the offcut ends up in pieces. Worth it on expensive stock.

Reading the report#

Nested 9 of 9 into 73.8 × 146.8 mm — parts cover 16 % of the stock.

• 9 of 9: all fitted.
• Size: the area actually used.
• %: how much of the stock the parts cover. Awkward shapes cover less, even when packed tightly.

How-to: Nest parts