Make a cutting plan for timber and steel lengths.

Match the material and the full profile

Add a timber or steel preset, or define a custom stock length. Each linear part must match the stock's material and profile text exactly. Include section dimensions, wall thickness, grade or finish in the profile name when they must not be substituted.

A 50 × 50 steel tube and a 50 × 50 timber section are not interchangeable. Two tubes with different wall thicknesses should also remain separate. The optimizer uses the identity you provide; it does not infer structural equivalence from similar labels.

Enter the lengths you need

Add a length component with a material, profile, required cut length and quantity. Your account preference selects millimetres or inches. Decimal and fractional inch entry is supported; internal dimensions are stored at 0.01 mm precision.

Stock library names describe the original products and may use metric sizes. Confirm the physical dimensions when buying stock, especially when nominal imperial timber sizes differ from the finished section.

Allow for the blade and damaged ends

Enter saw kerf for the actual cutting process. Cutting three 1,000 mm pieces from a nominal 3,000 mm length can fail once blade loss and end preparation are included. Check the cut sequence and remaining length rather than adding the finished lengths alone.

Start and end trim describe stock removed from each end; these trim allowances include blade loss. Avoid adding the same allowance twice. Limited stock quantities tell the planner how many pieces are available.

Compare stock usage, cost and cutting effort

The optimisation settings let you prioritise the number of stock pieces, their cost, or cutting effort. Add prices for each full stock length if cost is your priority. Set a minimum reusable offcut length to distinguish useful remnants from waste in the results.

A larger search budget may improve the arrangement. It does not guarantee the minimum possible waste, and a low-waste layout still needs to be practical for your saw, clamps and handling process.

Read and export the plan

Inspect the position and length of each part, the crosscut sequence and the remaining stock. Download cutting data or print layouts and labels using your selected units. Check unit labels before handing the plan to someone else.

Linear plans use square crosscuts through the whole section. They do not calculate mitres, compound angles, ripping, bevels or machining allowances. Model those requirements separately before entering the final lengths.

Combine lengths and sheets in one project

A project can contain sheet components and linear parts together. Each is matched to compatible stock and receives its own type of cutting layout. Save the project to your account so you can return to the same parts and revise them later.