Sheet Metal Nesting Material Utilization: Key Factors and Improvement Strategies

Magnitudes of the four influencing factors

• 1Part Geometry and Mix: Single-part high-volume nesting typically achieves higher utilization than multi-part low-volume; higher mix increases voids.
• 2Board Size and Inventory Constraints: Fixed sizes force offcuts; allowing cut-to-order significantly reduces waste.
• 3Shared-edge, bridge, and skip-cut strategies: reduce pierce count and heat-affected zone while shortening the cutting path.
• 4Offcut Management: Whether offcuts are logged and prioritized for small parts directly determines the extent of secondary waste.

Increase path priority

We recommend following the sequence: measure first, then constrain, and finally optimize with algorithms. Step 1: Establish a utilization baseline by tracking actual utilization rates based on sheet specifications and order types, rather than relying solely on theoretical values from software reports. Step 2: Tighten constraints, such as standardizing part spacing and clarifying mandatory edge-sharing process requirements. Step 3: Adjust nesting algorithm parameters.

Many companies spend significant time tuning algorithm parameters, but without baseline data, they cannot determine if changes are effective. Optimizing without a baseline is just guessing.