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Optimizer Materials Tab - Customer Guide

Sadek Akl
  • Updated

The Materials Tab is the first screen you see when you open the Mozaik Optimizer. It lets you select the sheet material for your job, adjust sheet dimensions, and manage remnant pieces from previous jobs. Getting this tab set up correctly before you run ensures accurate cut patterns and less wasted material.

1. Selecting Your Job Material

Use the Job Material dropdown at the top left to choose the sheet material for this job. Only materials that were sent from Mozaik will appear here.

  • Add — Include additional materials in the job. Parts are added on the Parts Tab.
  • Delete — Remove the current material and all its associated parts from the job.
  • Change — Swap the current material and transfer all parts to the new selection.

Note: Parts are added from the Parts Tab, not here. Use the Materials Tab only for sheet-level settings.

2. Material Properties

The Material Properties panel shows the settings pulled from your Material Library. You can adjust these for the current run without changing your library defaults.

  1. Thickness, Width, Length — The sheet dimensions. Modify these if your actual sheet differs from the library setting.
  2. Has Grain — Check this box to prevent the Optimizer from rotating parts. Use this for wood-grain or directional materials.
  3. Width Trim / Length Trim — The amount trimmed off each edge before cutting. On a nesting router, parts are held back from the edge by this amount.
  4. Feed Rate % — Adjusts cutting speed for this run only. Default is 100%. Lower this for harder or thicker materials if needed.

3. Using Remnants

Remnants are leftover sheet pieces saved from previous jobs. Using them can reduce material waste and save money.

To add a remnant:

  1. Click Select from Library to use a saved remnant or click Add Remnant to enter a custom size.
  2. Enter the quantity, width, and length in the remnant table.
  3. Choose a Remnant Option to tell the Optimizer how to use them.

Remnant Options:

  • Use Up Remnants First — Uses remnants before cutting into new sheets. Best when you want to clear your remnant inventory.
  • Use If Helps Optimization — Only uses remnants if doing so improves material yield.
  • Don't Use Any Remnants — Ignores all remnants and cuts from new sheets only.

Troubleshooting

  • My material isn't showing in the dropdown: The material must be sent to the Optimizer from inside Mozaik first. Check that the job was exported correctly.
  • Parts are being rotated on a grain material: Make sure the Has Grain checkbox is checked in Material Properties.
  • Remnants aren't being used in the layout: Check that Don't Use Any Remnants is not selected. Switch to Use Up Remnants First to force their use.
  • Sheet size doesn't match my actual material: Update the Width and Length fields in Material Properties before generating patterns. This only affects the current run.