The Optimize Tab is where you nest your parts onto sheets and generate cut patterns. Before clicking Optimize, make sure your machine, toolset, and spacing settings are correct — these directly affect how your sheets are cut.
1. Machine and Toolset
Set these two things first before running the Optimizer.
- Machine — Select your CNC, table saw, or panel saw from the dropdown. The optimization parameters for that machine will load automatically. These parameters come from your Machine Library.
- Toolset — Select the toolset to use for this run. Toolsets are set up in the CNC Tooling Library. You may need different toolsets for different materials — for example, one for cabinet parts and another for MDF doors.
2. Machine Settings
These settings are pulled from your Machine Library and displayed here for reference. Most are set automatically based on your machine selection, but it's worth knowing what they mean.
- Part Spacing — The gap between parts on the sheet. This value must be greater than your profile tool's diameter.
- First Cut — Controls the first cut direction (Rip, Cross Cut, or Either). Use Either for CNC machines.
- Three Phase Cuts — A saw-specific setting that controls how many times the sheet is rotated to cut parts to final size.
- Trim (Width & Length) — How far parts are set back from the sheet edge. This is set in the Material Library but can be adjusted on the Materials Tab for the current run.
- Booking (Stacking Sheets) — Panel saw only. Optimizes sheets for stacking multiple sheets when cutting.
3. Optimization Quality
Choose how much time the Optimizer spends finding the best layout. For most jobs, Better is the right choice.
- Best (Slow) — Runs the longest but does not always produce the best result for cabinet nesting. Use sparingly.
- Better (Recommended) — The best choice for typical cabinetry and nested-based manufacturing.
- Good — A slightly faster alternative to Better. Useful if you want a different layout result.
- Estimate (Fast) — Use this only for estimating material quantities, not for production runs.
4. Optimizer Options
These checkboxes give you additional control over how parts are arranged on sheets.
- Sequence by Cab # — Groups all parts for each cabinet together on the same sheet. Note: this will affect material yield.
- Sequence Flipside Parts First — Places all parts with flip-side operations on the first sheets of the run. Note: this will affect material yield.
- Batch Optimize — Optimizes multiple materials at the same time in a single run.
- Optimize Selected Parts Only — Only optimizes parts you have highlighted in the Parts Tab. Use Shift+click to select a group, or Ctrl+click to select individual parts.
5. Optimizer Buttons
- Optimize — Runs the Optimizer and automatically generates all cut patterns.
- Choose Pattern — Lets you step through each sheet as patterns are created and pick the layout that works best for you.
- Cutout Options — Modify cutout parameters such as lead-ins and small part handling.
- Dado Options — Set how dado cuts are handled at their ends. Options are Dog Bone, T Bone, or the most common Run Past.
6. Sheet Preview
After the Optimizer runs, a preview of the first sheet will appear at the bottom right. Use this as a quick visual check before moving on to the Patterns Tab.
Troubleshooting
- The Optimizer is taking a very long time: Switch from Best to Better in Optimization Quality. Best does not always produce better results for cabinet nesting and runs significantly slower.
- Parts are too close together and causing cut errors: Check your Part Spacing value. It must be larger than the diameter of your profile tool.
- My yield looks poor: Avoid using Sequence by Cab # or Sequence Flipside Parts First if yield is a priority — both options will reduce it.
- I only want to re-optimize a few parts: Highlight those parts in the Parts Tab, then check Optimize Selected Parts Only before clicking Optimize.