Sheet Cutting Optimisation Calculator

Work out sheet cutting optimisation instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Sheet Cutting Optimisation Calculator

For a simple guillotine layout of identical rectangles, the count is the sheet divided by the part in each direction, floored, and the better of the two orientations wins. Rotating the part by ninety degrees frequently gains several parts per sheet at no cost, which is the easiest yield improvement available.

Formula

Guillotine layout

Parts = floor(sheet length / part length) x floor(sheet width / part width), compared with the rotated case

Worked example

With the default values below, Sheet Cutting Optimisation Calculator returns Parts Per Sheet of 24. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Sheet Lengthminimum 1 mm: 2,500 mm
Sheet Widthminimum 1 mm: 1,250 mm
Part Lengthminimum 1 mm: 400 mm
Part Widthminimum 1 mm: 300 mm

Results

Parts Per Sheet: 24
Best Orientation: Length-wise
Sheet Utilisation: 92.160%
Waste Area Per Sheet: 0.24500

Step by step

1Values used
2Guillotine layout
3Parts Per Sheet= 24
4Best Orientation= Length-wise
5Sheet Utilisation= 92.160
6Waste Area Per Sheet= 0.24500

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 5 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this account for saw kerf?

No — add the kerf to each part dimension before entering it if the cutting process removes material, otherwise the last part in each row will not fit.

Can mixed orientation do better?

Often yes. A combination layout with some parts rotated can beat either pure orientation, particularly when the remainder strip is wide enough to hold rotated parts. Nesting software explores those combinations.