EngineerBenchPlanning cuts from linear stock
A linear cutting plan assigns required part lengths to available bars, tubes, or boards. This tool places longer pieces first and fits them into the available stock using the stated heuristic. It provides a practical arrangement, not a proof that no lower-waste arrangement exists.
Allow for the material removed by the saw
Kerf is the width consumed by a cut. Enter usable stock lengths after any end trimming, and include required finishing allowances in part lengths. The model charges kerf between cuts unless a part exactly consumes the remaining length; check that convention against the intended shop sequence.
Review the plan before cutting
Confirm quantities, material compatibility, and any minimum offcut worth saving. Grain direction, defects, angled cuts, and two-dimensional sheet layouts are outside this model. A numerically fitting pattern can still be unsuitable if a piece cannot be clamped or cut safely.
Reading kerf and leftover length
A cut consumes material in addition to the finished part length. For example, two 400 mm pieces cut from a longer bar require room for the pieces and the applicable saw cuts. The exact amount depends on whether a finished piece reaches the existing stock end without another separating cut. This implementation states its kerf convention so the proposed layout can be checked against the shop sequence.
Enter usable stock length after any end trim and include a finishing allowance in part length if the cut piece will be machined shorter later. The longest-first packing method can find a useful arrangement but may not find the mathematical minimum waste. Review alternative stock lengths when purchasing, and compare whether an offcut has practical reuse value rather than treating every leftover millimeter as equivalent. The calculation does not choose compatible material grades or account for defects. Keep different sections and materials in separate plans, and verify clamping, handling, and cutting order before using the allocation as a shop cutting list.
Formula
Places longest pieces first into the tightest fitting already-used stock, then unused stock. Kerf is charged after each cut unless the part exactly consumes the remaining length.