Make a cutting plan

The cutting plan tells you how much stock to buy and where each part comes from. It has a diagram and a numbered cut sequence for each sheet and board.

KerfCraft does not promise that a cutting plan is correct for cutting. Check every dimension against your own measurements before cutting.

Set the saw kerf and the end trim#

1. Press Esc until nothing is selected. The Properties panel shows the project settings.
2. Under Workshop, in Saw kerf, type the width of your saw cut. The default is 3 mm.
3. In End trim, type the length to cut off each board end. The default is 5 mm.

Both fields use the project units, as the other lengths do.

The optimiser adds the kerf between parts. It removes the end trim from each timber board. Sheets have a 10 mm margin on each edge.

Run the optimiser#

1. In the manufacturing panel, click Whole project, or select parts and click Selection.
2. Click Optimise cuts.
3. Wait for the progress bar to finish. To stop, click Cancel.

The Cutting plan tab opens. For each sheet material, it shows the number of sheets to buy, the sheet size and the waste. For each timber material, it shows the stock lengths to buy.

Each heading also gives a lower bound. If the count is equal to the lower bound, the heading says minimal. If not, it says not proven minimal.

Sheet parts keep the grain along the sheet length, unless the grain of the part does not matter. A warning shows each part that does not fit on a sheet or board.

Read a diagram#

• For a sheet, the diagram shows each part with its cut list letter and size. The caption gives the offcut sizes. The numbered list under it is the cut sequence.
• For timber, click a board to see its cut sequence. The line under it gives the offcut length. An offcut of 300 mm or more is marked (reusable).

Re-run the plan after a change#

The plan does not change when the model changes. If you edit the model, or change the scope, a warning tells you to re-run the optimiser. Click Optimise cuts again.

Use stock that you already have#

The optimiser uses the boards and sheets in the stock inventory before it buys new stock.

1. Click the Cutting plan tab.
2. Under Stock inventory (used before buying), select the material.
3. Type the length. For a sheet, also type the width.
4. Type the quantity. Optionally, type a label and a location.
5. Click Add.
6. Click Optimise cuts.

Sheets and boards from the inventory show from inventory in the plan. To remove an item, click ✕ on its row.

Record the offcuts after you cut#

1. Cut the parts as the plan shows.
2. Click Record offcuts into inventory.

KerfCraft removes the inventory that the plan used. It adds the reusable offcuts of the plan to the inventory.

Change the stock lengths of timber#

The stock lengths for a catalogue timber come from the catalogue. For a custom timber profile, you set them in Stock lengths (mm) when you add the profile in File ▸ Materials….

You can also ask the assistant to plan with other stock lengths or another sheet size.