Steel Cutting Optimizer

Steel Cutting Optimizer

Free online tool: enter profiles, lengths and quantities, or drop an IFC file, and get a cutting plan for stock bars with minimum waste. Splices can be allowed, with your own limits on the shortest splice piece and the number of splices per part.

Free tool

Your data never leaves your computer. The optimization runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded to any server.

01

Parts

Lengths in mm. One row per part type.
Columns: profile, length, quantity, mark (optional). Tab, semicolon or comma separated. Lengths in metres are converted.
ProfileLength (mm)QtyMark

02

Settings

Several lengths, e.g. “6000, 12000”: the best one is chosen per profile.
Material lost at each cut.
0 = no splices. A part with 1 splice is made of 2 pieces.
Shortest piece allowed on either side of a splice.
Longer offcuts are kept as stock, not counted as waste.
Shorter parts are always cut whole. 0 = any part.
Offcuts already in stock (optional, used before new bars)

One line per offcut size: profile, length (mm), quantity. The profile name must match the parts list. Offcuts are filled with whole parts only.

Per-profile settings (optional; empty = the values above). With kg/m, results are also given in weight.

03

Cutting plan

How to read the plan

  • Each row is one stock bar, drawn to scale and cut from left to right. Big number = length in mm, small text = part mark.
  • Coloured pieces are halves of spliced parts. E3·a and E3·b have the same colour and are joined into one part, even when they come from different bars.
  • Hatched = offcut. Grey is long enough to keep for reuse; red is waste.
  • ×4The same cut on 4 bars. Only bars without splices are grouped; bars with splices are listed one by one.

Splices are structural details. The optimizer only decides lengths. Where a splice is allowed, its position and its welded or bolted detail must be checked and approved by the structural engineer.

  • Fit rule: the parts in one bar plus one kerf between each pair of neighbours must not exceed the stock length. Reduce the stock length if bar ends need trimming.
  • Waste is everything bought but not used as a part: kerf losses and offcuts shorter than the reusable limit. Longer offcuts are shown separately.
  • Check: each plan is verified after it is built: every part is cut to its exact length, no bar exceeds the stock length, and every splice keeps your limits.
  • Plans are near-optimal, not guaranteed optimal. The lower bound shown is total part length divided by stock length.

Need the model and drawings too?

Send the model: analysis, connection design, shop drawings and material lists from one IFC.

info@structomat.com