TestTalkHQ · Interactive Tools2D Sheet Nesting Optimizer

Drag & dropAuto-nestRotate Yield %PDF + DXF + CSV

Pack parts onto plate or sheet stock with kerf spacing, watch the yield climb, then drag pieces around by hand to beat the auto-nest. Exports a cut layout PDF, a DXF you can send straight to the cutter, and a CSV placement list. The 2D companion to the 1D Cut List Optimizer.

How to play: set your sheet and parts, hit Auto-nest, then drag any piece to move it. Select a piece and drag the round handle above it to rotate to any angle (hold Shift to snap to 15°), or press R / double-click for a quick 90°. Drag a piece off the sheet to remove it. Ctrl+Z undoes. Parts can be rectangles, circles or uploaded DXF outlines (set per part). Yield updates live. Estimating aid — verify against your actual sheets and re-check the layout before cutting.

True-shape nesting: when at least one DXF part is in the list, the auto-nester also runs an irregular (concave) nesting pass that places parts by their real outline instead of their bounding box, so an L-bracket can sit inside another part's negative space. It tries a range of angles (not just 0°/90°). Pure rectangle/circle jobs keep using the original fast bounding-box packer. The two engines are run head-to-head and the better result wins, so true-shape mode can never give you a worse sheet count than before.

Sheet Stock

Preset

Unit

Width

Height

Kerf/gap

Parts

	Name	Type	Width	Height	Qty	Rotate

Width / Height = the part's size in your sheet units. For a circle, Width is the diameter.
Type: Rectangle, Circle, or DXF (your uploaded shape).
Rotate: let the auto-nester turn the part 90° if it fits better.
Upload DXF to nest your own part — its size is detected automatically.

Nest

True-shape (DXF)

Nest effort

Thorough can take 10s+ on big jobs.

Yield / utilization

Sheets used

0/0

Parts placed

Waste area

Set up parts on the left and hit Auto-nest. Then drag pieces, rotate with R, drag off to remove.

Nest it here, export the DXF, then estimate the cutting cost with the Cut-Cost & Time Estimator -> · cutting 1D bar/tube stock instead? Use the Cut List Optimizer ->

Got a messy DXF? Clean it first with the DXF Viewer, Measure & Cleanup ->

Built-in self-test

Re-runs the packing assertions verified in development: exact-tile 100%, rotation, oversize rejection, multi-sheet overflow, kerf spacing, and no-overlap/in-bounds invariants — plus the true-shape suite: exact distance/clearance primitives, two concave L-brackets interlocking on one sheet, a part nested inside another part's pocket at a real kerf, a placement that only exists at 45°, and full layout validation of a mixed concave job.

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Recommended Sheet Nesting & Layout Tools

Shears, snips, calipers, and marking tools for transferring a nested layout onto plate — products from the TestTalkHQ affiliate catalog.

Top Pick

Malco TS1 TurboShear sheet metal cutting attachment

Malco TS1 TurboShear Attachment

Drill-powered shear for long nested outline cuts
Faster than hand snips on large plate blanks
Useful after transferring a PDF/DXF nest
20-gauge sheet metal capacity class

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Measure

Starrett stainless steel electronic slide caliper 0-6 inch

Starrett Electronic Slide Caliper (0–6")

Verify part widths/heights before nesting
Check kerf samples and remnant stubs
Inch/mm switch matches either unit mode
Confirm stock thickness for process choice

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Left Cut

Malco M2006 10" Left Offset Snips

Offset left-cut for long nest outline edges
Keeps hands clear of the sheet
Shop standard for sheet-metal layout cuts
Pairs with right-cut snips for corners

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Right Cut

Malco AV73 long cut right offset metal cutting snip

Malco AV73 Right Offset Snips

Long-cut right offset for the opposite hand
Follow true-shape outlines from the nest
Aviation-style compound leverage
Complement to the left-offset snips

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Power

Bosch Professional GSC 12V-13 cordless metal shear

Bosch GSC 12V-13 Cordless Metal Shear

Cordless shear for trimming nest remnants
Cleaner than a grinder for thin sheet
Handy when the nest leaves awkward scraps
Pairs with snips for finish corners

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Punch

Klein Tools 86528 Sheet Metal Punch Set

Snap-lock / hole marking on nested blanks
Transfer hole centers from the layout
Sheet-metal fab companion to snips/shears
Useful after DXF export to the floor

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Angle

Klein Tools 935DGGP Digital Angle Gauge

Confirm free-angle rotations from Thorough nests
Magnetic base sits on plate or brake bed
Check grain/fixture angles on hand-placed parts
Zero/relative modes for reference-face reads

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Catalog gaps: No soapstone / layout markers, nesting software licenses, or CNC plasma tables exist in the TestTalkHQ affiliate CSV at publish time — we do not substitute unrelated HVAC clamp meters for those roles.

As an Amazon Associate, TestTalkHQ earns from qualifying purchases.

Bounding-Box Packing vs True-Shape Nesting

Most online nesting calculators pack bounding boxes — the smallest axis-aligned rectangle around each part. That is fast and correct for plain rectangles and circles, but it leaves the empty space inside an L-bracket, C-channel, or DXF cutout unused. This tool’s true-shape engine engages when a DXF/polygon part is present and True Shape is On: it places parts by their real outline so one concave part can nest into another’s negative space. Rect/circle-only jobs stay on the original MaxRects path. Read the walkthrough in How to Nest Parts for 2D Sheet Cutting.

1D Cut Lists vs 2D Sheet Nests

Cutting bar, tube, or lumber to length is a 1D problem — use the Cut List Optimizer for kerf-aware stock layouts and PDF/CSV cut lists. Nesting plates, sheet metal, and plate blanks is 2D — this tool. After you export a nest DXF, estimate laser/plasma/waterjet time and cost with the Cut-Cost & Time Estimator.

When to Auto-Nest vs Hand-Place

Auto-nest (Fast / Balanced / Thorough) is usually good enough for mixed rect/circle jobs and many concave sets. Hand-place when grain direction, defect avoidance, or fixture constraints matter more than raw yield — or when Thorough’s time budget reduces the angle search. See Auto-Nest vs Manual Nesting and Common 2D Nesting Problems and Fixes.

TestTalkHQ · Interactive Tools2D Sheet Nesting Optimizer

Sheet Stock

Parts

Nest

Built-in self-test

Machining

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Recommended Sheet Nesting & Layout Tools

Malco TS1 TurboShear Attachment

Starrett Electronic Slide Caliper (0–6")

Malco M2006 10" Left Offset Snips

Malco AV73 Right Offset Snips

Bosch GSC 12V-13 Cordless Metal Shear

Klein Tools 86528 Sheet Metal Punch Set

Klein Tools 935DGGP Digital Angle Gauge

Bounding-Box Packing vs True-Shape Nesting

1D Cut Lists vs 2D Sheet Nests

When to Auto-Nest vs Hand-Place

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