Cutting 2
Version 1.0 (January, 2001)
Sheet layout
optimization program
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Starting Using Cutting 2
Limitations of trial version and registration
Specifying Calculation Options
Preparing Data for Calculation
Material Register
Working with Layout
7.3. Working With Previous Layouts of Current Session
Terms and definitions
This program is intended for optimal cutting of rectangular sheet material into parts of different rectangular shape. It can be used in woodworking, furniture making, glass and metal cutting, clothing manufacture, etc. A unique high-speed algorithm is used in this program. It enables quick and optimal layout with minimal waste.
Working on the algorithm of the program, we focused on waste amount minimization. The interface was specially developed to be intuitive and comfortable in your everyday work.
Cutting 2 is the next step of evolution of Cutting 1.xx. 2 years of usage of Cutting 1.xx have shown what is useful for you, what is to be removed or added. The interfaces of the program and layout calculation algorithm were improved in order to fit your needs the best way.
Using Cutting 2 you may:
· 828d39i ; set arbitrary number of material goods to be cut and parts to be arranged;
· 828d39i ; calculate project containing different types of material;
· 828d39i ; set calculation level and mode that fit your current needs the best;
· 828d39i ; take stock of materials and remnants;
· 828d39i ; mark part sides for banding and calculate its length;
· 828d39i ; view layout diagrams with wood species or material pattern you actually use;
· 828d39i ; order materials and parts by material type;
· 828d39i ; move layout diagrams;
· 828d39i ; manually change layout by dragging parts from one layout diagram to another;
· 828d39i ; save and open layouts;
· 828d39i ; calculate total parts' area, kerf length, remnants areas and etc.;
· 828d39i ; save contents of Material List and Parts List to file and etc.
The new features of Cutting 2 are:
· 828d39i ; printing of 2 layout diagrams on one paper sheet;
· 828d39i ; correct printer type and paper size identification;
· 828d39i ; manual dragging-and-dropping of layout diagrams along with parts;
· 828d39i ; drawing up a report on layout;
· 828d39i ; generation of summary of parts data;
· 828d39i ; marking part sides for banding and calculating its length;
Besides these new features, there are some improvements realized in Cutting 2:
· 828d39i ; interface is more comfortable and intuitive;
· 828d39i ; algorithm of calculation is improved;
· 828d39i ; easier to account materials in the material register;
· 828d39i ; marking remnants procedure is easier;
· 828d39i ; representation of unarranged parts is changed;
· 828d39i ; all materials and parts properties easily viewed and changed using Properties in the context menu of Material and Parts Lists;
· 828d39i ; parts ends to be banded are visualized on layout diagrams.
Some rarely used in Cutting 1.xx features are not included in Cutting 2.
Author: Jury A. Shybaev.
Start Cutting 2. The following window appears.
The menu bar and the toolbar are located at the top of the window. The menus display a list of commands. Using these commands you can set up the calculation regime you need. The buttons on the toolbar are the commands shortcuts for the most frequently used functions:
· 828d39i ;
Run
Calculation;
· 828d39i ;
View Layout;
· 828d39i ;
View Material Register;
· 828d39i ;
Open Specification - opens a
specification you saved before. The data in Material List and Parts List is
replaced by new data.
· 828d39i ;
Save Specification As. - saves data from
Material List and Parts List. Some calculation settings (for example, Kerf
width) are saved too.
· 828d39i ;
. Open Layout - opens
previously saved layout. The contents of Material List and Parts List are not
changed.
· 828d39i ;
Calculation Settings;
· 828d39i ;
Stop Calculation;
· 828d39i ;
Exit;
Some of these buttons may be not active or be absent depending on functions available in currently used program regime.
To the right from the buttons there is a calculation progress Indicator. It schematically shows the dynamic of the calculation process.
Main window area has two lists (tables) to enter information about material to be used and parts to be arranged. (See below).
There is a status bar at the bottom of the window. In the left part of it - the information about currently running processes is shown. The time past since the beginning of the calculation process in the right part of the status bar is displayed.
You can vary the width of the tables by dragging the partition between them. You may also change the main window size. These changes will be restored next time you run the program.
Attention. You
can't exit the program when calculation is in progress. Stop calculation
process first; by pressing 
button then exit the
program.
The possibilities of trial version of Cutting 2.0 are limited.
To change calculation settings click 
button or select Change Options. in the Options
menu.
In the appeared Settings Dialog box you may specify:
You can use any units of measurement you want (millimeters, inches, meters, etc.).
Units of measurement abbreviations (mm, inches) are displayed only in layout reports. Set units you need in the Units of Measurement entry.
They can be integral and/or no integral. Use dot as decimal point (radix point) for no integral numbers. In the Number of Places to the Rightof Decimal Point entry, you have to specify the number of integers after decimal point for the proper rounding of dimensions. Note, that dimensions may be entered with any number of integers after decimal point, but the rounding of material and parts dimensions and calculated areas is done following this parameter.
Example. The material size in the Material List is specified as 2000x1987.9376. The size in layout report and in layout diagram will be displayed as 2000.00õ1987.94, if the number of integers after decimal point was set to 2; or 2000x1998, if it was set to 0.
Use this option to change calculation level. Calculation level is a number of elementary iteration cycles of calculation for one piece (sheet) of material (time quantum).
The less quantity of iteration cycles, the faster layout is calculated. However, in this case, the quality of layout can be worse, compared to increased number of iteration cycles. The quality of layout is characterized by the percent of remnant of the material.
You may select one of four possible calculation levels:
1. Fast. The calculation is very fast, but the result sometimes is not very good. This level is recommended for evaluative calculations.
Attention. The number of correlates the speed of the calculation process given sheets of material and parts. For example, if you will specify 1000 sheets (knowing that all the parts will fit in 1 or 2), the program will calculate pretty long time, as since certain time quantum is assigned for every material sheet. Therefore, you should specify an appropriate quantity of sheets.
Calculation mode assigns the order the parts are arranged in the layout.
Part to part position and orientation doesn't signify for the Low-wasted mode. In other words, parts of the same size are allocated independently.
Select Technological mode to allocate parts of the same size side by side.
Note that in this mode the minimum amount of waste is still the main criterion for the quality of the calculation result (layout).
Usually, Low-wasted mode is more efficient in remnants and waste area reduction, than Technological mode.
In the First Cut Direction entry, you may specify one of the following options:
· 828d39i ; Any Direction;
· 828d39i ; Along X-axis;
· 828d39i ; Along Y-axis.
Select Any Direction, if it does not matter for you along which side of sheet of material the first cut will be done.
If the cutting machine is limited by length or width of the sheet - select Along X-axis or Along Y-axis, depending on your needs and material orientation.
In the Kerf Width box enter the width of the saw cut of the cutting machine. This value affects the accuracy of the calculation result (layout).
Click on Band Type button to specify band type that you use for furniture details banding. You may select any of 16 colors for each banded side. You may also rename band types - just select the band type you need and enter the name you want..
Attention. Click OK to save changes and close the window. The settings you specified will be restored the next time you start the program. Click Cancel to close the window without saving changes.
To arrange parts on the material, the data for materials and parts has to be specified. Cutting 2.0 does not calculate the number of material sheets needed to allocate all the parts you specified. You have to set this number yourself.
The parts of a certain material type are arranged on the sheets of the same material type. In other words, if you specified material type for the parts as "Pine", they will be allocated on the material specified as "Pine".
This basic information is entered in two lists (tables) of the Main window. The data for the sheets and material (and remnants) is entered in the cells of the left table. The data for the parts is entered in the cells of the right table. Click your right mouse button above the tables to select Properties in the pull-down menu to specify an additional information. Use Tab or cursor keys or mouse to move from cell to cell.
The basic information includes:
. Material type (see below)
. X (material sheet size along the X-axis)
. Y (material sheet size along the Y-axis)
. Quantity (quantity of sheets of particular type)
. Comments. You may enter any text information here.
The additional information for material sheets is:
. Edge trim
The additional information for the parts is:
. Rotation
. Priority
. Band type
Layout sheet can be schematically shown this way:
You may specify as many places to the right of decimal point as you wish. The dimensions of parts and layout diagrams in the layout will be visualized with the number of digits you specified using Change Options. command of the Options menu.
Note. The data for the materials and parts entered in the tables is saved when you exit the program and restored when you run the program next time.
There are two push buttons in the upper part of the tables: 
and 
.
Use button to delete all
contents of the corresponding table.
Use button to calculate
quantity and total area of sheets and remnants (for the left table) and parts
(for the right table). This information is displayed in the upper part of the
tables, to the right from the buttons.
This option is helpful for approximate calculation of material sheets quantity needed to allocate all the parts.
Attention. Cutting 2.0 uses the data for the calculation only above the first empty row of the corresponding table.
Note. Setting changes made in the context menu are referred to all selected rows of the table. (Use Cursor keys (Up or Down) with Shift or left mouse button pressed to select entire rows of the tables).
In order to get layout diagrams for the sheets to be cut you have to specify sheet goods dimensions. This data is entered in the cells of the left table (may be integral or no integral).Material type and edge trim size also have to be specified to achive correct layout.
Click right mouse button above Material List to activate context menu. Select Properties to specify type of material and edge trim size.
Material type name is displayed in the upper left part of the context menu.
Enter edge trim size you need into entry boxes for each side of the sheet.
Use entry box in the bottom part of the window to specify material type. Click OK to save changes or Cancel to leave the settings as they were.
You may check the selected material type in the second column (with colored rectangles) of the Material List.
Note. Setting changes made in the context menu are referred to all selected rows of the table. (Use Cursor keys (Up or Down) with Shift or left mouse button pressed to select entire rows of the tables).
Note. If you do not change any settings in the Properties dialog box - the material type is automatically specified as "No material" and edge trim sizes are set to 0.
Using context menu of the Material list, you can also:
Select All. This command allows you to select all filled rows of the table.
Move to Material Register. Select this command to move unused material (unused sheets and remnants) back to Material Register.
Delete. Use this command to delete selected rows of the table.
Combine . This command allows you to group sheets and remnants of the same size, material type with the same settings specified in Properties Dialog box together (within one row of the table).
In order to run calculation and view layout you have to specify parts dimensions and their quantity. Parts X- and Y-dimensions and quantity of parts of a certain type are entered in the corresponding cells of the right table of the main window (Parts List). The numbers may be integral or no integral.
Material type, Rotation and Priority also have to be specified achieve correct layout. Click right mouse button above the Material List to activate context menu. Select Properties to specify settings for current group(s) of parts.
The material type name of the selected sheet good is displayed in the upper left part of the context menu.
The Rotation option allows you to control part rotation (pattern- or grain- orientation). Specify Rotation option for current kind of parts or group of different kinds of parts:
· 828d39i ; Do not rotate. Select this option in order to the part's X-axis always be positioned along the X-axis of the material.
· 828d39i ; Rotate parts independently. This option let's the program position parts of this kind independently from each other to minimize waste. Select this option if there is no pattern or grain on the material or the pattern permits free rotation of the part on the layout.
· 828d39i ; Rotate all parts of this option together. This option allows you to orient parts in all rows with this option selected the same way (either along the X-axis or along the Y-axis).
· 828d39i ; Rotate parts of current row together -- orients all parts of current row together (either along the X-axis or along the Y-axis). If a part of this row was rotated during the calculation, the other parts of the row will be rotated the same orientation too.
Note. The program rotates or does not rotate parts with the purpose of waste minimization.
To specify the order of priority the parts are arranged on the layout, select priority level you want in the Priority box. There are three priority levels:
Low -- the part with this priority level selected are arranged on the layout after parts of higher priority;
Medium - parts with this priority level are arranged after top-priority parts, but before low-priority parts.
Top - the program arranges parts with this level of priority foremost.
Note that the waste minimization is determinative criterion for calculation and the priority level is of secondary importance. However, sometimes the priority level may change the order the parts are arranged on the layout.
Band Type. Select which side of parts you will need to band after cutting and click the corresponding check box. Then select band type by selecting any of 16 colors.
If a check box is not selected - no band for the side is specified, so you are not able to select band color.
Select material type you want in the Material box.
Click OK to save changes or Cancel to leave them as they were.
The material type for the current kind of parts is shown in the second column of the Parts List.
Note. Setting changes made in the context menu are referred to all selected rows of the table. (Use Cursor keys (Up or Down) with Shift or left mouse button pressed to select entire rows of the tables).
Attention. . If you do not change any settings in the Properties Dialog box - the following settings are set as default:
· 828d39i ; "No material" as material type;
· 828d39i ; Do not rotate for the Rotation option;
· 828d39i ; The priority level is Low.
Other options of Parts List context menu are:
· 828d39i ; Select All - selects all used rows of the table;
· 828d39i ; Delete - deletes selected rows of the table;
· 828d39i ; Combine - groups parts of the same kind (sizes, material type, rotation control, band type and etc. should be the same) in different rows of the Parts List together.
To view material
register click 
push button on the
toolbar of the Main window or select Material Register in the File Options pull
down menu.
Select one of about 100 of material types in the left part of the window.
These material patterns will be displayed on layout diagrams. All material names correspond to files with "JPG" extension in Woodimages folder, in the folder where Cutting 2 was extracted. To change material name - go to Woodimages folder and change the corresponding file name.
Example. If you do not like name
"Brett" for 
pattern just change brett.jpg into my_texture.jpg using standard MS Windows features or other file
editor. "Brett" will change into "My_texture" material name.
To add your own material types. Just copy a picture with "JPG" extension to Woodimages folder. You may also remove the types you think you will not need - just move corresponding files to another folder. It is better not to delete them, in the case you may want to use them in the future.
There is only one limitation - do not rename Woodimages folder.
Attention: If you delete files from Woodimages folder, the corresponding material types are deleted also. So, if deleted material type is saved in a specification or in a layout, these material type is replaced by "No material" material type (gray color).
To change material type, click any other material with your left mouse button or click right mouse button materials type name and select View.
Sheets dimensions and quantity are displayed in the right part of the Material Register window. Use Description column to right down technological number of the sheets or remnants or any other information you want.
You may use two methods to fill in the information about a certain material:
1. 828d39i ; Manually enter data (dimensions, quantity and description).
2. 828d39i ; Select remnants on the layout and move them into the Material Register.
(See Calculation result).
To operate with the materials in the Material Register, click right mouse button above the Material Register table. In the appeared context menu select option you want:
· 828d39i ; Move to Material List. Select this option to specify how many sheets or remnants of the current row will be moved to the Material List. The selected material is removed from Material Register.
· 828d39i ; Delete selected rows - deletes data from the selected row of the table;
· 828d39i ; Clear table - clears all rows of the table;
· 828d39i ; Combine - combines sheets or remnants of the same size and material type into one row.
There are three buttons at the bottom of the Material Register window:
· 828d39i ; Print all materials - prints information about sheets and remnants of all material types that are in the Material Register;
· 828d39i ; Print selected material - prints information about sheets and remnants of currently selected material type;
· 828d39i ; Close - closes the Material Register window.
Click 
push button or select Calculation result in the File menu to view the result of
calculation.
The buttons on the toolbar, allow you to realize some useful features.
- Zoom. Zooms in or zooms out the
layout. Click the arrow next to the Zoom
button to select magnification you want (from 50% to 200%).
- Parts Report. Click this button to
view summary information about parts of the layout. All data for the parts
is displayed as a table: parts dimensions, material type, rotation, band
type, quantity of arranged parts, band type used and etc.
- Summary Report. Click this button
to view the summary of current layout (See appendices). The data for the
sheets, parts, remnants and band type is displayed.
- Print Preview. Shows how a layout
will look when you print it. Click the arrow next to the Print Preview button to select the
way the layout diagrams are printed: 2 layout diagrams per page or 1
layout diagram per page. 
- Save. Saves layout. Click 
on the Toolbar of
the Main window to open previously saved layout.
- Store Remnants. Stores selected
remnants into the same material type register in the Material Register.
- Restore Layout of Current Session.
Restores layouts of the current session.
- Show/Hide Cut Lines. Click this
button to make cut lines visible. Click one more time to hide them.
- Exit. Click this button to go back
to the Main window of the program.The layout diagrams are displayed in the central pane of the Layout window. The layout diagrams of the same size, material type, parts quantity and their orientation, as since they are equal, are shown as single layout diagram with a red border. The banded sides of parts (if there is any) are shown by the color you specified in the Properties of the Parts List context menu.
Each part of current project has its own number, if a part was rotated during calculation - the parts number displayed in the center of parts is rotated too.
The bottom part of the Layout window is for unplaced parts.
The status bar at the very bottom of the window shows some information about parts, sheets and remnants of the current layout diagram.
Position mouse pointer above a part or remnant you are interested to know more about. Its number (from the Parts List) and dimensions are displayed in the left corner.
If mouse pointer is positioned above the free of parts and remnants area of the layout diagram, the total quantity of parts of current diagram is displayed in the left part of the status bar.
The number of layout diagram, its dimensions, percent of remnant, kerf length, number of layout diagrams of the same size and type (copies) are displayed in the right part of the status bar wherever mouse pointer is above the layout diagram.
Use Shift and left mouse button pressed to move layout diagrams to rearrange layout diagrams.
Click right mouse button above a layout diagram to activate Layout window context menu with 4 commands:
· 828d39i ; Rotate part - rotates part, if it was specified Rotate parts independently in the Properties of Parts List context menu for this type of parts in the Parts List;
· 828d39i ; View this diagram only - allows you to view the current layout diagram only;
· 828d39i ; View unique diagrams only - shows unique layout diagrams only. The copies of the diagrams are not shown.
· 828d39i ; View all diagrams - shows all sheet of the layout.
You may change parts arrangement by moving parts from one place to another. Parts can be moved within one diagram or from one layout diagraam to another. Use standard drag-and-drop procedure to rearrange parts. Part is moved back automatically if it can be moved to a new position (for example, the other sheet is of different material type).
You are completely responsible for the manual layout.
You may superpose a part over another one, drag-and-drop parts from one layout sheet to another, remove parts to (and move from) Unplaced Parts window from (to) layout diagrams.
Percent of remnant, sheets and parts perimeters are recalculated after parts rearrangement. (The kerf length is not recalculated).
Click right mouse button in Unplaced Parts window, the context menu will appear. Select Combine Unplaced Parts to unify parts removed from layout diagrams into groups of parts of the same size and material type.
Cutting 2 allows you to select and account remnants. This procedure is called "marking of remnants". To mark a remnant - select a free area on a layout diagram and click it with your left mouse button. A remnant is displayed with blue color (material type is of no importance).
These are some peculiarities of the process of marking of remnants:
After you click a free of parts diagram area, the program presents you 2 variants of remnants.
This happens because you may cut out the parts by several ways and Cutting 2 does not know which way you do it. Therefore, you have to select the remnant that will fit your needs the best. To mark the needed remnant - click left mouse button on a free area of a layout diagram. A remnant is selected. If it is not what you wanted to be cut out - click two times not moving the mouse pointer (ones to deselect the remnant) to mark another type of remnant. Repeat whole procedure to mark the first type of remnant.
When you mark a remnant - place mouse pointer close to a part border of the layout diagram. Sometimes, selected remnants superpose parts on the layout. It occurs because of ambiguous finding of remnants by the program. Just click one more time in another place of free of parts area.
It is your responsibility to cut out the remnants of the same size as they were marked on the layout.
Click Store remnants to move marked remnants to Material Register.
Attention: If
you will click Store remnants button one more time - the remnants stored in the
Material Register again.
All layouts calculated in the current session are saved
automatically and can be restored. To restore layout you want click button.
Select the one you need and click Restore button.
Attention:
1. You may restore layouts calculated only during current session. Exiting the program deletes the layouts that were not saved.
2. Remnant marking is not saved while saving procedure and as since is not displayed after restoration.
Layout restoration does not restore the contents of Material List and Parts List.
Band - a tape to glue over the elements of covering (parts sides).
Kerf length - total length of cut needed to cut out all parts from a sheet;
Layout - result of calculation of the program includes all layout diagrams calculated of given material and parts.
Layout diagram - a virtual sheet good, another material or material remnant with the parts arranged on it.
Material - includes sheet goods and remnants. Each material is characterized by name, special number and material type.
Material List - left table of the Main Window. The data for material to be used during layout calculation is entered in the cells of the table.
Material type -includes name and pattern of material.
Material pattern - pattern of material.
Number of copies - the quantity of sheets identical with current sheet by material type, parts dimensions, layout and rotation.
Part - rectangular of a certain size. The parts during calculation are arranged on the sheets and remnants.
Parts List - right table of the Main Window. The data for parts to be arranged during layout calculation is entered in the cells of the table.
Project - information about sheet goods and parts of a certain project saved to a file. Its contents are displayed in Material List and Parts List. Edge trim size, band type used, calculation settings and etc. are saved too.
Remnant - selected by the user empty part of a sheet;
Remnant's area - total sheet's area minus parts and waste area;
Sheets, remnants - source material to be cut.
Waste - is calculated next way: (Kerf width x Kerf length) + area cut by Edge trim.
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