Your first optimization

Open the optimizer. The left panel holds the job’s inputs in order: Materials, Stock, Cuts, Edge banding and Optimization. The checklist in the middle shows what is still missing.

1. Add a material

In Materials, choose Add material. Give it a name, such as Birch ply, and choose its Stock type: sheet, roll or linear. Thickness is optional; it is only needed to tell apart two thicknesses of the same material. If the material has a grain, set Grain direction to run along the length.

2. List your stock

In Stock, choose Add stock and enter the size: width and length for a sheet or roll, length for linear stock. In Quantity available, leave it blank for unlimited, or enter how many you have. Zero means none: that stock is listed but not used.

3. Enter the cuts

In Cuts, choose Add piece and fill in a label, the size and the quantity. Press Enter to move to the next row; at the end of the list it adds a new one. To bring in a whole list at once, use Import (see importing a spreadsheet).

4. Check the settings

In Optimization, check the Kerf (the blade width, 1/8 by default), the Units, and the Priority: what the optimizer should minimize first.

5. Optimize

Choose Optimize, or press Ctrl ↵. The plan appears on the canvas and the totals in Results on the right. Click a piece to see its size and where it came from; press ? for every keyboard shortcut.