Linear Part Nester  ·  Pro Tool

Stop leaving
bar stock on
the floor.

1D cut optimization for bars, tube, and structural stock. Add your parts, set your stock lengths, and get an optimized layout — graphical view, cut plan, drop list, and PDF — all in one tool.

Start Free — 7 Days → See It Live
✓ No credit card  ✓ Full Pro access  ✓ Cancel any time
87.4%
Yield on example nest
Graphical
Visual layout output
Import
From Bottom-Up quote
PDF
Print-ready cut plan
The Problem

Material is your biggest variable cost. Are you cutting it efficiently?

Most shops lay out cuts manually — by habit, by eye, or by whatever fits first. The result is drop you throw away, bars you buy and waste, and material costs that erode your margin on every structural job.

Manual layout — typical result
Leg 32"
Leg 32"
Drop 56" — wasted
Yield: ~53%Drop: 56"
Optimized nest — FabEngineer Pro
Cross tube 40"
Cross tube 40"
Leg 32"
7.1"
Yield: 87.4%Drop: 7.125"
6
Total Bars
1 profile group
24
Total Cuts
incl. trim & drop
87.4%
Yield
18 pcs · 12.6% drop
90.75"
Total Drop
7.56 ft
See Exactly Where Every Cut Goes

Color-coded bars. Every part. Every drop.

The graphical layout shows each bar as a color-coded strip — different colors for different parts. Drop shown as hatch. Switch to Cut Plan, Summary, or Drop List for the full picture.


Graphical Layout

Color-coded bar view. Every part labeled with length and quantity. Drop shown as hatch pattern.

Cut Plan

Bar-by-bar cut instructions. Part name, quantity, and length. Ready for the shop floor.

Summary

Bars used, total material, drop, and yield percentage — all in one view.

Drop List

Track what’s left over per profile. Useful for future job planning.

Linear nester graphical layout
Connected to Your Workflow

Import from your Bottom-Up quote.

No re-entering part names, profiles, or lengths. The nester reads your structural parts from a saved Bottom-Up estimate and automatically groups them by profile. Import from Pipe Bend Calculator too.


Import from Bottom-Up Quote

Load structural parts from any saved estimate. Names, profiles, lengths, and quantities populate instantly.

Save Nests to Your Account

Name and save any nest. Open saved nests from the sidebar — useful for repeat jobs or standard assemblies.

PDF Cut Plan Output

Print or save a PDF with graphical layout, cut plan, and summary. Hand it to the saw operator or attach to the job.

Linear nester with imported parts
Every Percent of Yield Matters
87.4%
Material yield — 6-bar nest, HSS 4×4×.125

Every percent you recover is money back in your shop.

The difference between 53% and 87% yield on a structural steel order is bars you’re buying and throwing away. The nester finds the layout that wastes the least — automatically.

Nester summary showing yield and drop stats
How It Works

Parts in. Optimized layout out.

1

Add Parts

Enter part names, profile, cut length, and quantity — or import directly from a Bottom-Up Quote or Pipe Bend Calculator.

2

Set Stock Settings

Define stock lengths, kerf width, trim allowance, and end loss per profile group. Multiple stock lengths supported.

3

Run Nesting

Click “Run Nesting.” The optimizer groups parts by profile and finds the layout that minimizes drop across all bars.

4

Save, Print & Cut

Save the nest to your account. Export a PDF cut plan. Hand it off to the saw operator.

Saved nests sidebar
★★★★★
"The DXF estimator alone saves me 30 minutes per quote. I used to trace cut lengths by hand — that’s not an exaggeration. This tool pays for itself in the first week."
Early Access User · Custom Fab Shop · Texas
$29/month  ·  or $249/year  ·  7-day free trial

Stop wasting bar stock
on every structural job.

7-day free trial. Full Pro access. Start nesting in minutes.

Start Free Trial → Try the Live Tool

No credit card  ·  Full Pro access for 7 days  ·  Cancel any time