How to start
Pieces, dimensions and edge bands
Enter the finished requirement and inspect the dimensions that will be cut.
Enter and check each piece
Add pieces using an existing material group; no new material group is required. The following steps use the piece editor.
In the piece list on the Projects tab, use Add or select a piece and use Edit.
Select the material group and, where used, the project.
Enter length, width for 2D, and quantity. Add an identifier and useful description.
Set priority and the required surface-structure direction.
In the piece editor, No structure describes a piece without grain or a surface pattern, for example a plain board. Structure irrelevant means the piece has no requirement for a structure direction, for example a hidden piece whose pattern orientation does not matter. Check the actual material and the orientation of the pieces in the calculated plan.
Inspect the preview’s edge markings or end angles, then click OK.
Back in the piece list, check the material group, identifier, quantity and dimensions.
Follow the dimensions topic for gross/net comparisons. Inspect cutting sizes in the list’s Cutting mode, not in the editor preview.
Gross, net and cutting dimensions
The gross, net and cutting dimensions topic connects these settings with material groups, edge bands, piece entry, import and output. Use it before correcting a size merely because two views show different numbers.
Create a band definition through the library menu’s edge-band list: use Add, enter its name and physical dimensions, and save with OK. Close the edge-band list. On the Projects tab, select a piece and click Edit. In its preview, right-click the required left, right, top or bottom edge and choose the band. For a 1D piece with miter controls enabled, click the left or right angle to edit that end; verify the displayed end shape before saving.
- Allowance adds material for subsequent processing; deduction reduces a dimension. Keep these separate from stock trimming.
- Assign edge bands to the appropriate individual edges. A band definition includes its own dimensions and processing allowance.
- For 1D pieces with miter cuts, use the angle and measurement convention supported by the selected device. Rotation and mirroring are separate material-group permissions.
Projects and reusable piece templates
The project editor contains title, description, priority and due date; a title is required. A piece template has a title, description and an editable piece list. When adding pieces from a template, select or filter the template, review its pieces, and set quantity and priority before confirming. Check resulting quantities in the destination piece list.
To create or edit a template, open the piece-template list in the library menu and use Add or select an entry and use Edit; enter its title and maintain its piece list, then confirm with OK. Close the template list. To use the template, return to the Projects tab, select the destination project if projects are enabled, and use the piece list's Add from template action. Select the template, review its pieces and enter the number of template copies: 2 doubles each stored piece quantity. Confirm with OK and check the added quantities in the destination list.