A cut list optimizer is software that plans how to cut raw materials into parts in an optimized way. It helps reduce scrap, improve material usage, and simplify production planning. This type of cutting optimization software is commonly used in industries such as woodworking, metal fabrication, and glass processing.

CutLogic 2D is our professional cut optimizer developed specifically for cutting rectangular sheet materials like wood panels, glass, composite boards, metal sheets, or rolls. It generates optimized cutting layouts using advanced algorithms that deliver maximum yield and minimal waste. It streamlines production, improves accuracy, and lowers material costs across projects of any size.

For linear materials like bars, tubes, rods, and pipes, we also offer CutLogic 1D, our specialized 1D cutting optimization software.

A cut list optimizer takes list of required parts and available sheet sizes, then calculates how to cut the material to minimize waste. You enter dimensions and quantities for both parts and sheets, and the software generates optimized cutting layouts. These layouts can then be printed or exported along with part labels, summaries, and optional reports such as material usage, cost estimates, or cutting statistics.

CutLogic 2D uses powerful algorithms to solve complex sheet cutting problems. It accounts for kerf width, grain direction, trim margins, and other constraints to deliver optimal cutting plans. The result is better yield, fewer offcuts, and smoother production.

Whether you're working with plywood, glass, sheet metal, fabric, or composite panels, CutLogic 2D helps you cut more efficiently and with greater precision.

There are several free cut list optimizers available, each with different strengths depending on the material type and project needs. Some tools are designed for quick online use, while others offer desktop software with more advanced features.

CutLogic Community Edition is one of the most advanced free cut list optimizers for both linear and sheet cutting. Unlike many limited online tools, it runs on your computer and offers powerful optimization, detailed reports, part labeling, reusable remnant tracking, and export options — all without time limits or ads.

If you're cutting bars, tubes, or profiles, CutLogic 1D is ideal. For panels, glass, or sheet materials, CutLogic 2D offers unmatched efficiency. Both are available in a free version for Windows with no registration required.

CutLogic 2D is an advanced cut list optimization software designed specifically for 2-dimensional cutting of sheets, panels, and rolls. It automatically calculates optimal cutting layouts to achieve the lowest possible material waste and significantly reduce costs.

Ideal for woodworking, furniture manufacturing, sheet metal, glass cutting, facade production, and similar industries, CutLogic 2D enables efficient panel nesting and guillotine cutting with unlimited or limited cutting stages. It efficiently manages inventory, remnants tracking, edge banding, and supports CNC integration through DXF and G-Code export, providing precise cutting instructions and detailed reports.

CutLogic 2D is designed specifically for rectangular parts. It does not support irregular or any-shape nesting.

CutLogic 2D is used by manufacturers, fabricators, and workshops dealing with flat materials such as wood panels, metal sheets, glass panes, plastics, composites, or textiles.

It is ideal for woodworking companies, furniture makers, sheet metal fabricators, glass manufacturers, facade builders, and industrial production facilities aiming to optimize panel cutting, reduce waste, and improve productivity. Whether your business involves cutting a few panels per day or thousands in mass production, CutLogic 2D streamlines your workflow, minimizes material costs, and enhances overall operational efficiency.

CutLogic 2D is designed specifically for optimizing the cutting of panels, sheets, or rolls, handling materials that require precise two-dimensional arrangement. It supports advanced features like panel nesting, grain direction control, edge banding, and DXF/G-Code export for CNC and beam saw integration—making it ideal for woodworking, furniture manufacturing, glass cutting, sheet metal, and facade fabrication.

In contrast, CutLogic 1D is tailored for linear cutting optimization, dealing with materials measured primarily by length such as bars, tubes, profiles, and beams. If your operations involve sheet or panel cutting, CutLogic 2D provides comprehensive solutions. For linear cutting tasks, CutLogic 1D is the appropriate choice.

CutLogic 2D runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It is a native Windows desktop application and does not require internet access once installed. It also runs on Windows Server and supports use through Remote Desktop Services (RDS) or Terminal Services environments.

There is no version for macOS or mobile devices. However, CutLogic 2D can be installed on a Mac using a Windows environment such as Parallels or Boot Camp.

CutLogic 2D is designed to be very easy to learn and use, even without formal training. The interface is clean and intuitive, and most users are up and running in minutes.

You can find full documentation and learning resources here:

• A detailed PDF manual is available on the Download page
• The same manual is built into the software — just press F1 to open Help anytime
• You can also view the same manual online on the Help page
• And watch short training videos on the Videos page

For any questions about CutLogic 2D or 1D, just email us at support@tmachines.com. We're happy to help with installation, licensing, imports, optimization, or anything else.

To speed up troubleshooting, please include screenshots or sample files when possible.

Yes, the CutLogic 2D Community Edition is completely free and does not expire. You can use it as long as you like, for both personal and commercial projects.

The Community Edition is limited to 250 parts and 10 different part sizes per plan. If you need to optimize larger projects, you can upgrade to the Professional or Enterprise Edition anytime.

The Professional Edition of CutLogic 2D removes the limitations of the free edition and adds features like more custom reports, Excel and Word export, up to 3,000 parts per plan, and inventory sharing over LAN. It's well-suited for small to mid-sized businesses.

The Enterprise Edition includes everything in the Professional Edition, and adds support for unlimited parts per plan, WAN environments, automated exports, import from external databases, and advanced cutting settings. It's designed for larger productions, multi-location setups, and higher levels of integration.

No. All editions of CutLogic 2D — Community, Professional, and Enterprise — use the same installation file. The features available after installation depend on your license.

If you don't enter a license key, the software runs in Community Edition mode by default. Entering a Professional or Enterprise license immediately unlocks the full features without reinstalling.

Both Professional and Enterprise edition licenses are perpetual and require only a one-time payment. There are no subscriptions, hidden fees, or ongoing charges.

Your license includes support and free updates for one year. After that, you can keep using your existing version forever, or optionally purchase an upgrade if you want to access newer versions.

When you purchase a Professional or Enterprise license, you get one year of free updates and support included. During that time, you can install any new versions released.

After one year, you can continue using your existing version indefinitely. If you later want access to newer versions, or if you'd like to extend support, you can purchase an optional upgrade or support renewal - but most users find CutLogic 2D reliable enough that extended support isn't needed.

The free Community Edition of CutLogic 2D can be installed on up to three computers and used by three individual users. This makes it ideal for small teams or multi-device use within a workshop or office.

The Professional and Enterprise Editions are licensed for use on a single computer by a single user. These editions are designed for dedicated workstations or individual setups in commercial environments.

For full licensing terms, see the CutLogic 2D End User License Agreement (EULA).

If your licensed computer is upgraded or becomes unusable, we offer free license transfers.

To install a new version of CutLogic 2D, simply download the latest setup file and install it over your existing version. Your cutting plans, inventory, settings, and license will be preserved.

If you're using the Professional or Enterprise Edition and your original license is more than one year old, you may need to purchase an upgrade to unlock the new version. Otherwise, the software will continue running in Community Edition mode.

CutLogic 2D supports importing parts and stock data from Excel (.xlsx), CSV (.csv), text files (.txt), Access databases (.mdb), and even from the clipboard. You can also import from external databases (like SQL Server or Oracle) using a connection file.

Each format allows you to map fields like length, quantity, and material to match CutLogic 2D's structure. The clipboard import is especially convenient for quick one-off inputs from spreadsheets.

To import a part list containing multiple materials, make sure your data includes a Material column and that it's correctly mapped during import. CutLogic 2D will automatically create a separate cutting plan for each material.

You can import from Excel, CSV, external databases or clipboard. The key is to map Length, Width, Quantity, and Material fields correctly — once that's done, CutLogic 2D handles the rest.

Yes. You can update all stocks for all materials using a single import file. Just make sure your data includes Length, Quantity, and Material columns, and import into the Inventory > Materials > Stocks tab.

You can choose whether to add to existing inventory or replace it entirely. This is especially useful when syncing inventory from an external system or updating stock levels in bulk.

Yes. After optimization, you can export cutting layouts, parts, remnants, and reports to a variety of formats including CSV, Excel (.xlsx), PDF, Word (.docx), DXF, G-Code, and more. This is useful for printing, sharing, or importing into other systems.

You can also customize which data to include in the export and how it's formatted using the built-in reporting tools.

Yes. CutLogic 2D includes a Custom Exports module that can automatically export optimization results after a plan is optimized. You can export to CSV, XML, or send data to a (virtual) serial port — useful for integration with other systems or machines.

Automatic export can be triggered after plan optimization, plan closing, or plan opening.

Go to File > Custom Exports or press Ctrl+E. In Custom Exports you can export parts, stock usage, remnants, cutting layouts, and more in formats like CSV, XML, or directly to a (virtual) serial port.

Custom Exports give you full control over the structure and content of the output — you can use any SQL query to define what data you want to export and how it should be formatted. Exports can be run manually or triggered automatically after optimization.

CutLogic 2D uses advanced algorithms — including Genetic Algorithms and Fuzzy Logic — to calculate cutting layouts that minimize waste and maximize material usage. It evolves an evaluates thousands of possible combinations and selects the best one based on part sizes, available stocks, and your cutting settings.

The result is a set of optimized cutting layouts that reduce scrap, shorten cutting time, and improve overall efficiency.

To improve material yield, start by enabling more stock sizes in your plan — CutLogic 2D can effectively combine them for greater efficiency. Yield also improves when you include more parts and greater part size variation, allowing the optimizer to generate more efficient cutting patterns.

Another important factor affecting yield is the cutting type used. Panel nesting typically provides the highest yield but usually requires CNC machinery. The next best option is guillotine cutting with unlimited stages. Reducing the number of allowed cutting stages can lower material utilization and efficiency, so always choose the method with the fewest stage limitations suitable for your machinery.

Yes. Simply set the stock quantity to "Unlimited" for each stock size you want the optimizer to consider. After running the optimization, CutLogic 2D will calculate how many units of each stock length are needed to fulfill the plan.

This feature is useful when you're preparing an order or quoting a job and want to know exactly how much material to purchase.

Yes — CutLogic 2D is designed to optimize across multiple stock sizes within a single plan. Even adding just one extra stock size often improves material yield significantly.

The more stock sizes you allow, the more flexibility the optimizer has to reduce waste. You can define several stock sizes and set each one to either “Unlimited” or a specific quantity, depending on whether you're estimating or using available inventory.

Yes. To find the best stock size, enter multiple possible stock sizes into the plan and set their quantity to “Unlimited.” Then go to Settings and set “Max number of stock lengths” to 1, 2, or more.

If you set it to 1, the optimizer will choose the single most efficient stock size. If you set it to 2 or more, it will find the best combination of stock sizes to minimize waste.

This is useful when you're selecting which stock size to order or stock in your shop.

The Grip setting defines the minimal distance between the cutting line and the edge of the sheet or panel. It's particularly important when cutting materials like glass, which require additional spacing to securely grip and stabilize the sheet during the cutting process. Proper use of Grip settings ensures precision, reduces breakage, and improves operational safety.

A cutting plan in CutLogic 2D defines what parts you need to cut, what stock you have available, and the cutting settings to use. Each plan includes a part list, a stock list, the cutting settings, and the resulting cutting layouts generated by the optimizer.

You can create as many cutting plans as needed — for different materials, projects, orders, or scenarios. Plans can be saved, copied, optimized again, printed, or exported.

Yes. When you import a part list with multiple materials, CutLogic 2D automatically creates a separate cutting plan for each material. This is the fastest way to generate multiple plans in a single step.

You can also create multiple plans using Assemblies — each assembly can be copied into a new plan or batch of plans based on material. Both methods are ideal for handling complex jobs or generating grouped cutting plans in bulk.

To re-run a plan, simply open it and press F3 to start optimization again. You can also edit parts, stock, or settings before re-optimizing.

In CutLogic 2D, the inventory is organized into three main components:

• Materials identify stock types within the same material family — such as different colors, coatings, finish, or thicknesses. Materials are used to group compatible parts and stock.
• Assemblies are saved lists of parts — like reusable cut lists — that can be quickly loaded into new cutting plans.
• Storages help you manage stock across multiple locations, such as warehouses or job sites. You can track stock levels per location and organize inventory more clearly.

This structure allows you to handle complex jobs and reuse data efficiently.

CutLogic 2D automatically tracks stock usage across all cutting plans. When you optimize a plan and close it, the software updates your inventory by:

• Withdrawing used stocks
• Adding remnants that were left over from the cut

You can also manually edit stock quantities or import updated inventory at any time. This makes it easy to keep your material records accurate without using separate spreadsheets.

After you optimize and close a cutting plan, CutLogic 2D automatically saves all usable offcuts as remnants. These remnants are added to your inventory with their exact remaining length, material, and storage location.

Remnants can be used in future plans just like regular stock. To help the optimizer decide what to keep and what to discard, set a Minimum remnant length and width in the plan's settings — any leftover smaller than that will be treated as scrap.

After optimizing a plan, press Ctrl+P or go to File > Reports to open the Reports window. From there, you can print cutting layouts, part labels, remnant labels, and summary reports. You can preview all reports before printing and choose from predefined templates.

CutLogic 2D includes label formats with barcodes, stock IDs, and part descriptions. You can also create custom labels to match your workflow or printer setup.

Yes. CutLogic 2D includes a built-in report designer that lets you fully customize all reports — cutting layouts, part lists, summaries, and labels. You can adjust formatting, layout, fonts, barcodes, and which fields are shown.

To customize a report, go to File > Reports, select the report you want to edit, and click the triangle button. You can save your own templates and use different layouts for different jobs or customers.

After optimization, the best way to export cutting layouts is through the Reports window. Choose the Cutting Layouts report, click Export, and select a format such as PDF, Excel, HTML, Word, or Image. This lets you share clear visual instructions with operators or attach layouts to work orders.

You can also use Custom Exports to send data to machines or external systems in CSV or XML format.

If printing doesn't work in CutLogic 2D, make sure your Windows system has at least one printer installed and that a default printer is set. This applies even if you're only printing to PDF.

You can use a virtual printer like Microsoft Print to PDF or any PDF software that adds a printer device. Without any printer installed or set as default, printing functions will be disabled.

You can switch between millimeters and feet/inches by going to Tools > Options > Formats. All part and stock dimensions will then be displayed and printed in the selected unit system.

If you're using decimal inches, it's recommended to also switch to decimal format (instead of fractional) for better clarity and accuracy.

Go to Tools > Options > Formats > Precision to set the number of decimal places used in CutLogic 2D. The default is 0.01, which works well for most applications.

You can adjust it to 0.1, 0.001, or any other precision based on your production requirements. This setting controls how part dimensions, cutting lengths, and reports are displayed and calculated.

Yes, CutLogic 2D fully supports edge banding. You can define any number of edge bands in File > Inventory > Edgebands. When edge bands are assigned to parts in cutting plans, the cutting optimizer automatically adjusts part dimensions based on the Thickness and Decrement properties of the assigned edge bands.

You can track edge banding material consumption, and generate detailed reports. This makes it easy to integrate edge banding operations into your cutting process.

You can set up CNC machines in CutLogic 2D under File > Machines. There you can define each machine and enter the parameters needed to generate accurate G-code output.

Once your machine is set up, you can export any cutting plan to a G-Code file tailored for the selected machine.

Tip: Unless your material or cutting technology requires guillotine-style cutting (e.g. for glass), set optimization type to Nesting — it gives you the best material yield, shortest total cut length, and faster cutting.

Tip: Turn on Toolpath optimization in the machine settings — CutLogic 2D will connect and reorder cuts to minimize movement between them, making the overall cutting process faster.

CutLogic 2D Server is a separate application designed for fully automated cutting optimization. It runs in the background, monitoring a data folder for incoming plan files. When a new plan appears — typically written by an ERP or MES system — it automatically optimizes it without user interaction.

It's ideal for integration with ERP or MES environments, high-volume workflows, or unattended batch processing. The server is licensed separately.