How Can You Reduce Material Waste Without Disrupting Production?

Shops typically approach this trade-off differently. Some focus on minimizing scrap at all costs, often leading to leftover material that’s hard to reuse. Others choose to cut only what’s needed for the current order, increasing overall waste. There are also those who fill the nesting layout with parts from future jobs, improving material yield but increasing work-in-progress (WIP) and inventory complexity.

So how do you strike a balance between material optimization and operational efficiency? The answer isn’t a single solution—it’s about adapting your nesting strategy to the workshop’s actual workload and priorities. This requires digital tools that enable data-driven decisions and real-time adjustments without compromising profitability or delivery performance.

Nesting Strategies and Their Implications

Decisions around nesting go beyond material usage—they affect overall shop performance and long-term profitability. Some of the most common approaches include:

1. Order-Driven Nesting:
   Only the parts needed for a specific job are cut. This prevents unnecessary inventory buildup but may result in higher scrap rates if the layout doesn’t fully utilize the sheet.
2. Nesting With Reusable Remnants:
   The aim here is to maximize sheet usage while generating offcuts that can be reused. For this to work, a system must be in place to track, store, and manage those remnants effectively.
3. Nesting With Filler Parts:
   Additional parts from upcoming orders are inserted to make the most of available space. While this boosts material yield, it can also lead to excess inventory and more complex planning if those parts aren’t needed immediately.
4. Nesting to Optimize Shopfloor Efficiency:
   Parts are grouped on each sheet based on multiple criteria, with the goal of streamlining downstream production processes after cutting.

Each strategy has trade-offs, and the right choice depends on multiple variables—such as customer demand, available storage, and how efficiently the workshop handles WIP.

Why Advanced Nesting Software Matters

Adapting a nesting strategy to changing priorities is only possible with the right digital tools. Advanced nesting software offers visibility and control that manual processes can’t match. Here’s what these systems bring to the table:

1. Real-Time Demand Visibility

Nesting software integrated with ERP or MES systems provides a clear picture of ongoing orders and future demand. This insight helps determine whether it’s best to add filler parts, hold off for a larger batch, or use a remnant from storage—reducing waste and aligning production with actual needs.

2. Efficient Remnant Management

Optimized nesting often leaves behind usable offcuts. Without proper tracking, these remnants pile up and become waste. A well-connected system can catalog and retrieve remnants in real time, helping programmers use them in future nests instead of starting from scratch.

3. Scenario Simulation

Being able to simulate different nesting options before production begins is critical. Advanced software allows you to test layouts that balance material savings with delivery deadlines and machine availability—enabling smarter decisions and fewer compromises.

4. Seamless Shopfloor Integration

Once a nesting strategy is defined, execution should be automatic. Software that integrates with the plant floor ensures accurate communication, avoids manual errors, and keeps production aligned with planning—minimizing downtime and reducing rework.

Balancing Material, Inventory, and Delivery Deadlines

Nesting should not be viewed only as a way to reduce material waste. Its impact extends across production capacity, warehouse operations, and delivery performance. To find the right balance, shops must take a flexible, system-wide approach that includes:

• Adjustable nesting strategies based on order volume, inventory status, and delivery requirements.
• Automated decision-making tools that help select the best nesting logic for each scenario.
• Workflow optimization to ensure that nesting choices don’t create new problems downstream, such as storage overload or production bottlenecks.

We work in a demanding environment, and the ability to adjust and execute nesting strategies with precision can make the difference between a profitable shop and one that’s constantly reacting to inefficiencies. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula—but there is value in staying agile, informed, and ready to optimize every sheet, every time.