Sheet Happens IX – Nest Like You Mean It

Situations like this happen more often than we’d like. Maybe the material isn’t in good condition, or the operator needs specific placement tweaks, or the automatic nesting doesn’t quite meet the production needs. The question is: do we have room to adapt, or are we stuck with whatever the software gives us?

Spoiler alert: Lantek Expert gives you full control, and this article shows you how to take advantage of that with manual nesting tools—no wasted time, no reinventing the wheel.

When Automatic Nesting Misses the Mark

We start as usual: open Nest Management, select the job, and run Automatic Nesting > One Sheet. We tweak the optimization level, adjust the spacing between parts, enable or disable subjobs, and let Lantek do its thing.

Sometimes it works beautifully. The layout is efficient, clean, and ready for production.

Other times… not quite.

Lantek may generate the most technically efficient layout, but that doesn’t always match what the operator or the material conditions actually require. That’s when it’s time to step in manually and fine-tune the layout ourselves.

Manual Nesting in Lantek: Full Control, When You Need It

Lantek Expert gives you detailed manual control through tools available in the Transform tab of the nesting environment. Here’s what you can do:

• One Window
  Found in the Nesting group along with other automatic options, this tool feels manual—but in the best way. It lets you create a selection window within a sheet to manually nest parts in that zone. Perfect for micro-nesting or using leftover material on a partially used sheet.
• Advanced Copy
  Duplicate selected parts in a specific direction, with custom spacing. Great for repeating layouts or manual optimization.
• Move
  Freely drag and drop any part to reposition it exactly where you want, without disturbing the rest of the nest.
• Expand
  Adjust spacing between identical parts or groups to improve cutting efficiency and avoid collision risks.

All of these tools are available in the Home tab of the nesting interface and can be used together to build a layout with absolute precision.

Tips From the Field: Smart Nesting Without Losing Time

These are some practical strategies I rely on when I need more control than automatic nesting alone can provide:

1. Think Like It’s Tetris
Every open space is a chance to optimize. Rotate, slide, and fit parts together manually to use every bit of the sheet. Better nesting means fewer material changes and less scrap.

2. Prioritize Cutting Order
Don’t place parts just to fill space—think about how they’ll be machined. Use Lantek Expert > Cutting Order > Manual Sequence to arrange your cuts in the most logical and efficient way.

3. Experiment Without Fear
Don’t worry about messing anything up. Lantek lets you undo, adjust, and retry as much as needed. Explore tools like Align, Attach, Separate, and everything under the Transform tab.

4. Group by Type
Organize similar parts together. It helps operators on the floor and can lead to better cutting performance in the nesting algorithm.

Manual and Automatic: Better Together

Not everything should be fully automated, and not everything needs to be adjusted by hand. Lantek Expert offers two approaches that work best when combined:

• Automatic nesting gets you fast, optimized results.
• Manual tools let you fine-tune based on real-world conditions—operator needs, sheet quality, production logic.

The smart move isn’t to choose between them, but to use both. Let the system generate a starting point, and then take over where human input matters. The result? More flexibility, more precision, and more confidence in your production.

So next time you’re facing a tricky nesting job, start with the automatic layout, refine it manually, and make every sheet count.

See you in the next Sheet Happens. Until then, may every scrap find its perfect place.