A nesting system is a process by which one or more patterns are laid out on a flat material. Most existing nesting systems attempt to maximize materials usage by relying on trial and error, human judgment, and human experience. Some of the few existing nesting systems are semi-automated; none are fully automated and all have to use regularly-shape material. This project will investigate an automated software system which will create an efficient and effective pattern for laying out shapes on a flat material. The ability to find a near-optimal layout for (1) many or few identical shapes and (2) numerous, dissimilar shapes on both regularly and irregularly-shaped stock will be evaluated and refined. The system will, in most cases, achieve a near-optimal layout with close to maximum materials utilization at speeds much faster than existing methods; reduce successive iterations between design- engineering and manufacturing; free up professionals currently committed to the design-nesting process; enhance communications between the design-engineering and manufacturing divisions of a company, and designers will be able to create component parts with irregular shapes.
