Guillotine Cut vs Nesting
Guillotine-style layouts favor straight cuts across rectangular stock. Nesting software can pack irregular shapes more tightly, but it may require CNC or more complex cutting processes.
The practical difference
A guillotine cut splits a remaining rectangle into smaller rectangles. That style is easier to execute with panel saws, table saws, track saws, and shop notes. Nesting tries to arrange parts for material yield and can include irregular geometry.
| Approach | Best for | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Guillotine-style rectangular layout | Shop-readable panel cutting | May waste more than advanced nesting. |
| 2D rectangular packing | Cabinet and sheet goods planning | Does not handle curves or polygons. |
| Industrial nesting | CNC and production workflows | Needs more setup and machine-specific output. |
What StockCut is built for
StockCut is a practical planning tool for rectangular sheet parts and straight stock. It does not claim CNC-grade nesting, G-code, polygon packing, or angle-cut geometry.
Related StockCut tools
Quick FAQ
Is StockCut nesting software?
No. It is a practical rectangular cut list optimizer, not industrial nesting CAM.
Why not always use nesting?
For simple shop cutting, a readable rectangular plan may be more useful than a dense machine-style nest.
Can StockCut handle angled cuts?
No. It focuses on rectangular sheet parts and straight linear cuts.
Use the live calculator on this site to test the same assumptions with your own stock size, part list, kerf, strategy, and export needs.