Beam saw optimisation, end to end
From a list of parts to a CNC file your saw will run — one API. Two optimisation modes, benchmarked on thousands of real jobs, with validated output for the machine on your floor. Built on ten years of research and development into cutting-optimisation algorithms.
Two modes — choose your trade-off
Every job runs through the same beam-saw engine. Fast returns an answer in about a second and already matches the best-known result on the large majority of jobs. Max spends a deeper search budget to squeeze extra boards out of the hardest, densest layouts. You pick the point on the curve that fits the job.
The default for everyday cutting. Returns instantly and reaches the provable optimal layout on 82% of real jobs — there is simply nothing left to recover on those.
- Interactive: quote and cut in real time
- Already optimal on the large majority of jobs
- 10–100× faster than web cutting tools
A global search that re-packs the whole job to recover material on large, dense or awkward layouts — the jobs where one extra board is real money. Worth the wait when the saw run is big.
- Recovers boards on the hardest jobs
- Budget dial: trade time for savings
- Best for batch / overnight nesting
On a 45-job cross-section spanning 1 to 71 boards, Fast matched Max on two thirds of jobs and finished around 100× faster; Max recovered extra boards on the largest, densest jobs — up to four boards on a single 32-board job. Below three boards there is nothing to recover, so Fast is always the right call.
Where Max earns its keep
Real beam-saw benchmarks, identical inputs to both modes — same parts, same stock, same kerf. Fewer boards means less wasted material. These are the jobs where the deeper search pays off.
| Benchmark | Fast | Max |
|---|---|---|
| 20 parts2400 × 2000 mm | 2 boards0.2 s | 1 board38.5 s |
| 60 parts2785 × 2055 mm | 10 boards0.5 s | 9 boards1.0 s |
| 160 parts2785 × 2055 mm | 5 boards1.2 s | 4 boards29.3 s |
| 256 parts2785 × 2055 mm | 14 boards2.7 s | 13 boards50.2 s |
Every result is validated against the saw's own control software and, where possible, on real saw hardware. Full methodology, competitor comparisons and layout visualisations are on the benchmarks page.
From layout to post-processor
An optimal layout is only useful if your saw can run it. SmartCut's post-processor pipeline converts the layout directly into the CNC format your machine expects — no manual transcription, no intermediate software. Every format is validated against the saw's own control software, with geometry and accuracy checks across a library of real production jobs before it ships.
| Saw / software | Vendor | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holzma / Sawteq | Homag | PTX | Validated |
| Optiplanner (beam saw) | Biesse | Biesse XML (Str) | Validated |
| Selco WN series | Biesse | Biesse XML (Str) | Validated |
| PC5100 / PC7000 | Mayer | .may | Validated |
| Jingwei cutting table | Jingwei | CNC XML | Active use |
| Pratika | SCM | Biesse XML (Str) | Beta |
| Commander 4 (MCS) | Schelling | .nc | Beta |
| G-Drive | Giben | .ac | Beta |
Validated — end-to-end CNC file in production, accepted by the saw's own software on a full job corpus. Active use — in production with live customer traffic. Beta — implemented and tested; real-machine sign-off in progress. A further set of formats is in beta across SCM, Schelling, Giben and Striebig — see the full saw support matrix.
Beam saw optimisation FAQ
What is beam saw optimization?
Beam saw optimization arranges your parts onto the fewest possible boards while respecting the saw's cutting constraints — head cuts, stack height, kerf and trim. SmartCut runs two modes: Fast returns a near-optimal layout in about a second, and Max spends a deeper search budget to recover extra boards on the hardest jobs.
What is the difference between Fast and Max mode?
Fast returns in under two seconds and already matches the best-known result on the large majority of jobs. Max runs a deeper search — a 150-second budget by default — and recovers additional boards on large, dense or awkward layouts. You pick the trade-off per job.
What CNC file formats can SmartCut export for beam saws?
SmartCut exports validated CNC files for 13+ beam saw models, including Homag PTX, Biesse Optiplanner (Biesse XML), Mayer .may, SCM, Schelling Commander and Giben — straight from the optimised layout, with no manual transcription.
Do I need to install any software?
No. SmartCut is a REST API: you submit a cutting job and receive an optimised layout and a saw-ready CNC file. There is no desktop software or licence, and the free tier covers 1,000 calculations per month.