Barcut ProMATERIAL OPTIMIZATION
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1D cutting optimization for bars, profiles and stock lengths.

Put a cutting list in, get a cutting plan out. Barcut Pro's 1D optimizer accounts for saw kerf, machine end trim and mixed stock lengths, then returns the plan that uses the least material — free to try, no account required.

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What is 1D cutting optimization?

One-dimensional (1D) cutting optimization — also called linear cutting, bar cutting or stock length optimization — is the problem of cutting a required set of piece lengths from available stock bars while using as little stock as possible. It's the everyday problem behind any cutting list for material that's bought and cut by length: aluminium and steel profiles, extrusions, box section, pipe, and timber.

Done by hand or in a spreadsheet, it's easy to under- or over-order stock, forget kerf, or miss a combination of parts that would have fit on one bar instead of two. A cutting optimizer searches many more combinations than is practical manually and returns the plan with the least waste.

How Barcut Pro solves it

Cutting lists & quantities

Enter part lengths, quantities and optional labels — paste straight from a spreadsheet, one row per length.

Multiple stock lengths

List every stock length you hold, each with its own available quantity or left unlimited. The optimizer chooses which to use.

Kerf

Saw blade width lost on every cut, deducted per cut so the plan matches what the saw actually produces.

End trim

A calibration offset removed from both ends of every bar, for machines that need a clean reference edge.

Minimum useful offcut

Leftover material above this length is logged as reusable stock instead of being counted as waste.

Material waste reduction

The plan returned is the one that uses the least total stock across every stock length available, not just the first one that fits.

Built for fabrication workflows

Barcut Pro is used for aluminium profile cutting (window, door and curtain-wall systems), steel and box section fabrication, PVC and timber cutting, and cut-to-size profile supply — anywhere a cutting list needs turning into a bar-by-bar plan for the saw. A finished plan exports as an Optimizer Report and a machine cutting list, ready for the shop floor.

See how 1D compares to 2D sheet optimization →
GUIDES
What is saw kerf? →What is the cutting stock problem? →How to reduce cutting waste →1D optimization by material →
1D FAQ

1D cutting optimization, explained

What is 1D cutting optimization?

One-dimensional (1D) cutting optimization, also called linear or bar cutting optimization, decides how to cut a set of required piece lengths from available stock bars so that the fewest bars are used and the least material is wasted. It applies to any material sold and cut by length: aluminium and steel profiles, extrusions, pipe, timber and similar linear stock.

What is a bar cutting optimizer?

A bar cutting optimizer is software that takes a cutting list — part lengths and quantities — plus the stock bar lengths you have available, and computes which bars to cut and exactly where, minimizing the number of bars used and the material wasted.

How does a 1D cutting optimizer work?

It treats each required length as demand and each stock length as supply, then searches for combinations of pieces per bar (cutting patterns) that satisfy all demand using the least total stock. Barcut Pro’s engine also accounts for saw kerf, machine end trim, and a configurable minimum useful offcut so the plan it returns matches what actually happens at the saw.

How do I optimize multiple stock lengths?

Enter every stock length you have on hand, each with its own available quantity (or leave quantity blank for unlimited). Barcut Pro chooses which of those lengths to use for each cutting pattern — mixing stock lengths within one job when that reduces total waste — rather than requiring you to solve each stock length separately.

How does kerf affect cutting optimization?

Kerf is the material removed by the saw blade on every cut. Barcut Pro deducts kerf at each cut when calculating what fits on a bar, so the returned plan is achievable at the saw, not just achievable on paper. Getting kerf wrong is one of the most common reasons a manual or unaccounted plan runs short of material.

Can I optimize aluminium profiles?

Yes. Barcut Pro is used for aluminium profile and extrusion cutting (window, door and curtain-wall systems among them) as well as steel, PVC and timber — the optimizer works on lengths and quantities, so it applies to any linear stock material.

Can I optimize steel bars?

Yes. Steel bar, tube and profile cutting works the same way as aluminium: enter your cutting list and available stock lengths, set kerf and end trim for your saw, and optimize.

Can I use different stock lengths?

Yes — mixed stock lengths are a core part of the 1D optimizer. You can set a limited quantity per stock length or leave it unlimited, and the optimizer decides which lengths to actually use.

Can I optimize a cutting list?

Yes. Paste or enter a cutting list of part lengths, quantities and optional labels, and Barcut Pro produces a cutting plan and a downloadable machine cutting list for the shop floor.