Quality and Speed

Nesting is a search: NestMaxx tries different arrangements and keeps the best one it finds. The Quality setting decides how many arrangements it tries, which trades packing density against how long the run takes.

The three quality levels

In the Quick Nest dialog (press Nest ), Quality has three settings:

• Fast - tries only a couple of layouts. It returns quickly, but usually leaves more empty space.
• Balanced - a middle ground between speed and density.
• Tight (slower) - tries every layout it can. It is the slowest, but usually fits the most parts on the sheet.

Higher quality does not change the parts or the spacing. It simply spends more effort looking for a better packing.

Which to use, and when

• Use Fast while you are still setting things up: adding parts, adjusting sizes, checking that everything is roughly right. Quick feedback matters more than density here.
• Switch to Tight for the run that counts, when the parts and quantities are settled and you want the best use of material. This is where the extra search pays for itself in fewer sheets.
• Balanced is a reasonable everyday default when you want a good result without the longest wait.

About the wait

A Tight nest with many parts can take a while, because it is genuinely trying many more layouts. That is expected. If a run is taking longer than you want, press Cancel to stop and keep the best layout reached so far, then either accept it or try again at a lower quality. See Running a Nest.

The bigger levers

Quality is only one way to fit more on a sheet. Also worth trying:

• Allow more rotation, so parts have more ways to fit. See Rotation and Orientation.
• Reduce the spacing, if your process allows a smaller gap. See Spacing and Clearance.

Then judge the outcome by the numbers in Reading the Result.