Toolpaths and Machining: Nesting

Carveco Tutorial: Nesting Tool

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the Nesting Tool in Carveco to arrange parts efficiently within a defined sheet. Nesting helps minimize material waste and save time by automatically calculating optimal layouts for multiple components.

🔹 What is Nesting?

• Nesting automatically repositions selected vectors for the best material usage.
• Great for batch production, sheet optimization, or CNC material planning.
• Supports multiple copies, different shapes, and intelligent layout across multiple sheets.

🔹 How to Use Nesting

• Draw or import the vectors you wish to nest.
• Select them and click Nest Selected Vectors.
• Enter your tool diameter (e.g. 0.25 inches) and toolpath clearance.
• Adjust edge clearance to avoid cutting off material near sheet edges.
• Choose number of copies or set All Parts mode.
• Use Model as Boundary to restrict layout to your job sheet.

🔹 Advanced Nesting Features

• Part Rotation: Allow parts to rotate for better fit (e.g. 90° or 10° increments).
• Mirror Parts: Enables flipping to improve layout density.
• Allow Parts in Parts: Fills internal cutouts (e.g., the center of a letter "O").
• Group Now: Maintains layer and shape relationships for grouped designs.
• Multiple Sheets: Automatically uses additional sheets when needed.

🔹 Working with Layers and Imported DXFs

• When importing a DXF, choose Preserve Layers to keep part logic intact.
• Use Group Now before nesting to preserve relationships between holes and outlines.
• After nesting, use Ungroup All to return elements to their original layer structure.

🔹 Nesting Real-World Projects

• Plan ahead: set your material sheet size accurately in the model setup.
• Use imported designs and arrange them as groups if internal pockets exist.
• Once parts are nested, apply relevant toolpaths such as Area Clearance or Profile.