Plasma cutting
Plasma nesting software that runs in your browser
Nestpact is online nesting software built for plasma cutting. Upload a DXF of your parts, enter the plasma kerf and the spacing you need, and it arranges everything on the plate to waste as little steel as possible, then exports a nested DXF or G-code with lead-in/out for your table.
Plasma kerf is wide and the heat-affected zone is real, so part spacing matters more than it does on a laser. Nestpact grows every part by half the kerf during collision checks, so the parts you cut come out the size you drew.
It works in both millimetres and inches, so whether you run metric stock or a standard 4ft x 8ft (4x8) steel plate, the layout and spacing match your sheet. No install, and there is a free plan.
- Kerf compensation tuned for plasma’s wide cut width and HAZ
- Pierce-aware edge offset keeps cuts off the plate edge where pierce quality drops
- True-shape packing so brackets, rings and irregular profiles interlock
- Lead-in / lead-out added on G-code export so the pierce sits off the finished edge
- Manual touch-up: drag, rotate and nudge parts with live collision checking
- Works in metric mm or US inches, built for 4x8 steel plate and fractional-inch stock
- Download an optimized DXF or generated G-code for your plasma controller
Affordable online nesting for plasma cutters
You should not need a four-figure desktop license to lay parts out on a sheet. Industrial packages like SigmaNEST or Vectric are powerful, but they are expensive, Windows-only installs aimed at production shops. Nestpact runs in the browser, has a free plan, and gets a DIY or hobby plasma table from DXF to a tight, kerf-aware layout in seconds.
For anyone running a home-built or low-cost plasma table, the math is simple: steel plate is the biggest recurring cost, and every gap a hand layout leaves behind is plate you paid for and scrapped. Drop your DXF shapes in, set the kerf for your amperage, and let the optimizer pack the 4x8 (or whatever stock you have) so more finished parts come off each plate.
You can try a nest before creating a free account, nothing installs, and it works the same on Windows, Mac or Linux because it is just a web app.
Why nesting matters for plasma cutting
Plate steel is the most expensive consumable in most plasma shops, so the percentage of the sheet that leaves as finished parts is the number that drives job cost. Hand-arranging parts in CAD leaves gaps a good optimizer would close, and every gap is steel you paid for and scrapped.
Nestpact packs parts using true-shape collision detection, not bounding boxes, so concave and irregular profiles nest into each other instead of each reserving a wasteful rectangle. On a typical mixed job that is the difference between fitting on one plate and starting a second.
Plasma kerf by amperage (approximate)
Kerf widens with amperage and material thickness. Use your consumable manufacturer’s cut chart for exact figures — the table below is a starting reference for setting kerf in Nestpact. Enter the kerf for your amperage and thickness, and the layout spaces parts to match.
| Amperage | Approx. kerf | Typical mild-steel range |
|---|---|---|
| 45 A | 1.5 mm | up to ~10 mm |
| 65 A | 1.8 mm | up to ~16 mm |
| 85 A | 2.3 mm | up to ~20 mm |
| 105 A | 2.8 mm | up to ~25 mm |
| 125 A | 3.5 mm | up to ~32 mm |
| 200 A+ | 4.0 mm+ | 38 mm and above |
Figures are approximate and vary by torch, consumable set, cut speed and material. Always confirm against your machine’s cut chart.
Spacing, pierce and the heat-affected zone
Set a part-to-part gap of at least your kerf plus a couple of millimetres so adjacent cuts do not run into each other’s heat-affected zone and warp thin parts. Add an edge offset so the torch pierces on solid plate, away from the rolled edge where pierce quality and dross are worst.
Because spacing is part of the nest and not an afterthought, the downloaded layout is ready to post to your CAM or cut directly from the generated G-code.
From DXF to cut path
Upload one or more DXF files, set quantities per part, choose rotation freedom, and run. Watch the layout build live, accept it, then download. If a part file has open contours or stray entities, the built-in DXF health checker can close and clean it first so the nest is reliable.
Recommended starting settings
A sensible starting point for a mid-amperage plasma table cutting mild steel. Adjust kerf to your consumable chart.
Keeps adjacent cuts out of each other’s heat-affected zone and limits warping on thin plate.
Pierces on solid plate, clear of the rolled edge and any clamp zone.
Good packing for rectangular-ish parts while keeping cut directions predictable.
Strong utilization in seconds; step up to Maximum on high-value plate.
Frequently asked questions
Is this plasma nesting software free?
Yes. Nestpact has a free plan that includes plasma nesting, multi-sheet layouts and DXF download. There is nothing to install — try a nest first, then create a free account to keep nesting.
How do I set the plasma kerf?
In the nesting settings, enter your kerf width in millimetres (roughly 1.5–4 mm depending on amperage and thickness — see the kerf table above). Nestpact grows every part by half the kerf during collision checks so the spacing in the layout matches what your torch actually removes.
Can I export G-code for my plasma table?
Yes. After nesting you can download the layout as a DXF for your CAM, or generate G-code directly with lead-in/out and kerf options for plasma, waterjet and laser controllers.
Does it handle multiple plates?
Yes. When the parts do not fit on one plate, Nestpact overflows the remainder onto additional sheets and tracks quantities across all of them.
Is this good for a DIY or hobby plasma table?
Yes, that is exactly who the free plan is for. Instead of buying an expensive desktop package like SigmaNEST or Vectric just to arrange parts, you upload your DXF in the browser, set the kerf, and download a tight layout that saves steel. Nothing to install, and it runs on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Does it support inches and a 4x8 steel plate?
Yes. You can work in millimetres or inches, and define the sheet to match a standard 4ft x 8ft (4x8) plate, a metric sheet, or any offcut. The nest, kerf spacing and exported G-code all follow the units you choose.