Sheet layout, nesting, grain and production quantities

Sheet → Run; Quantity 1–10,000,000, Overs 0–50%

Quantity and Overs

Quantity is the finished-blank requirement. Overs adds a percentage allowance before the app calculates the sheet requirement from the layout’s up count.

When it helps most

Use the planned run quantity and the agreed process allowance. Compare candidate layouts with the same inputs so the sheet totals are meaningful.

Impact and trade-offs

Rounding up to whole sheets can produce additional blanks beyond the requested allowance. This estimate does not model every press setup, spoilage or finishing loss. Multi-part designs need enough of every component.

Worked example

500 units with 5% overs requests 525 blanks. Six-up needs ceil(525/6) = 88 sheets, offering 528 positions. Five-up needs 105 sheets. The difference is 17 sheets for the same requested run.

Best sheets or Custom sheet

Sheet width, height and grain direction

Sets the physical stock size and the direction along which its grain runs. Custom sheets accept width and height from 20–5000 mm and grain along width or height.

When it helps most

Enter the sheet you can actually buy and feed to the machine. Use the grain setting that matches that stock, then compare the suggested layouts.

Impact and trade-offs

Swapping width and height without updating grain or the press-edge interpretation can change what rotations are acceptable. A sheet that fits on screen may exceed the machine’s physical handling limits.

Custom sheet → Press

Press: Offset and Digital

Changes margin handling for printable content: the UI describes Offset as able to print toward sheet edges except the gripper, while Digital keeps bleed and marks inside nonprinting margins.

When it helps most

Choose the model matching the specific machine’s printable-area constraints. Confirm the actual gripper/tail/side requirements with the operator.

Impact and trade-offs

This is not a universal statement that every offset or digital press has the same printable region. The choice can change whether bleed or marks fit near sheet margins, so review the actual export and mark warnings.

Sheet → Margins, or Custom sheet

Gripper, Tail and Sides

Reserves nonusable space at the feed edge, trailing edge and both lateral edges. The remaining area is used when evaluating placements and marks.

When it helps most

Set the machine’s real requirements before selecting the “best” sheet. Leave room for required marks rather than planning them after the layout is full.

Impact and trade-offs

Reducing margins can increase the displayed up count while making the job unprintable. An extra millimetre near a packing boundary can remove a whole row or column, so compare the resulting count after each change.

Worked example

On a 320 × 450 mm sheet with 10 mm gripper, 10 mm tail and 5 mm on each side, the simple rectangular reserved-area calculation is 310 × 430 mm. Bleed, marks and irregular-blank constraints still need their own checks.

Sheet → Layout

Auto and Straight

Auto chooses the engine’s best candidate for the current blank and sheet. Straight places all copies the same way in rows.

When it helps most

Use Auto for an initial yield comparison, Straight for predictable repeated orientation where a practical cutting or printing process favours it.

Impact and trade-offs

The most placements do not necessarily make the most practical production layout. Counts remain provisional while the calculation is pending. If a chosen arrangement fits no blank, the preview can show Auto with a warning.

Sheet → Layout

Staggered, Reverse row, Row aligned and Reverse col

These alternatives change the relationship between repeated blanks, allowing suitable shapes to interlock or preserve column alignment.

Staggered

Every second row shifts by half a pitch. Useful when offset rows pack a shape more tightly without reversing its orientation.

Reverse row

Every second row turns 180°. Suitable blanks can interlock head-to-tail.

Row aligned

Alternating reversed rows retain aligned columns. Compare against Reverse row when alignment matters.

Reverse col

Every second column turns 180°. Compare where the blank’s left/right relationship offers a better fit.

When it helps most

Compare them when flaps, tapered outlines or asymmetric blanks leave unused pockets in straight rows. Inspect both the count and the actual knives/artwork.

Impact and trade-offs

A 180° turn preserves grain direction, but it changes which artwork edges face one another. Interlocking can complicate stripping or knife access; confirm the physical process.

Sheet → Layout; Gutter 0–50 mm

Gutter and Common line (0)

Gutter separates neighbouring blanks. At zero, coincident eligible straight edges can share a knife. The app reports actual saved rule where the layout supports it.

When it helps most

Use a production-approved gap for stripping and bleed. Explore Common line when the outlines and neighbouring artwork are deliberately compatible.

Impact and trade-offs

The UI flags positive gutters below 5 mm as difficult to strip. That is a review prompt, not permission to force zero on any design. Shared edges can print each other’s bleed; mismatched colours or imagery can make a common cut unsuitable.

Worked example

Two identical cream edges may be candidates for an approved common-line layout. A coral edge against a white edge can reveal the neighbouring colour with cutting variation. If the app reports no aligned straight edges, zero gutter may save no rule.

Sheet → Layout

Rotation: Grain only and Any

Grain only allows placements that preserve the blank’s required grain relationship, including 180° turns. Any additionally permits quarter turns where the engine can use them.

When it helps most

Keep Grain only for a grain-sensitive job. Compare Any only when cross-grain construction is acceptable to the converter.

Impact and trade-offs

Any can improve yield but introduce a grain warning. A higher count is not evidence that folds, strength or converting performance will remain acceptable. Grain direction belongs in the production specification.

Sheet → Marks and cutter

Crop, Centre, Registration, Colour bar and Slug

Adds distinct production aids around the layout. Available space can limit which marks are actually placed; warnings report omissions.

Crop marks

Mark the die corners clear of the bleed. These are not the package’s complete cutting contour.

Centre marks

Identify sheet centre lines at lead, tail and side edges for alignment.

Registration

Adds targets in each ink where space permits for registration inspection.

Colour bar

Adds CMYK solids and tints across printable width in the tail, or behind the gripper when appropriate space is unavailable in the tail.

Slug

Adds job, layout, sheet and grain information in the margin so the sheet can be identified.

When it helps most

Enable only marks required by the receiving workflow and inspect them at the sheet edges after the final layout is selected.

Impact and trade-offs

Marks consume printable space and can conflict with a printer requirement for no additional marks. A switch being on is not proof that a mark fitted; check the actual sheet PDF and receipt.

Sheet → Marks and cutter

Cutter / RIP and cutter registration marks

Chooses Generic, Zünd, Kongsberg, Esko, Summa or Roland conventions and optionally adds the corresponding camera marks around the die.

When it helps most

Use the receiver’s exact workflow rather than selecting a familiar machine brand casually. Agree the required spot names and camera-mark layout.

Impact and trade-offs

Cutter marks and print registration marks have different purposes. Naming a profile does not prove machine compatibility, tool selection or successful registration; inspect a test file in the receiving software.

Sheet → Cost in Printer audience

Board price per sheet

Multiplies the estimated sheets by your per-sheet board price, then divides by the requested finished quantity to show board cost per box.

When it helps most

Useful for comparing stock sizes or up counts under the same run assumptions. Enter the cost in your own currency consistently.

Impact and trade-offs

The current estimate is board only. It excludes die, press, finishing, labour, delivery and other costs; it is not a complete quote. Overs and rounding are included through sheets needed.

Worked example

At 88 sheets × 0.31 = 27.28 board cost for 500 boxes, the board component is 0.05456 per requested box, displayed with the app’s rounding.

Sheet, when the design has multiple parts

Part on the sheet

Selects which component’s separate nesting result is displayed. The implementation produces separate sheet plans for the parts.

When it helps most

Use for lid/base sets, inserts or other multi-piece packaging and review each part’s output quantity.

Impact and trade-offs

Do not read the first part’s up count as the total number of complete kits or assume the engine gangs different parts on one sheet. Track the limiting component when planning complete packages.