How it works
- 1
Enter parts
Type or paste your cutting list with a mark for every part (B1, C3, BP2…) and the section or plate material.
- 2
Enter stock
Add the lengths or sheet sizes you buy. No quantities needed: the optimiser tells you how many to order.
- 3
Optimise & print
Get the cutting plan, what to order, weights and leftovers — then export a PDF for the saw or the table.
A cutting list optimiser built for steel fabrication
Most cut list calculators are made for timber and sheet goods. Steel shops work differently: one job mixes universal beams, columns, angles, SHS, RHS and flat bar, every part carries a mark from the shop drawings, and the cutting list has to survive being printed, carried to the saw and ticked off with a marker. SteelCutList puts both of the tools a fabrication shop needs on one page — a linear optimiser for stock lengths and a plate optimiser for sheets — and keeps the part marks all the way through to the printed list.
Linear optimiser: beams, columns, hollow sections and flat bar
Enter the parts with their section and length, and the stock lengths you can buy (for example 6, 9 and 12 metre lengths). For each bar the optimiser searches for the combination of parts that leaves the least waste, allowing for the saw blade kerf and any trim at the ends, then repeats good patterns so the operator cuts the same set several times in a row. Different sections are optimised separately, so a single job can hold all the members for a frame. Remnants above your minimum usable length are listed so they go back on the rack instead of the scrap bin.
Plate optimiser: guillotine or CNC nesting
For base plates, cleats, gussets, stiffeners and flat-bar parts cut from sheet, choose guillotine mode when the parts are cut on a shear or saw (straight cuts edge to edge), or nesting mode for CNC plasma, laser or waterjet. The optimiser tries many arrangements and keeps the one that uses the least plate, taking the cutting kerf and an edge trim into account. Parts are turned automatically whenever that fits more on the plate.
A PDF the workshop can actually use
The export prints every bar or sheet as a scaled diagram with part marks and dimensions, a tick box for every cut and the full parts checklist — not a cropped screenshot. The first page carries the order list (how many lengths or sheets of each size), total weight and expected waste, so the same PDF works for purchasing and for the floor.
Frequently asked questions
Is SteelCutList free?
Yes. Both the length optimiser and the plate optimiser are free to use with no account and no limit on jobs.
Does saw blade or plasma kerf get taken into account?
Yes. Enter the kerf (cut width) and it is added after every cut. You can also set trim allowances at the ends of each bar or around the edge of each plate.
Do I need to know how many stock lengths or sheets to buy?
No. Enter only the stock length or sheet size you buy. The optimiser works out how many you need from your parts list, and lists the usable offcuts left over so they can go back to the rack.
Can I optimise several sections or plate thicknesses in one job?
Yes. Add each section (for example 150UC37 or SHS 75x3) or each plate material and thickness to your stock, then pick it from the list on every part. Every material is optimised separately and the PDF gives each one its own pages.
What is the difference between guillotine and nesting mode for plates?
Guillotine mode only produces straight cuts from edge to edge, which suits shears, saws and guillotines. Nesting mode packs parts freely, which suits CNC plasma, laser and waterjet tables and usually saves more material.
Are my cutting lists uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing is saved: when you leave the page the job is gone, so download the workshop PDF before you close it.
Can I import DXF files for plate parts?
Yes. Import one DXF per part (ASCII DXF with lines, arcs, circles, polylines or splines). The part is nested by its bounding rectangle, drawn with its real outline on the cutting plan, and its weight uses the true area with holes removed. Name the files like BP1_16mm_x4.dxf to fill in the mark, thickness and quantity automatically.
Can I paste my cutting list from Excel?
Yes. Copy the rows from Excel or Google Sheets and use “Paste from Excel”. Columns follow the order shown in the table.
Good to know: results are an optimised plan, not a guaranteed mathematical optimum. Plate nesting places every part by its rectangle — DXF shapes are drawn with their real outline but are not interlocked with each other. Always check critical lengths against the shop drawings.