RHS Cutting Optimizer
Work out how to cut RHS stock lengths with less waste. Enter your stock length, saw kerf and required cuts to generate an optimised cutting plan.
Example cutting plan
LEVRTEK 1DCalculated for the example: 6500 mm stock, 3 mm kerf. Run your cut list to update the plan.
- Stock lengths
- 7
- Utilisation
- 87.2%
- Total kerf
- 108 mm
- Remaining
- 5,712 mm
Utilisation is finished part length divided by stock used. Remaining material excludes saw kerf.
10 × 640 mmKerf per stock length: 30 mm
6 × 640 mm + 2 × 1,220 mmKerf per stock length: 24 mm
5 × 1,220 mmKerf per stock length: 15 mm
3 × 1,850 mmKerf per stock length: 9 mm
2 × 1,850 mmKerf per stock length: 6 mm
Feasible heuristic plan. Bars show the allocated cuts and separation kerf to scale. Square cuts, no end trim. Check dimensions and allowances before cutting.
What is an RHS cutting optimizer?
An RHS cutting optimizer arranges the rectangular hollow section lengths you need into available stock lengths. It considers each individual part, its quantity and the material removed by the saw, then finds feasible combinations that fit on each bar.
Dividing the total required length by the stock length gives a lower bound, not a cutting plan. Two long parts may not fit together even when the total material looks sufficient. Saw kerf also uses length at each separation, so a combination that fits on paper can run short at the saw.
The result shows the stock required, the parts allocated to it and the material left over. Check each remainder before treating it as waste: a useful length may suit a later job.
Worked example
Fictional cut list, calculated with the same LEVRTEK 1D engine used above.
Stock: 6500 mm RHS
Saw kerf: 3 mm
- 8 × 1850 mm
- 12 × 1220 mm
- 16 × 640 mm
Square cuts, no end trim. This is a feasible heuristic plan, not a guarantee of the mathematical minimum.
- Stock lengths
- 7
- Utilisation
- 87.2%
- Total kerf
- 108 mm
- Remaining
- 5,712 mm
10 × 640 mmKerf per stock length: 30 mm
6 × 640 mm + 2 × 1,220 mmKerf per stock length: 24 mm
5 × 1,220 mmKerf per stock length: 15 mm
3 × 1,850 mmKerf per stock length: 9 mm
2 × 1,850 mmKerf per stock length: 6 mm
Why kerf matters
Kerf is the width of material removed by the blade. Enter the actual kerf for your saw, not the blade plate thickness. Small losses add up across a cut list and can stop the final part fitting on a stock length.
This tool includes the engine’s separation kerf. An exact fit that uses the stock’s existing end does not need an extra cut beyond that end. If the stock needs end trimming, allow for it in the full planner.
What happens to the leftover RHS?
Blade loss is gone. The length remaining at the end of a bar is different: it may be a usable offcut. Its value depends on the next job, its condition and the minimum length you can safely handle.
LEVRTEK 1D lets you enter remnants as available stock and set a minimum usable remnant length. This page reports each remainder without assuming it is all reusable. Keep useful pieces identified by section, grade and length for future planning.
Questions about your cut list
Does the RHS cutting optimizer account for saw kerf?
Yes. Enter your saw kerf before running the plan. The result shows blade loss separately from the material remaining on each stock length.
Can I use different RHS stock lengths?
You can change the stock length in this tool. Each run uses one stock length with unlimited supply. Use the full LEVRTEK 1D planner to combine different stock lengths and limited quantities in the same job.
Can I optimise SHS, tube or bar as well?
Yes, for square cuts along the length. Keep each run to a single compatible section and material. This simplified tool does not calculate mitres, section geometry or mixed-material jobs.
Can I keep usable offcuts for another job?
Yes. Keep suitable offcuts and enter their measured lengths as remnant stock in LEVRTEK 1D. Set a minimum usable remnant length there to distinguish useful residual stock from scrap. This page does not save offcuts to an inventory.