Guide · November 2026

How to sort and label channel letters after CNC cutting

The router finishes, and the table is covered with letters, faces, backs and small pieces. On a big job this is where time disappears: finding which piece goes where, which way is up, and whether anything is missing. A little planning before the cut makes sorting fast.

1. Why sorting goes wrong

Most sorting problems come from the same few things:

• Letters that look alike. An N and a Z, an M and a W, a 6 and a 9 are hard to tell apart once they are off the sheet, especially when they are rotated in the layout.
• Faces and backs mixed together. A face and a back of the same letter are mirror images, and they are easy to flip by mistake.
• Parts spread over several sheets. On a five-sheet job, one word can end up on three different sheets.
• Big letters cut in pieces. A letter that was split to fit the sheet comes off as two or three parts that must be joined in the right order.
• Small parts. Dots, accents and counters get lost in the chips.

The fix is the same for all of them: every part gets a number before it is cut, and there is one sheet of paper that says where each number goes.

2. Number every part in the layout

Give each part a number in the nesting file, not after the cut. A simple scheme works best:

• Number the letters in reading order: 1, 2, 3 across the first line, then continue on the next line.
• Keep the numbers on their own layer, so you can engrave them, mark them with a pen, or just print them, without them being cut through.
• Put the number where it will be hidden later, for example on the back side or near the edge that the return covers.

Some shops lightly engrave a small mark on each piece, such as a code for "top back", so the orientation is clear even without paperwork. If your router does that, add it to the number layer as a separate engrave pass with a shallow depth.

3. Print a part map before you cut

A part map is two kinds of pages: one page for each sheet showing every part with its number, and one page of the original artwork with the same numbers on each letter. When a part comes off the router, you find its number on the sheet page, then find that number on the artwork page, and you know exactly where it goes in the sign.

Print it and tape it next to the router. The person unloading the table does not need to open the computer.

4. Label split letters as a set

When a letter is too big for the sheet and has to be divided, the pieces need their own labels. A clear way is to keep the letter's name and add a piece number, for example A1 and A2 for the two halves of a large A. Mark the joining edges the same way, so the fabricator can match them without guessing. Keep all pieces of a split letter on the same cart or in the same bin.

5. Keep faces, backs and trim separate

If faces and backs are cut from different materials, they are already on different sheets, which helps. Still:

• Use a separate bin or cart for faces and for backs.
• Mark the back side of every face before it is peeled, while the protective film is still on.
• Do not remove the film until the part is matched with its letter. The film is the easiest place to write a number.

6. Unload one sheet at a time, and count

Clear one sheet completely before starting the next. Pick parts up in number order, check each one against the sheet page, and stack them in order. At the end of each sheet, count the parts and compare with the map. A missing dot or counter is easy to find on the table and very hard to find in the scrap bin.

When all sheets are cleared, the total count should match the job. On a real 68-letter job nested on five 48 × 32 in sheets, that means 68 numbered parts placed and 68 accounted for before anything goes to fabrication.

7. Make the leftovers part of the record

While you are sorting, write down the size of any usable offcut and put it in your stock list. The last sheet of a job is often a clean strip; recorded now, it can be the first sheet of the next small job.

How NestSigns handles numbering

NestSigns numbers every part automatically when it nests a job. The numbers go on a separate red NUMBERS layer in the exported cut files, so you choose whether to engrave them, mark them, or hide them. Each job also comes with a layout summary PDF that shows every sheet with the part numbers, plus a page of the original artwork with the same numbers, which is the part map described above. Oversize letters that are divided to fit the sheet are labeled as pieces, such as A1 and A2.

Quick checklist

• Number every part in reading order before cutting
• Keep numbers on their own layer, never cut through
• Print sheet pages and an artwork page with the same numbers
• Split letters labeled as a set (A1, A2) and kept together
• Separate bins for faces and backs; write on the film
• Unload one sheet at a time and count against the map
• Record usable offcuts while you sort

More guides: How to nest channel letters to save material · How to reduce acrylic waste on a CNC router · FAQ