Nesting software for channel letters and dimensional letters
NestSigns is a web app for sign shops with a CNC router. Drop in the letter artwork, pick a sheet, and it packs the letters onto as few sheets as it can, ready to cut.
Start free: 20 runs, no credit cardWhat it does
- True-shape nesting. Letters are packed by their real outlines, at any angle, 0/180° only, or no rotation.
- Exact part spacing. Type the spacing, or type your router bit diameter and the spacing is set for you. Every layout is checked, and the result shows the smallest gap actually measured.
- Small parts inside letter holes. Pieces go inside the counters of O, A, B, D and other letters, and holes in a letter stay with that letter.
- Leftovers first. Keep a stock list of full sheets and leftover pieces for each material. NestSigns uses the smallest leftovers first, then full sheets, and takes used stock out when you mark the job done.
- Oversize letters. Letters bigger than the sheet can be left out, divided, or divided with a 1 in joining strip. Pieces are labeled A1, A2… so they are easy to match.
- Every part numbered. The layout summary PDF numbers every part on the sheets and on a page of the original artwork, so parts are easy to sort after cutting.
- Material cost. Enter the price per sheet to see what each job uses.
- Move parts by hand. Click a sheet to drag or rotate any part before export.
Files
| Opens | Adobe Illustrator .ai, PDF, DXF, SVG, CorelDRAW .cdr (X4 and newer) |
|---|---|
| Exports | PDF, AI, DXF (R12 with true arcs, one layer), plus a layout summary PDF |
| Works with | Illustrator, CorelDRAW, FlexiSIGN (export outlines as DXF) and any router CAM that imports DXF or PDF |
| Runs on | Any modern browser on Windows or Mac. Can be installed as a desktop app. No download needed. |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) |
Real jobs
Two real sign-shop jobs nested on 46 × 46 in sheets with 0.2 in part spacing, 0.1 in edge margin and any rotation:
| Job | Parts | Sheets | Material used | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel letter faces, order WY10572 | 72 of 72 placed | 6 | 62% | about 10 s |
| Dimensional letters, order WY10572-22 | 136 of 136 placed | 7 | 57% | about 25 s |
In a test of 76 real shop files, every part was placed and every layout passed the spacing check.
Price
20 free nesting runs on your own files, with no credit card. After that, $14.99 per month with unlimited files, up to 50 runs a day. Cancel anytime.
Questions? Read the FAQ or email [email protected].