Bars to buy7 bars
Material yield96.4%
Purchase cost$630.00
Saw cuts · kerf loss42 cuts · 134.4 mm
Offcuts ≥ threshold2 reusable
Lower bound: 7 barsOptimalExact search37610 mm of parts from 39000 mm of stock42 of 42 pieces placed
Single length6000 mm only: 7 bars · 89.5% · $672.00vs this mix: 7 bars · 96.4% · $630.00
PieceKerfReusable offcutScrap, trim, miter wedgeStop mark
4040 T-slot aluminum7 bought · 0 from inventory · 96.4%
Buy list
- 6 × 6000 mm · $576.00
- 1 × 3000 mm · $54.00
Drops (offcuts)
- Bar 1 · 10.8 mm · scrap
- Bar 2 · 10.8 mm · scrap
- Bar 3 · 30.8 mm · scrap
- Bar 4 · 40.8 mm · scrap
- Bar 5 · 471.2 mm · reusable
- Bar 6 · 610.8 mm · reusable
- Bar 7 · 10.4 mm · scrap
Not placed
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Summary TXT — totals and the first 5 cut-plan rows (no stop marks, angles or labels).
Examples
Aluminum jobs to start from
A T-slot frame, a mitered window batch and a curtain-wall elevation, each nested live when you load it.
80/20 T-slot machine frame (4040)
42 parts on 6000 + 3000 mm bars, kerf 3.2 mm. Buy 6 × 6000 mm + 1 × 3000 mm.
- Bars
- 7
- Yield
- 96.4%
- Cost
- $630.00
- Cuts
- 42
Aluminum window & picture frame 45° miter job
20 mitered pieces, W 60 mm, flip ON. Buy 5 × 6000 mm.
- Bars
- 5
- Yield
- 96.0%
- Cost
- $290.00
- Cuts
- 25
Curtain wall mullions and transoms
6000 / 6500 mm, two profiles. Buy Mullion 6063-T6 50 × 150 · 6 × 6500 mm + Mullion 6063-T6 50 × 150 · 8 × 6000 mm + Transom 6063-T6 50 × 120 · 2 × 6500 mm + Transom 6063-T6 50 × 120 · 5 × 6000 mm.
- Bars
- 21
- Yield
- 95.0%
- Cost
- $3,143.00
- Cuts
- 58
How to use it
From extrusion cut list to buy list
- Start from the 80/20 frame or a blank job The frame preset loads 4040 T-slot on 6000 and 3000 mm bars. New job gives an empty metric list with 3 mm kerf and 10 mm trims.
- Enter each bar length and its price Type 6000 and 3000 (or 6500 for curtain wall) with the price per bar from your supplier quote. Leave Qty blank unless stock is limited.
- Paste the profile cut list Part ID, length in mm, quantity. Name the material column when one job mixes profiles, so a transom never lands in a mullion bar.
- Set carbide kerf and trims 3.2 mm suits most 10–14 inch carbide blades; 10 mm per end cleans up mill ends and anodizing marks.
- Check the buy list and label the pieces Confirm the mix (6 × 6000 + 1 × 3000 mm here), cut bar 1, then export barcode labels so 620 and 610 mm rails never get swapped.
Stock
Aluminum stock lengths you can enter
| Product | Stock length | Typical use | Enter as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6063 / 6061 extrusion, standard bar | 6000 mm | T-slot, tube, angle, general profiles | 6000 |
| T-slot cut-to-half bar | 3000 mm | Fills the last gap; smaller to ship | 3000 |
| Window and door system profiles | 6000 / 6500 mm | Frames, sashes, mullions | 6500 |
| Curtain wall mullions and transoms | 6500 / 7000 mm | Floor-to-floor mullions | 7000 |
| Imperial T-slot (1010, 1515 series) | 145 in · 20 ft | US machine frames | 145 in |
Saw and ends
Carbide kerf and why trims matter on extrusion
A carbide aluminum blade on a 12 inch upcut saw usually removes about 3.2 mm per cut. That sounds small, but the 80/20 frame makes 42 cuts, so kerf alone consumes 134.4 mm: about 10% of the 1390 mm of bought aluminum that never becomes a part.
Trims are the squaring cuts at the start and end of each bar. Extrusion arrives with saw-burred, sometimes bent ends, and anodized bars may carry rack marks. Ten millimetres per end costs 20 mm per bar; on this job it does not change the result (7 bars, 96.4% without trims), so the safer setting is free.
Worked example
T-slot frame: why one 3000 mm bar beats a seventh 6000 mm bar
The preset is a 4040 machine frame: 8 uprights at 1730 mm, 5 long rails at 1190 mm, 13 side rails at 620 mm and 16 cross braces at 610 mm, 42 pieces in all. The 6000 mm bar costs $96 and the 3000 mm half bar $54, so a half bar is dearer per metre.
| Purchase | Bars | Yield | Cost | Reusable drops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed: 6 × 6000 mm + 1 × 3000 mm | 7 | 96.4% | $630.00 | 2 |
| 6000 mm bars only | 7 | 89.5% | $672.00 | 2 |
The bar count is the same either way, but the last bar only needs about half a length of pieces. Buying it as a 3000 mm bar saves $42.00 and lifts yield from 89.5% to 96.4%, because less unused aluminum is bought.
Frames and facades
Window miters and curtain-wall profiles
Window frames are cut with 45° corners. Set the profile width W and both end angles, then decide whether pieces may be turned over: flipping shares one cut per joint and saved a whole bar on the window preset. Thermally broken or one-side-painted profiles must stay face up, so leave the switch off for them. The miter cut length optimizer explains the geometry.
The curtain-wall preset has two profiles, mullions and transoms, on 6000 and 6500 mm bars. Each is nested separately and the buy list comes out as 4 lines costing $3,143.00 at 95.0% yield. Buying only the longest bar for each profile would cost $3,297.00.
Where it fits
Where an aluminum cutting list calculator pays off
T-slot machine frames and enclosures
4040, 4080 or 3030 extrusion for CNC bases, guards and workstations, often with many near-equal rail lengths.
Need feet and inches?Window and door fabrication
Frame and sash profiles with 45° corners. Turn on flip only for symmetric profiles.
Miter cut length optimizerCurtain wall mullions and transoms
Two profiles on 6000 and 6500 mm bars, each nested in its own material group with its own prices.
Solar racking and display stands
Rails and legs on long extrusions where a 3000 mm half bar often fills the last gap more cheaply.
Pipe and extrusion optimizerFAQ
Aluminum extrusion questions
What bar length should I enter for aluminum extrusion?
Enter what your supplier delivers. 6000 mm is the common stock length for 6063 and 6061 extrusion, many T-slot suppliers also sell 3000 mm halves, and window and curtain-wall systems are often ordered at 6500 or 7000 mm. Measure one bar if you are unsure; mill tolerance can be a few millimetres.
What kerf does an aluminum saw blade have?
Carbide blades for aluminum on 10–14 inch saws typically remove 3.0–4.0 mm; 3.2 mm (1/8") is a good start. A band saw removes about 1.6 mm. Measure a test cut, since thin-kerf blades and blade wear both change the number.
Why add end trims to new extrusion?
Mill ends are seldom square and often carry handling dents or a stamped heat number. A 10 mm squaring cut at each end gives a true reference face for the first stop mark. On the frame job, dropping the trims would not change the bar count but would leave less margin.
How does the planner choose between 6000 and 3000 mm bars?
With prices entered and the goal set to lowest purchase cost, it compares every whole-bar combination. The frame buys six 6000 mm bars and one 3000 mm bar for $630.00; buying only 6000 mm bars would cost $672.00 at 89.5% yield.
Can I keep two profiles apart in one job?
Yes. Give each stock row and each part a material name, such as Mullion 50 × 150 and Transom 50 × 120. Each material is nested separately and gets its own purchase line, yield and drawing block.
How do I avoid mixing up 620 and 610 mm pieces?
Near-equal lengths are the classic T-slot mistake. The Pro labels print the Part ID, length, angles and bar number with a Code-128 barcode for every piece, so SR-1 (620 mm) and CB-1 (610 mm) are told apart at assembly without a tape.
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Reference guides