Why a single wastage percentage fails
Not all plates behave the same in nesting. Shape complexity, kerf strategy, remnant policy, and heat distortion all change usable yield. One flat wastage value across all rows can underprice complex parts and overprice simple parts.
Complexity-based factoring
Classify rows into simple, moderate, and complex geometry and assign separate wastage assumptions. This gives better forecast quality without waiting for full nesting files.
- Simple rectangles with repeat patterns usually need the lowest factor.
- Irregular contours and dense cutouts need higher factor and review.
- Separate thin and thick plates because process constraints differ.
Close the loop with actuals
After fabrication, compare assumed and actual yield by thickness and shape family. Feed that data into your next bid baseline. Teams that do this for three cycles usually see clear accuracy gains.