Free web-based nesting editor for laser cutting, CNC and fabric

sparrow/studio is free, open-source online nesting software for small workshops, makers and cutting shops. Import SVG or DXF parts, set how many you need, and arrange them to reduce material waste. Plan laser cutting layouts, nest parts for a CNC router, or explore fabric cutting layouts for garments and upholstery. Run the nesting editor in your web browser, with no installation or account, and download your layout as SVG or DXF.

2D nesting fits part outlines together on flat material to leave less unused space. Also called true-shape nesting or irregular strip packing, it uses the actual shapes rather than just their bounding rectangles. The editor runs the open-source sparrow nesting algorithm locally on your device. Importing parts, running the solver and downloading layouts are all free.

What can you use 2D nesting for?

• Textiles and garments: explore fabric cutting layouts for clothing patterns, upholstery, canvas, and technical textiles.
• Woodworking and CNC routing: arrange furniture components, plywood profiles, MDF parts, templates, and decorative panels.
• Sheet metal and flat plastic: plan layouts for brackets, enclosures, plates, and other profiles intended for laser, plasma, or waterjet cutting.
• Printing and print-and-cut: arrange vector outlines for labels, stickers, decals, printed packaging, and large-format graphics to explore sheet or roll utilization. Prepare artwork, bleed, registration marks, and color settings in your design or printing software.
• Signs and packaging: nest acrylic lettering, vinyl shapes, cardboard blanks, paper pieces, and display components.
• Foam, rubber, leather, and composites: explore layouts for inserts, gaskets, accessories, and flat cut pieces within a rectangular material area.
• Research and prototyping: try benchmark instances, compare permitted rotations and clearances, and inspect how an irregular packing search improves a layout.

From part outlines to a cutting layout

Import supported SVG or DXF contours, load sparrow instance JSON, draw simple shapes, or try a bundled example. Set quantities, material width, permitted rotations, and clearance. Watch the nesting search, inspect the best geometry-checked result, and download SVG or DXF layouts. Project ZIP downloads also include input for the native sparrow command-line solver.

The solver packs a strip of fixed width while reducing the length used. This suits roll material and exploring layouts for rectangular stock. It does not allocate parts across multiple fixed-size sheets or nest into irregular remnants. If you work with sheets, check the resulting length against your stock.

What should you check before cutting?

SVG and DXF import support selected contour types, not every CAD feature. Review the import preview and warnings. Curves are approximated; holes are preserved, but placing other parts inside holes is not supported. Use permitted rotations to restrict orientation, and check grain direction, fabric patterns, and material defects yourself.

Downloads contain part layouts, not G-code or machine toolpaths. Apply kerf compensation, lead-ins, tabs, cutting order, and other machine settings in your CAM software. A geometry-checked layout is not manufacturing certification, and the heuristic does not guarantee an optimal nest.

Your files stay on your device

Drawing import, geometry checks, and nesting calculations run locally in your browser. Project geometry is not uploaded. The public site uses traffic and performance analytics; project names and file contents are not sent to analytics.

Built by Jeroen Gardeyn. Explore the sparrow source code on GitHub or read the 2D nesting research paper.