The shape of the workflow
Every job through LaserNest follows the same path: bring the geometry in, make sure it is clean, build the list of what you need, nest it onto sheet, then send it to the machine. The tutorial below walks that sequence.
Tutorial 011:33
Software Operation Procedure
Why the order matters
The steps are not independent. A part imported with open contours or duplicate lines will still be wrong after nesting, and the machine will cut it wrong. Fixing geometry at the import stage costs a minute; finding it on the table costs a sheet.
The same applies to the part list. Getting quantities right before nesting is the difference between one setup and a second run for the four parts you missed.
The practical habit
Treat import and editing as quality control, not data entry. Everything downstream inherits whatever you let through.
Where each stage is covered
Import, edit and recognition
Tutorials 02, 03, 08
Library and part list
Tutorials 04, 05, 07
Marking, labelling, grouping
Tutorials 06, 09, 10
All ten tutorials in order
The complete course on one page.
Questions
What is the correct order of operations in LaserNest?
Import the geometry, check and edit it, build the part list with quantities, then nest and output to the machine. Marking and grouping fit in before nesting where a job needs them.
Why does import order matter so much?
Because errors propagate. Open contours, duplicate lines or wrong scaling introduced at import stay in the file through nesting and reach the machine, where the cost of finding them is a scrapped sheet rather than a minute of editing.
Can I nest before finalising quantities?
You can, but it usually means nesting twice. Confirming quantities on the part list first is what avoids a second setup for the few parts that were missed.
How long does a typical job take to prepare?
That depends entirely on part count and how clean the incoming files are. Well-prepared CAD from a regular customer moves quickly; a one-off drawing that needs geometry repair does not. The library exists to make repeat work fast.