MO # — Enter the work order number in the top-left field. It appears on the cut sheet header and footer (with a generation timestamp and BOM hash) and becomes the saved PDF's filename.
Getting Started
- Set your roll width (12 ft, 13.5 ft, or 15 ft), direction critical setting, and end buffer (default 6 in).
- Under Rug Groups, enter each rug's description, shape, size, and quantity. Put everything in Group 1 — extra blanks are created automatically as needed.
- Use Add New Group (Blank) only if you need to force a separate blank.
- Hit Generate Cut Diagram — the optimizer packs the rugs and shows consumed/waste totals along with an Optimization Score (green ≥85%, orange 70–85%, red <70%).
Supported Shapes
Rectangle, Circle, Oval, Race Track, Half Circle, Half Oval, Octagon, Cut Corner, L-Shape, U-Shape, and Custom.
Most rugs can also have a rounded corner radius — the cut sheet shows it as ⌒ N"r next to the dimensions.
L-Shape Mirror
When you select L-Shape, a Mirrored (cutout on left) checkbox appears. Tick it for a "backwards L" — cutout on the LEFT instead of the right. Both orientations pack and validate correctly. The cut sheet labels mirrored Ls with a ↬ mirrored tag so cutters see exactly which way each L should face.
▤ H-Pad
H-Pad is a rubber cushion pad cut from a separate 12 ft wide roll and placed under the finished rug. There are two ways to use it:
- Mixed mode — check the + H-Pad checkbox on individual rugs in the BOM input. A matching pad piece is automatically derived for each flagged rug. The rug cut sheet generates first; the H-Pad section follows on the same combined PDF.
- H-Pad Only Order — check the toggle in Roll Configuration. Enter pad dimensions directly. Sizes are automatically reduced 1″ per side to match the physical cutting process. Roll width locks to 12 ft and end buffer locks to 12 in automatically.
Pad sizing: Each pad is 2 inches smaller on every side (4 inches total per dimension). An 8′×10′ rug gets a 7′ 8″×9′ 8″ pad. For L and U shapes, the inner cutout also shrinks 2 inches per edge so the pad sits uniformly 2 inches inside the rug perimeter all the way around. Rounded corners are inherited from the rug.
Pad packing: Pads pack independently on the H-Pad roll — rotation always allowed (no pattern direction), 12″ end buffer. The H-Pad cut sheet uses tan/brown colors and PAD-N labels to keep it visually distinct from the rug sheet.
Toolbar Buttons
ExcelExports the BOM table and cut diagrams to a formatted .xlsx file.
CSVExports the BOM data (including H-Pad BOM if applicable) as a .csv file for use in spreadsheets or other tools.
Manual LayoutOpens a side-by-side editor to reposition rugs by hand — drag rugs between blanks, rotate (if not direction critical), mirror L-shapes (↬ button), resize blanks with + / −. Use Undo/Redo (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z) to walk back changes, or Revert to Auto to discard everything and restore the original auto-pack. Hit Apply when done.
✂ Cut SheetGenerates a clean, print-ready cut sheet with numbered rugs, a full consumption table, and a footer showing MO #, generation timestamp, and a BOM hash for cross-checking against the system. Open the print dialog and save as PDF — the MO # becomes the filename.
Two Views, Two Orientations
The on-screen preview shows rugs in customer-view orientation (feed-end at top) — matching how Customer Service sees rug orders. The printed cut sheet shows rugs in cutter-view orientation (feed-end at bottom) — matching how the roll feeds through the machine. Same data, two views.
Safety Checks
- Pre-generation BOM validation catches impossible inputs (rug too wide for roll, cutout bigger than the rug, length over 27 ft, etc.) before packing.
- Post-generation validator verifies the auto-pack output. If it fails, a sticky red banner appears and Print Cut Sheet / Excel Export are disabled until you fix the layout.
- Force-apply audit trail — if you override the manual editor's geometry warnings, every affected blank gets a red "FORCE-APPLIED" banner that prints on the cut sheet too. There's a paper trail.
- Cut sheet self-check re-validates the layout one more time before opening the print window.
Good to Know
- Maximum blank length is 27 ft (machine limit).
- Direction Critical means the pattern runs with the roll length — rugs cannot be rotated and must fit side-by-side within the roll width.
- If a layout looks suboptimal, open Manual Layout and arrange by hand. The validator catches overlaps before you can apply bad geometry.
- Inputs auto-save to your browser, so refreshing won't lose your BOM.
This tool is a work in progress. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions, please reach out to Josh Mayo.