Watch Taking a Sledgehammer to Bottlenecks 🎥 as Ruth & Steph show how AI actually fixes margins.

Cutting Plans

Reduce Scrap. Maximise Every Bar.

AI-powered cutting optimisation creates production-ready cut plans using your available stock and open orders.

Try It Free Book a Demo

50% off your first month · Production tier · No credit card required

GoSmarter Cutting Plans showing AI-generated cut list with rebar bar allocations and scrap projections

What It Does

Reduce Scrap by Up to 50%

Maximise material utilisation and lower material costs.

Generate Plans in Minutes

Create optimised cut lists with just a few clicks.

Reuse Offcuts First

Prioritise reusable stock before consuming new material, reducing waste even further.

Use Existing Inventory First

The optimiser prioritises available stock before recommending new material, reducing excess inventory and unnecessary purchases.

Replan Instantly

Change stock, orders, or priorities and generate a new cutting plan in seconds.

Export to Production

Download cut lists, bar usage reports, and optimisation summaries as PDF or CSV, ready for your production team or CNC machines.

Midland Steel logo

What our customers say

"Turned a morning of planning into a five-minute review. We cut scrap rates in half during trials."

— Operations Manager, Midland Steel

How it works

How It Works

GoSmarter is built for the realities of metals manufacturing. It's a purpose-built 1D cutting optimiser for rebar, bar, tube, pipe, and structural sections. It doesn't just generate a cutting plan, it explains every decision. Reusable offcuts are prioritised before prime stock, every optimisation is transparent, and planners remain in control. Review the plan, make adjustments if needed, and export it straight to production. GoSmarter works alongside your existing ERP, so you can start reducing scrap without replacing the systems you already rely on.

app.gosmarter.ai

Step 01 · Combine Inventory and Orders

Combine Inventory and Orders

GoSmarter automatically combines your live long-product inventory with open orders to create the best possible cutting plan. There's no need to cross-check spreadsheets or juggle two separate systems — every order is matched against exactly what's available right now. It works with rebar, structural sections, bar, tube, and pipe.

The Compliance Risk in Manual Cut Planning

Every morning, someone in your business is working out how to cut long products by hand. They pick from a stock list. They guess which bars are compliant for the job. They don’t always check the cert.

That’s not just waste. That’s an audit risk. A wrong grade cut for a structural job. A heat number that can’t be traced back. A customer asking for traceability evidence you can’t produce.

Traceability built in from the first cut means every bar allocated to a job is certified and traceable before the saw starts. No guessing which stock is compliant. No scrambling at audit time. GoSmarter’s Cutting Plans sit in the Production tier — compliance-aware cut plans, certified material allocated automatically, every cut tied back to real stock with real paperwork.

Built for IT: REST API Included, No Extra Charge

If you want a live data connection between Cutting Plans and your ERP or production system, the REST API is included in every paid plan at no extra cost.

Documented endpoints cover:

  • Stock push — send inventory updates from your ERP directly into GoSmarter so cut plans always run on live stock levels
  • Order feed — push open orders in real time rather than uploading a CSV each morning
  • Cut plan export — pull completed cut plans programmatically and feed them straight into your production scheduling or Manufacturing Execution System

Authentication uses industry-standard API keys. Full endpoint reference, request/response schemas, and ERP-specific integration patterns are in the integration strategy guide.

Not ready to wire up the API on day one? CSV import and export work just as well for getting started — your IT team can add the live connection later without any re-implementation.

No IT project required for the core tool. REST API access is there when you’re ready to use it.

What You Actually Get

Upload your inventory and your orders. Hit Plan. A few minutes later you can download:

A Cut List

Showing exactly how to cut each bar.

Scrap and Offcut Projections

So you know what’s left over.

A PDF or CSV

Ready to hand to the saw operator. See CSV format →
No complex setup, no model training, no IT project. The plan accounts for all the stock you hold, including offcuts and remnants, not just fresh prime stock. So your cutting decisions reflect reality, not a guess.

You Stay in Control

The AI creates the first draft but you stay in control. Override cuts, lock specific bars, exclude unavailable stock, or replan in seconds as priorities change.

Built for the realities of the shop floor. As stock moves and urgent jobs arrive, your plan adapts without starting from scratch.

Less scrap, better On-Time In Full (OTIF) performance, and less working capital tied up in over-ordered stock. Three wins from the same plan.

The Business Case for GoSmarter

Better cut plans do more than reduce scrap. They free up working capital, reduce material shortages, and improve on-time delivery.

200 tonnes

Buffer stock freed (4→2 wks)

£600

Per tonne

£120,000

Working capital released

For example, reducing buffer stock from four weeks to two weeks in an operation using 100 tonnes of steel per week at £600 per tonne can release around £120,000 in working capital. Use the Business Case Calculator to estimate the impact using your own data.

Improve On-Time In Full (OTIF)

Improved cut plans also increase OTIF by reducing wrong-material cuts, mid-job stoppages, and emergency purchases. Measure your OTIF before go-live and again after 90 days to demonstrate the improvement.

100t/wk

Steel throughput

3%

Yield improvement

~150t/yr

Scrap avoided

There are sustainability benefits too. Every tonne of scrap avoided is a tonne that doesn’t need to be remelted. At 100 tonnes per week, a 3% yield improvement avoids around 150 tonnes of scrap a year, reducing both costs and carbon emissions.

Ready to see your potential savings? Sign up at app.gosmarter.ai and get 50% off your first month. Our team will help you quantify the business case using your own data.

Start on the Production Tier. Returns From Day 1.

Cutting optimisation is the most technically complex thing we do and the one that pays back fastest. The Production tier gives you AI cut plans tied to certified, traceable material — end-to-end traceability from the first cut.

New customers get 50% off their first month. No credit card required to get started.

1

Request Access

Go to app.gosmarter.ai and create a free account. Our team will be in touch within one business day to kick off your setup.
2

We Map Your Data Together

Got your stock in Excel? We’ll show you exactly how to format it for upload or do it with you on a call. Most teams have their first inventory loaded within a day.
3

Run Your First Compliant Cut Plan

We’ll walk through your first live cut plan with you. Every cut tied back to certified material. Scrap savings visible immediately.
4

Connect to Your ERP (Optional)

If you want to push cut plans into your production systems, we’ll scope that on day one — not after you’ve signed up. See the integration strategy for what that looks like in practice.
No IT project. No consultant fees. Compliance by default, not by accident.

Why GoSmarter Beats Excel Cut Planning and Other Systems

CapabilityExcel / generic optimisation toolsCutting Plans
Cutting optimisation approachGeneric optimisation tools not built for long products, or manual spreadsheet planningPurpose-built 1D linear cutting optimiser designed specifically for long products
Product coverageSpreadsheets and generic tools don't account for the specifics of rebar, sections, bar, tube, or pipeBuilt for rebar, structural sections, bar, tube, and pipe
Decision transparencyA black box, or a spreadsheet with no explanation of why a cut was chosenEvery cut decision is transparent — see exactly why each bar was selected
Planner controlEither fully manual, or a black-box plan you can't adjustReview any plan and override it before it goes to the saw
ERP integrationRequires replacing your ERP or building a custom integrationWorks alongside your existing ERP — no replacement required
ImplementationIT project, consultant, or system migration requiredNo IT project. No migration. Live the same day

Give your team a complete picture

Material history, cert data, and live stock. All in one place. Your team stops chasing records and starts making better decisions with the right information.

Start for Free Watch a Demo

£795/month Rolling. £635/month Paid Annually.

Cutting Plan AI is in the Production tier at £795/month (or £635/month billed annually). You get 2,500 AI credits per month. New customers get 50% off their first month.

One site subscription: your whole team, unlimited users, no per-user fees.

What you get on the Production tier:

  • Compliance-aware cut plans — every cut ties back to certified material
  • 2,500 AI credits per month included
  • Traceability built in from the first cut
  • Certified material allocated automatically — no guessing which stock is compliant for a job
  • A PDF or CSV cut list ready to hand to the saw operator

When you’re ready to go live:

  • £795/month, billed monthly — cancel any time
  • £635/month, billed annually — save £1,920 a year
  • See the full pricing page for plan comparison and bundle options

No contract lock-in. No enterprise sales theatre. Returns from day 1 — and 50% off your first month.

At 100 tonnes per week and a 3% yield improvement, Cutting Plans typically pays back in under four months. In trials at Midland Steel, we hit 50% scrap reduction. Payback came even faster. Not sure what it looks like for your tonnage? Run the Business Case Calculator →. No account required.

Try It Free Book a Demo

50% off your first month · Production tier · No credit card required

Get Up and Running Fast

50% off your first month. Production tier. No IT project. No consultant fees. No credit card. See what implementation looks like →

Documentation

Step-by-step guides to get you started and keep you moving.

Read the Docs

Pricing

Free to start. Pay-as-you-go. No enterprise sales theatre required.

See Pricing

Support

Real humans who know metals manufacturing, not a bot.

Get Help

Common Questions

Is GoSmarter cut list software?
Yes. GoSmarter Cutting Plans is purpose-built cut list software for metals fabricators and rebar stockholders. It generates a bar-by-bar cut list from your live inventory and open orders, exportable as PDF or CSV for the saw operator. The cut list accounts for remnants and offcuts alongside full-length prime stock, so every cutting decision reflects what’s actually in the yard.
What is cutting plan software?
Cutting plan software generates an optimised sequence of cuts from your available stock to meet your open orders, minimising material waste. GoSmarter Cutting Plans is cutting plan software purpose-built for metals manufacturers: it takes your inventory and open orders as inputs, runs a mathematical optimisation, and returns a bar-by-bar cut plan that reduces scrap rates to under 2.5%. Exportable as PDF or CSV for your saw operators, with no IT project required to get started.
What types of products does Cutting Plans support?
It works for all long products: rebar, structural beams, pipes, tubes, bar stock, and sections. It’s especially well-tested in the rebar space, making it a proven rebar cutting optimiser for fabricators generating more than 3% scrap.
What do I need to get started?
Just an inventory spreadsheet and an orders spreadsheet. Sign up at app.gosmarter.ai and our implementation team will help you load your data and run your first cut plan. New customers get 50% off their first month.
Can I adjust the plan it generates?
Yes. The AI gives you a first-draft plan. You can override any cut, reorder sequences, or tweak parameters, then replan instantly.
How much does it cost?
Cutting Plans is included in the Production tier at £795/month rolling or £635/month billed annually. New customers get 50% off their first month — no credit card required to get started. Pricing is per site, not per user: your whole team uses one subscription with no per-seat fees as your operation grows. See the pricing page for full details.
What is cutting plan efficiency and how do I measure it?
Cutting plan efficiency is the percentage of material that ends up in a saleable product rather than the skip. Formula: (saleable output weight ÷ total material consumed) × 100. Industry best practice for rebar and long products is ≥97.5%. Cutting Plans tracks this automatically per job and per period so you can see the trend.
Does this work for structural steel as well as rebar?
Yes. The linear cutting optimisation algorithm works across all long products: rebar, structural sections, hollow sections, tube, and bar stock. If you need to optimise steel beam cutting alongside rebar fabrication, you can plan both in the same system.
What scrap reduction can we realistically expect?
In controlled production trials at Midland Steel, Cutting Plans reduced scrap rates by 50%. For most operations aim to reduce scrap rates to 2.5% or below. The exact gain depends on your current planning method and your order mix. The free trial uses your own data, so you can measure the difference on a real job before committing to a paid plan.
Is this designed for smaller service centres, or only for large mills?
It is designed specifically for small and medium-sized metals operations like service centres, fabricators, and processors. No credit card required to start your free trial. Most customers are running their first plan within a day of signing up, without any IT involvement. Larger volumes are supported too, but the tool was built so a 10-person shop can use it without a dedicated IT team.
Does it use offcuts and remnants we already hold in the yard?
Yes. Remnants and offcuts in your inventory are treated as stock to cut from, just like full-length prime material. The optimiser uses remnants where they reduce waste. Material already sitting in the yard gets used productively rather than growing into a pile. You can flag specific remnants as excluded if they are reserved for other jobs.
What if a rush job comes in after the plan is already set?
Add the job to your order list and hit Plan. The engine recalculates the full cut programme in seconds, incorporating the new job alongside existing commitments. Maintaining your inventory and order status real-time means it won’t process bars or sequences you have already cut. The replan then only adjusts what is still to come.
Can Cutting Plans handle multiple grades and dimensions in the same planning run?
Yes. The optimiser works across your full order queue simultaneously: different grades, lengths, diameters, and specifications in one pass. It never cross-contaminates grades: S355 material will never be allocated to an S275 order. The result is tighter yield across your whole stock mix, not just within a single grade.
Does GoSmarter support flat sheet or plate nesting as well as long products?
Not yet. Cutting Plans is a one-dimensional (1D) linear cutting optimiser. It is built for long products: rebar, structural sections, pipes, tubes, and bar stock. Two-dimensional sheet and plate nesting is a different problem. If you need a quick estimate of how many parts you can get from a sheet, try the free Material Yield Planner (no account required). 2D nesting is on our roadmap. If it is important to your business, add your vote on our ideas board so we can prioritise it.
How does GoSmarter Cutting Plans compare to Lantek, Sigmanest, or Bystronic for long-product planning?
Lantek, Sigmanest, and Bystronic are two-dimensional (2D) nesting tools. They are designed for flat sheet and plate cutting. GoSmarter Cutting Plans is a one-dimensional (1D) linear cutting optimiser built specifically for long products: rebar, structural sections, pipes, tubes, and bar stock. If you cut sheet metal or plate, those tools are the right fit. If you cut long products and want to reduce scrap on your saw lines, GoSmarter is purpose-built for that problem. The two product categories solve different problems and are not direct competitors. Many metals businesses run both: 2D nesting for their plate work and GoSmarter for their long-product lines.
Can GoSmarter Cutting Plans replace the need for a full manufacturing execution system at a service centre?
GoSmarter is not a full manufacturing execution system. It does not try to be. It is a specialist tool that addresses the two problems generic manufacturing execution systems handle poorly in metals: long-product cutting optimisation and mill certificate traceability. If your primary pain is scrap on your saw lines and manual cut planning, GoSmarter solves that problem faster and at a fraction of the cost of a full manufacturing execution system implementation. Most customers run GoSmarter alongside their existing ERP, adding AI planning capability without a multi-month implementation project. If you need full shop-floor execution management across multiple product lines and processes, a full manufacturing execution system may be the right longer-term investment. GoSmarter gives you immediate, measurable results while you evaluate that decision.
Does GoSmarter Cutting Plans work alongside our existing ERP or materials requirements planning system?

Yes. GoSmarter Cutting Plans connects to any ERP or materials requirements planning system via CSV import/export or REST API. No dedicated connector or middleware required. If you use Infor, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, or a similar platform, the most common setup is:

  1. Export your current stock and open orders from your ERP as a CSV spreadsheet. 2. Upload to GoSmarter. 3. Run the optimised cut plan. 4. Export the cut list back to your ERP via CSV, or pull it programmatically via the REST API. For teams wanting a live data connection, the API connects directly to your ERP’s stock and order feeds in real time. See the integration strategy guide for step-by-step patterns and ERP-specific examples. No IT project, no consultant, no six-month rollout.
How do metals manufacturers use AI to speed up order quoting and cutting plans?
Teams use GoSmarter to check real stock and certificate status before sending a quote, then generate a first cut plan from the same data in minutes. That means quotes are based on material you can actually cut, and production starts with fewer surprises once the customer confirms.

Explore Other GoSmarter Features

Metals Manager

Know Exactly What Metal You Have.

Purpose-built inventory management for metals fabricators and stockholders. Track every piece of material from goods-in to despatch with live inventory and certificate-linked traceability.

Learn more

MillCert Reader

Turn Every Mill Certificate into Usable Data.

AI extracts, validates, and links certificate data automatically, eliminating manual entry and creating a complete digital audit trail from day one.

Learn more

Free Tools

Everyday Tools for Metals Manufacturers.

Free calculators and utilities to help you make better production, sustainability, and purchasing decisions. No account required.

Learn more

Further Reading

Start with traceability. See the returns in week one.

50% off your first month. No credit card. No setup fee.

Try It Free Book a Demo