Optimizing multidiameter cutting for sustainable abrasive disc production

The research is based on real industrial data provided by a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), including abrasive plate dimensions, available disc diameters, disc quantities, and annual demand, which plays a key role in defining cutting scenarios within a product family. The study presents an accessible, data-driven methodology for optimizing the cutting of abrasive discs by calculating cutting efficiency through the combination of two- or three-disc diameters on a single abrasive plate. An MS Excel®–based application was developed to generate alternative cutting layouts, optimize disc quantity and diameter simultaneously, and calculate material utilization efficiency. The resulting scenarios were benchmarked against a commercial nesting software (NestFab), used as a reference for single-diameter cutting optimization. The case study results show that demand-oriented, multi-diameter cutting scenarios achieve efficiency improvements between 6 and 10% compared to NestFab-based solutions. These gains translate directly into material savings and associated cost reductions, while maintaining production flexibility. The proposed approach offers a low-cost, transparent, and practical solution for SMEs aiming to improve process efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance economic and environmental sustainability.