Patent ID: 8428767

Claim:
A method of cutting out a panoply of parts, comprising: generating data defining a contour and position of each part as a set of cartesian coordinates defined as X along an x-axis and Y along a y-axis, of the panoply; iteratively performing the following steps until each part of the panoply of parts has been grouped in a subset: identifying an ungrouped principle part having a longest X axis dimension and a largest Y coordinate; defining a covering zone extending in a negative Y direction from the ungrouped principle part and extending between a smallest and largest X coordinate of the ungrouped principle part; and grouping other ungrouped parts disposed at least partially within the covering zone with the ungrouped principle part to form a subset when the other ungrouped parts have a predetermined amount of disposition within the covering zone specified by a covering index, B, having a value between 0 and 1; grouping subsets together having projection zones within a predetermined coincidence value when the predetermined coincidence value is specified by a superposition index, super-B, the subsets grouped together forming a set; establishing an order of cutting out the parts from the subsets and sets; and moving a cutting tool from part to part in accordance with the established order of cutting the parts.