cuttosize

Cuttosize is the practice of cutting raw materials to predefined dimensions to meet specification requirements. The term is a contraction of "cut to size" and is used across manufacturing, construction, and service sectors to describe operations that yield pieces with specific width, length, thickness, or profile. Materials commonly cut to size include wood, metal, plastic, fabric, glass, and composites.

Methods vary by material and tolerance: saws, shears, lathes, routers, laser cutters, waterjets, punching machines, and CNC-controlled tools are all used to produce exact dimensions. In some cases, multiple steps are involved, such as rough cutting followed by finishing passes.

Process workflow: receive customer or internal order with dimensional requirements and tolerances; select appropriate stock; cut to rough size; trim to final dimensions; perform secondary operations (drilling, tapping, deburring, finishing); inspect using calipers, micrometers, or coordinate measuring machines; package and ship. Quality control checks ensure compliance with specified tolerances and edge quality.

Applications: widely used in construction (timber and panel cuts), metal fabrication (parts to spec), textiles (fabric panels), plastics (components for assemblies), and packaging. Efficiency considerations include material nesting, waste minimization, and throughput optimization.