While shearing will still be a manual operation, the FastCUT program will take the tedium out of nesting the patterns, and maximize the use of the material. The program begins with entering the list of required widths and lengths. It will then process the part variations within sheets. It can, in fact, test a whole range of processes over a different range of sheets and the operator can see the sheet layout on the screen. Nesting can be terminated after a specified time has elapsed, or after attaining a specified scrap factor (scrap mass expressed as a percentage of total mass of parts). Nesting can also be interrupted at any time for review of results to date. The program will break down the amount of material into that being used, that which needs to be returned to stock, and that which is scrap. Stock consumption can be prioritized by nominating some items as pre-existing remnant, which forces the use of non-remnant stock where possible. Remnant can be defined by mass and / or width and / or length. Alternatively, all offcut can be defined as scrap.