KITCHENER, ONTARIO --  A free online program from Ontario-based Optimalon Software provides new options for cutting rectangular panels.

The recenty updated program allows users to specify dimensions of the panels in both metric (millimeters, centimeters and meters) and imperial (feet, inches) measurements. Users can also specify inches in fractions or decimals. Program users are also able to designate any parts that need to be cut as "non-rotatable" during the calculation to preserve the grain orientation. The cutting program has an option to minimize the number of layouts, allowing stocks to be cut at one time.

The online panel cutter provides five levels of cut complexity. For each cutting layout there is graphical web page with navigation and zoom-in and zoom-out functionalities. Rough and damaged edges of stock panels must be trimmed before processing, and Optimalon's optimizer provides a separate web page where the user specifies trim sizes for each side of the panels. These sizes are taken into account during the calculation, and the working size of the panels is adjusted accordingly.

The free online panel cutter can be found at www.optimalon.com/online_cut_optimizer.htm