In heavy fabrication, every millimetre of scrap chips away at profit and sustainability goals.
Tosec processes plates up to 20 × 3 m, so even small inefficiencies quickly become costly.
To control waste and free operators for higher-value work, the Dutch firm adopted SigmaNEST – turning off-cuts into competitive advantage and positioning the business for stricter environmental rules.
Client Snapshot
Tosec BV specialises in laser, plasma, and oxy-fuel cutting of steel, aluminium, and stainless sheets ranging from 1 mm to 150 mm thick.
The 100-person company operates from a single site in Zwolle and delivers parts to industries as varied as offshore, heavy transport, and earth-moving.
Batch sizes span one-off prototypes to 100-part lots, supporting short lead times and high delivery reliability.
The Challenge
Volatile steel prices narrowed margins while customers demanded evidence of greener production.
Manual nesting across six different machine brands consumed operator hours, left usable plate on the table, and threatened on-time delivery.
Management also expected a shortage of skilled programmers in coming years, making deeper automation essential to sustain growth.
The Solution
Since 2011 Tosec has expanded its SigmaNEST installation to include:
- 3 × SigmaNEST Power Pack workstations for multi-operator programming
- 2 × HD SuperNest modules that run iterative, time-boxed optimisation cycles
- Bevel Module for automated knife, land, and K-bevel creation on plasma jobs
- SOLIDWORKS CAD Direct Import for seamless geometry transfer from customer files
Machine-specific post-processors drive ESAB, Trumpf, MicroStep, and Eagle cutters, ensuring uniform NC output.
SigmaNEST data feeds directly into Tosec’s proprietary ERP, eliminating duplicate data entry from quote to invoice.
Results
- ≈ 5 % annual steel saving credited to HD SuperNest’s iterative algorithm
- Minutes, not hours, to generate NC code for plates up to 16 m × 3 m
- Touch-free ERP link that removes manual input and quoting errors
“Two things stood out particularly in the benchmark and ultimately led to the purchase of SigmaNEST. One was the ease of use and the other the way it automatically nested quickly and efficiently.”
Ruben Nieboer, General Manager
Why It Matters
A five-percent reduction in steel use cushions raw-material volatility and cuts Scope 3 emissions, figures increasingly tracked by OEM supply chains.
Any fabricator running mixed machine brands can unlock similar gains by auditing nesting efficiency, sharpening post-processors, and linking CAM output to business systems.
The Bottom Line
Tosec demonstrates that advanced nesting delivers strategic value beyond incremental cost cuts.
By combining HD SuperNest, bevel automation, and ERP integration, the company reclaimed material, shortened programming cycles, and strengthened its sustainability story.
Ready to see what SigmaNEST could do for your shop? Contact our team to book a personalised demo and calculate your potential savings today.
Content adapted from the original case study published by SigmaNEST.
