Works with

Nesting software that works with SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS writes a flat pattern DXF straight out of the part document. Lapas takes that DXF, nests it true-shape, and hands back a nested DXF for your CAM step.

Read this first

Lapas does not integrate with SOLIDWORKS. There is no plugin, no add-in and nothing to install.

You do not need one. SOLIDWORKS already exports flat patterns as DXF specifically so they can go to other applications, and their help names punch press and laser-cutter programming software as the destination. Lapas is a destination of that kind. Nothing is installed on either side and neither system needs to know the other exists.

How the handoff actually works

Who does what, in order. Nothing here requires either system to know the other exists.

  1. 1 SOLIDWORKS Model the part as sheet metal

    Anything with a flat pattern in the FeatureManager design tree is ready. You do not have to flatten the model or make a drawing first.

  2. 2 SOLIDWORKS Right-click Flat Pattern, Export to DXF/DWG

    SOLIDWORKS writes the DXF directly from the part document. In the DXF/DWG Output PropertyManager, clear Bend Lines so the file carries the cut geometry and not the fold information.

  3. 3 You Collect one DXF per part

    There is no batch link between the two, so this is one export per part. Keep the file names meaningful, because they are what you will see when you set quantities.

  4. 4 You Upload the DXF files to Lapas

    Set quantity per part, sheet size and kerf. Use your measured kerf rather than a nominal figure: it changes both the finished part size and how tightly parts can sit together.

  5. 5 Lapas Nest and watch it place parts

    True-shape nesting places the real outlines rather than bounding boxes, so concave parts interlock. You see it work in real time and stop when the layout is good enough.

  6. 6 Lapas Export the nested DXF and the PDF report

    The DXF is the nested sheet for your CAM step. The PDF carries sheet count, utilization and the placement list, which is what you quote from. Both are on the free plan.

  7. 7 You Take the nested DXF into your CAM

    Lead-ins, cut order, tool selection and posting to the machine all stay where they are today. Lapas changes where the parts sit on the plate, nothing else.

SOLIDWORKS behaviour checked against the SOLIDWORKS 2025 flat pattern DXF help in July 2026. Lapas behaviour per the pricing page.

SOLIDWORKS is a trademark of its respective owner. Lapas is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by or certified as compatible by them.

What stays manual

  • One DXF export per part. There is no batch exporter and no PDM hook.
  • Typing quantities into Lapas. It cannot read a SOLIDWORKS BOM or a cut list.
  • Choosing sheet size and kerf per job. Lapas does not see your material records.
  • Taking the nested DXF back into your CAM and posting it.
  • Bend deduction and forming. Lapas nests flat outlines and knows nothing about the bend.

When Lapas is the wrong tool here

  • You want nesting to fire automatically from PDM when a job is released. That needs a real integration and Lapas has none.
  • Your parts are rectangular panels on a panel saw. A guillotine cut-list optimiser fits that better than true-shape nesting.
  • You need validated machine post-processors. Lapas exports DXF; its G-code export is beta and has not been validated across controllers.
  • You already own a nesting module inside your CAM that reads SOLIDWORKS files directly. Removing two manual steps is worth real money if you nest all day.

Common questions

Is there a SOLIDWORKS add-in for Lapas?

No. There is no add-in, no macro and nothing to install inside SOLIDWORKS. This is a file handoff: DXF out of SOLIDWORKS, nested DXF and a PDF report back out of Lapas.

Should I export the flat pattern with or without bend lines?

Without, for nesting. SOLIDWORKS lets you clear Bend Lines in the DXF/DWG Output PropertyManager. Nesting only needs the cut geometry, and interior lines that are not cuts are just something extra to check. After import, look at the part outline before you nest a full sheet.

What if the part is not a sheet metal body?

Any closed 2D outline works. Lapas takes DXF and SVG, so a sketch or a drawing view exported to DXF nests the same way. The flat pattern route is just the tidiest one when the part already is sheet metal.

Do I need the paid plan for this?

No. DXF import, DXF export and the PDF report are all on the free plan, which is 5 new projects a month with unlimited re-nests of any project you have already started, and no cap on parts per job. Pro at $49 a month removes the project limit and adds full project history.

Can I nest parts from several different SOLIDWORKS assemblies on one sheet?

Yes. Lapas does not care where the DXF files came from, and there is no limit on parts per job on either plan. Combining jobs onto one plate is usually where the material actually gets saved.

Other stacks: all CAD and CAM workflows. Measured nesting results: the benchmark.

Don't take our word for it.

Upload one of your own DXF files and see the layout yourself. It's free and takes about two minutes.

Nest your own file for free

No credit card · No install · Your files stay yours