Evaluating workpiece positions in nested arrangements

A method for evaluating a position of a selected sub-space of a nesting plan, the nesting plan being provided for controlling a cutting process of a flatbed machine tool for cutting out workpieces from a material sheet, the nesting plan including an overlap-free arrangement of respective sub-spaces, the respective sub-spaces corresponding to the workpieces, in a two-dimensional planning space and an arrangement of predetermined supported spaces and support surrounding spaces, the supported spaces corresponding to respective support surface areas of the material sheet, which are supported during the cutting process, the method comprising:

• providing:
• contour data specifying a cutting contour that delimits the selected sub-space in the position to be evaluated within the planning space,
• position data indicating respective positions in the planning space of spaces to be considered in the evaluation, wherein the spaces include a group of supported spaces and a group of support surrounding spaces, and
• cutting operation data indicating a type of cutting operation for at least one section of the cutting contour,
• determining cumulative contour section lengths using the position data, the contour data, and the cutting operation data, wherein each of the cumulative contour section lengths indicates, for a type of cutting operation and a group of spaces, a cumulative length of sections of the cutting contour, the sections each lying within the corresponding group of spaces,
• calculating a damage rate for the respective cutting contour in the position to be evaluated by combining the contour section lengths in a weighted manner with weight factors, the weight factors defining a damage probability depending on the respective group of spaces and the respective type of cutting operation,
• determining an evaluation value for the position to be evaluated of the selected sub space using the calculated damage rate of the cutting contour, and
• generating the nesting plan based on the evaluation values and controlling the cutting process of the flatbed machine tool for cutting out workpieces from the material sheet according to the nesting plan.