OptiStack
Feature Architecture
Mechanically correct. Inventory-aware. Shop-floor deployable slitting setup software designed for precision engineering teams. Each module below is shown with a specific operator scenario so you can see where it fits in a real changeover.
Last updated: July 2026
Engineered for Accuracy
Built by engineers for operators. OptiStack reduces setup time by 40% while eliminating shim calculation errors.
Machine Configuration
Define arbor specs, capacities, and default parameters. Support for multiple machine profiles within a single workspace.
On the floor: a shop runs three lines with different arbor diameters and clamp reserves. Each line is saved once as a preset, so an operator picks the line from a list instead of re-entering shaft dimensions every job and risking a wrong number that throws the whole build.
Inventory Intelligence
Track every knife and spacer. Real-time validation against available inventory ensures generated setups are physically possible.
On the floor: a new job needs a 0.30 spacer that is out of stock. Instead of the operator discovering that at the arbor mid-changeover, the solver rules the spacer out up front and builds the pocket from parts that are actually in the drawer, so the setup sheet is buildable before the line ever stops.
Dual Unit System
Seamlessly switch between Metric (mm) and Imperial (in) display modes without affecting underlying stored precision.
On the floor: a US shop takes an order specified in millimeters from an automotive customer. The operator works in inches out of habit but toggles the display to mm to match the print, and the stored precision never changes underneath, so nothing is lost to rounding in the conversion.
Face Geometry Logic
Advanced algorithms handle standard consistent engagement or alternating "Zig-zag" face patterns for complex slit requirements.
On the floor: a tight multi-strip job will not fit with knives all facing the same way. The operator switches to alternating (zig-zag) engagement and the software works out which face points which way at each cut plane, a layout that is painful and error prone to plan by hand.
Shim Management
Toggle Plastic Shim Mode for micro-adjustments. The engine automatically calculates the optimal shim combination for any width.
On the floor: a shop without a full fraction kit still needs an exact width today. The operator turns on shim mode and the engine solves the metal stack first, then computes the exact shim combination for the remaining fraction, so the setup is buildable now and can move to fully shimless later. See shimless setup with fraction kits.
Shop Floor Output
Generate clean, operator-friendly PDF setup sheets with visual stacking diagrams and clear instruction sets.
On the floor: the person building the arbor does not carry a laptop to the machine. They carry a printed sheet with a visual diagram and a load order, build the stack from the drawer in that order, and check it against the picture, so the setup does not depend on someone remembering the sequence.
From job ticket to first good strip
The modules above are not a feature list to admire; they are the steps of a real changeover, in order. Here is how they connect on a normal job.
A ticket comes in for six strips at a set width on 1.0mm carbon steel. The operator picks the right line from Machine Configuration, so the arbor diameter, clamp reserve, and tolerance band are already correct. They enter the strip widths, and Face Geometry Logic decides standard or alternating engagement for the pattern. The solver builds each pocket, and Inventory Intelligence checks every spacer and knife against what is actually in stock, refusing any pocket it cannot build from real parts.
For the last fraction of each pocket, Shim Management either lands the width with fraction kit spacers or, if the kit is incomplete, computes the exact shim combination as a bridge. Because the Dual Unit System keeps full precision underneath, the operator can read the sheet in whichever unit matches the customer print without introducing rounding. Finally, Shop Floor Output prints a visual stack diagram and a load order that the setup person follows at the arbor.
Nothing in that flow depends on one veteran holding the math in their head, which is the point. Every module removes a place where a manual step used to add time or an error. To see the spacer arithmetic behind it for a single pocket, try the free slitting calculator, and for the tooling these setups load, see the slitting line tooling guide.
The business result of that flow is what matters on the floor: fewer setups that reach the arbor and turn out to be unbuildable, fewer strips scrapped to a mismeasured spacer, and a changeover that any trained operator can run to the same result, not just the one person who has done it for twenty years. OptiStack is built by a tooling manufacturer, so the software reflects how arbors are actually built, not a generic parts database. That is why each module maps to a real step rather than a marketing bullet.
None of this replaces good tooling or a steady hand at the machine. It removes the two things that quietly cost the most: the arithmetic that has to be right every single time, and the dependence on one person's memory for how a clean arbor goes together. With those handled, the crew spends its attention on the cut quality and the coil, not on recomputing a spacer stack under time pressure. That is the whole design goal, and every feature above earns its place against it.
Machines that adapt to your line parameters.
Configure exact constraints for your slitting lines. OptiStack respects maximum coil diameter, thickness limits, and arbor setups to prevent out-of-spec job creation.
- Arbor Setup & CapacityDefine top/bottom arbor dimensions, max coil width, and thickness constraints.
- Default ConfigurationSet default machines for rapid job entry while retaining the ability to override.
- Side & Pack DefinitionsSpecify fixed side orientation (Left/Right) and end pack requirements.
Standard Slitting Line
1250 class configurationComplete digital twin of your tooling inventory.
Say goodbye to missing spacers. OptiStack visualizes your entire inventory of knives and metal spacers, organized by OD/ID groups for rapid selection.
Knives
Manage multiple knife sets with distinct thickness and diameter properties. Track sharpening history and lifespan.
Spacers
Granular control over metal spacer inventory. Group by OD/ID for easy compatibility checking during setup.
Metal Spacers
18 items across 4 widthsAdvanced Knife Engagement
Handle complex slitting patterns with built-in support for different engagement logic.
Standard
Consistent knife face engagement per arbor. The default mode for most industrial applications.
Alternating face (Zig-zag)
Alternates the active knife face at each slit. Creates interlocking pattern with alternating pocket lengths.
Track and optimize edge quality for every slit.
After a job is saved, assign edge quality ratings to each slit. Rate inbound and outbound edges on a precise 1-8 scale with visual reference images. Build a quality history that improves future setups.
- 8-Point Rating ScaleRate edges from "Too Loose" to "Extremely Tight", matching industry-standard evaluation criteria.
- Visual Reference ImagesCompare your slit edges against reference photographs for consistent, objective ratings.
- PDF Export with Quality DataExport complete setup sheets including edge quality ratings for quality control documentation.