Sheet orders are harder to plan than reel orders because they require two optimization dimensions: width and length. Deckle Plus handles both, with width patterns minimizing trim across the deckle, length-based pass count calculation, and automatic cut-out waste estimation, in one step.
A reel order specifies one dimension: width. A sheet order specifies two: width and length. The length dimension introduces cut-out waste (the paper between successive sheet positions as the cutter advances down the reel) that manual planners often ignore. Ignoring cut-out waste leads to material shortfalls mid-run, split production batches, and quality issues when the second batch runs on a different parent reel.
A Duplex board converter in Nagpur, Maharashtra produced both REEL orders (rolls for automatic packaging lines) and SHEET orders (flat sheets for manual packaging and retail display applications) for industrial customers. Both order types ran on the same 2400mm slitter, which made combined planning a weekly headache.
The SHEET orders for pharmaceutical packaging specified 250mm × 400mm and 180mm × 300mm sheets in quantities of 5,000–20,000 pieces. The planner calculated material requirements for these sheet orders by width only, ignoring the length dimension entirely, and routinely ran short of board material by 8–12% on these jobs. The resulting split runs (starting a second parent reel mid-order) caused visible colour and surface variation between the two parts of the same order, leading to customer complaints.
After deploying Deckle Plus, SHEET orders were entered with both width and length dimensions. The optimizer calculated pass count from the sheet length and reel length specification, included cut-out waste in the material estimate, and combined both 250mm and 180mm sheet widths in a single 2400mm pass where possible. Material estimates became accurate to within 2% of actual consumption, split runs virtually disappeared, and quality variation complaints stopped.
Result
Split production runs on SHEET orders dropped from 4–6 per month to zero. Customer quality complaints about surface variation eliminated.
The width dimension of a SHEET order is optimized using the same cutting stock algorithm as REEL orders. Multiple sheet widths are combined across the deckle width to minimize trim; a 180mm and 250mm sheet width can share a 2400mm deckle pass just like reel widths can.
Enter the sheet length and the reel length. Deckle Plus calculates the number of passes needed to produce the required sheet quantity, accounting for sheets per reel and any partial passes at the end. No manual calculation required.
The material between successive sheet positions (cut-out waste) is calculated from the sheet pitch and added to the total material consumption estimate. This is the critical calculation that most manual planners miss, and it causes material shortfalls on pharmaceutical and FMCG packaging jobs.
REEL and SHEET orders coexist in the same pending order queue in Deckle Plus. The planner selects which to include in each run. The optimizer handles each type's calculation method correctly: width-only for REEL, width+length+cut-out waste for SHEET.
On run close, the operator logs the actual sheet count produced. This is compared to the planned count from the optimization. Discrepancies flag a waste event for review, maintaining the accuracy loop that prevents systematic miscalculation from becoming a habit.
Specific questions about how Deckle Plus handles this use case.
For SHEET orders in Deckle Plus, you enter the finished sheet width, sheet length, and required quantity. The optimizer handles the width dimension as it does for REEL orders (fitting sheet widths across the deckle to minimize trim). For the length dimension, the system calculates how many sheets fit per reel length, then derives the total number of reel passes needed. Cut-out waste (the paper between successive sheet positions as the cutter advances) is derived from the sheet pitch and added to the total material consumption estimate. Both trim waste (from the width optimization) and cut-out waste (from the length calculation) appear separately in the run summary.
Both order types can sit in the same pending queue in Deckle Plus, but a single production run is typically assigned to one material type per pass. If your REEL and SHEET orders use the same paper grade, they can be combined in the same run as separate patterns; the first set of passes produces REEL widths, the second set produces sheet widths. The optimizer handles each type's calculation logic correctly. Mixing REEL and SHEET patterns in a single winder pass is not supported since the cutter mechanism is different for each type.
There is no software minimum on sheet length in Deckle Plus. The system accepts any sheet length value you enter. Practical minimum lengths depend on your physical cutter's minimum cut length, which you should configure as a machine constraint in the machine notes. Very short sheet lengths (under 100mm) are unusual in paper converting but are technically supported in the order data model.
Sheet dimensions and tolerances are stored in the order record in Deckle Plus. The optimizer targets the exact width and length specified. Tolerance validation is performed at order entry; the system flags if a specified sheet width is within the machine's capability. The finished sheet dimensions recorded on the production run summary are compared to the order spec, and any dimension outside the entered tolerance is flagged in the run closure report.
Yes. When a SHEET order is entered and added to a production run for planning, the run summary shows the estimated material consumption before the run starts, including both trim waste from width optimization and cut-out waste from the length calculation. This pre-run material estimate can be used directly for purchasing decisions. The estimate is based on the optimizer's planned patterns and is typically accurate to within 2–3% of actual consumption.
Book a 20-minute call. We'll confirm Deckle Plus fits your specific workflow and show you a live optimization on your order data before you invest any further time.