Works with

Nesting software that works with Fulcrum

Fulcrum does not nest. It hands you a zip of DXF files and expects a nesting PDF back. Lapas takes the DXF and produces the PDF, which is the whole handoff.

Read this first

Lapas does not integrate with Fulcrum. There is no connector, no API link and nothing to install.

You do not need one. Fulcrum is built around handing DXF files out to whatever nesting software you already use and reading the result back from a PDF, which is why Fulcrum say it works with nearly all nesting software on the market. Lapas is one of those. 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 Fulcrum Fulcrum groups the parts

    Nest Planning pulls the DXF files attached to jobs and groups them by material and machine, including across separate orders, so you nest a full sheet rather than one job at a time.

  2. 2 Fulcrum Fulcrum gives you a zip of DXF

    You select the jobs you want to run and Fulcrum packages their DXF files into a single zip for download.

  3. 3 You Upload the DXF to Lapas

    Drop the files in, set quantities, sheet size and kerf. Kerf should be your measured cut width, not a nominal figure, because it changes both part size and how tightly parts can sit.

  4. 4 Lapas Nest and check the layout

    True-shape nesting places the actual outlines rather than bounding boxes, so irregular parts interlock. You watch it place parts live and stop when the layout is good enough rather than waiting for a fixed run to finish.

  5. 5 Lapas Export the PDF report and the DXF

    The PDF report carries sheet count, utilization and the part placement list. The DXF is the nested layout for your CAM step. Both are on the free plan.

  6. 6 You Drop the PDF back into Fulcrum

    Fulcrum parses it for material usage per part, machine time per part and setup count, then allocates material and labour cost back to the individual jobs. That is the loop closed.

Fulcrum behaviour checked against Fulcrum's nesting workflow article in July 2026. Lapas behaviour per the pricing page.

Fulcrum 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

  • Downloading the zip from Fulcrum and uploading it to Lapas. There is no sync.
  • Choosing sheet size and kerf per job. Lapas does not read your Fulcrum material records.
  • Taking the PDF back into Fulcrum yourself.
  • Remnant and offcut tracking. Fulcrum handles inventory; Lapas does not write to it.
  • Posting the nested DXF to the machine, which stays in your existing CAM.

When Lapas is the wrong tool here

  • You want nesting to happen automatically when a job is released, with no human in the loop. That needs a real integration and Lapas has none.
  • Your parts are rectangular panels cut on a panel saw. A guillotine cut-list optimiser suits that better than true-shape nesting.
  • You need validated machine post-processors. Lapas exports DXF; its G-code export is beta and unvalidated across controllers.
  • You need the nest to write remnants straight back into Fulcrum inventory.

Common questions

Does Lapas integrate with Fulcrum?

No, and it does not need to. Fulcrum exports a zip of DXF files for external nesting and imports the result from a PDF. Fulcrum state that because they only need that PDF, their workflow works with nearly all nesting software. Lapas produces exactly those two formats.

Will Fulcrum read a PDF report produced by Lapas?

That is the intended shape of the workflow: Fulcrum parses a nesting PDF for material usage per part, machine time and setup counts. We have not tested Lapas PDF reports against Fulcrum ourselves, so verify it on one job before you rely on it for costing. If something does not parse, tell us what Fulcrum expected and we will look at the report format.

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.

Fulcrum groups parts across several orders. Can Lapas nest that?

Yes. There is no limit on parts per job on either plan, so a combined sheet spanning several orders is just a larger upload. Multi-sheet layouts are supported and the report gives you the sheet count.

What does this cost compared with a nesting module?

The honest comparison is not price. A built-in or integrated nesting module removes the download and upload steps, which is worth real time if you nest many times a day. This workflow keeps two manual steps and costs nothing to try. If those steps are the bottleneck, buy the integration.

Other stacks: all ERP and MES 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