Rectangles in Rectangles

[Anonymous]

I am looking for either a formula or a command/Macro in AutoCAD that will allow me to maximize the area taken up in a large rectangle with smaller pre-sized rectangles. I am designing a filter banks that have 3 different sized filters and the purpose is to maximize the AREA used on the plate. The plate itself has many sizes smallest being about 36" by 36", the three  filters are 12 x 24, 20 x 24, and 24 x 24. The main thing I'm looking at is how do I effectively pack as many filters into the size as possible. the point is to maximize the area that is filters. I've looked at cut sheets but they require me to set up how many of each filters is needed, when in the end the number of filters and which filters are needed.

[dmfrazier]

What you have described, I think, is generally referred to as "nesting", common in sheet metal production. There is software available for that. Have you done any research?

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

I'm pretty sure some people have come up with LISP solutions that will do this in AutoCAD. Try asking over in the LISP forum.