Is there a sheet size I should aim for with laser cutting?

[Paul Rhoney]

In the interest of saving money with some laser part cutting, I clicked on the "1 Specific" button and got this message:

"You can have more than one DIFFERENT designs on the same screen for this machine - combining different parts this way is more economical than placing seperate orders."

With other laser cutting services that I used (Ponoko.com), they had different sheet sizes available, so I would choose a size at it's cost, then layout my artwork to fit in that sheet (there's always a "safe zone" that I have to stay inside of) and then upload the artwok and they cut it out. So now I want to use EMS, because I have more material options, but I can't figure out how much stuff to layout in my artwork to actually save money.

Obviously EMS doesn't necessarily work the same way as other services do, but I am I right in supposing that there are different sheet sizes, and if I make my design too big for one, it goes onto the next size? And then if it's too small I'm actually losing money because of the unused space?

*Insert my stupid-looking confused face here.*

[Tech3]

The software charges for the material that is actually needed to manufacture your parts. No need to optimize to any sheet size manually.

[Paul Rhoney]

That makes it even cooler! Thanks again!

So I suppose it just calculates it by the square inch then?

[Tech3]

Smth like that.