Abstract: A device for measuring, marking and cutting material, the device formed of a clear, transparent, translucent or tinted substrate that is either rigid, semi-rigid, flexible or bendable and having in one implementation, a plurality of first and second lines are formed on the substrate to define an unbroken, continuous channel in which a plurality of windows are formed to include a grid line segment to aid in aligning the device with the underlying material. Alternatively or in addition, the device includes one or more visually perceptible invisible lines bounded by opposing line segment pairs and terminal ends to aid in viewing and aligning with underlying material.

Abstract: A device for measuring, marking and cutting material, the device formed of a clear, transparent, translucent or tinted substrate that is either rigid, semi-rigid, flexible or bendable and having in one implementation, a plurality of first and second lines are formed on the substrate to define an unbroken, continuous channel in which a plurality of windows are formed to include a grid line segment to aid in aligning the device with the underlying material. Alternatively or in addition, the device includes one or more visually perceptible invisible lines bounded by opposing line segment pairs and terminal ends to aid in viewing and aligning with underlying material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for optimizing an arrangement of articles, such as stacks of paperboard sheets, into horizontal tiers, then stacking the horizontal tiers one on top another to form a rectangular-shaped unit, wherein the rectangular shaped unit has base dimensions substantially equal to a selected standard pallet-type. The system includes a computer programmed to receive the base size of an article, the total number of articles desired, and a selected pallet type. The computer is connected to a palletizer for building the actual unit of articles consistent with an optimized unit configuration. The palletizer has a tier forming station in which tiers of articles are formed according to the selected tier configuration, and a transfer device for moving the formed tiers into a stack forming station wherein the tiers are sequentially deposited. The system can add spacing between selected articles in a tier, and stack the tiers such that the spaces in adjoining tiers are not aligned.