Abstract: In the field of planar pattern cutting,various cutting sequences and selection of start-and-end points may result in a big difference in the idle run.To solve this problem,this paper proposes an algorithm to optimize the cutting path containing multi-layered nested loops.Firstly,a sub-algorithm is presented to identify multi-layered nested loops,which are then constructed as a planar cutting path model based on the four-directional linked list nodes.Considering the geometry of each loop and the relationship between two loops,the cutting path optimization model is converted to a combination of multiple related dynamic traveling salesman problems.A greedy algorithm embedded with tabu table is finally presented and called repeatedly to solve the optimization problem,taking the loop cutting sequences and the selection of start-and-end point of each loop into account.Simulation experiments show that the proposed modelling and optimization for the planar cutting path problem containing multi-layered nested loops is feasible and effective.