diff --git a/OpenNest.Tests/Engine/ClampRailWorkflowTests.cs b/OpenNest.Tests/Engine/ClampRailWorkflowTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..136a633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/OpenNest.Tests/Engine/ClampRailWorkflowTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+using OpenNest.CNC;
+using OpenNest.Data;
+using OpenNest.Engine;
+using OpenNest.Engine.Jobs;
+using OpenNest.Geometry;
+using OpenNest.IO;
+
+namespace OpenNest.Tests.Engine;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// The desktop clamp workflow end to end without the form: enabled machine settings give a
+/// new nest its rail, whole-job Auto Nest (template stock, validated pipeline, commit) keeps
+/// every part clear of the clamps on every sheet while still using the edge between them,
+/// and save/reload preserves clamps and placements without writing the empty tail sheet.
+/// </summary>
+public class ClampRailWorkflowTests
+{
+    private const double EdgeSpacing = 0.25;
+    private static readonly double[] Centers = { 3, 10.5, 18 };
+
+    private static Drawing Block()
+    {
+        var program = new Program();
+        program.MoveTo(0, 0);
+        program.LineTo(4, 0);
+        program.LineTo(4, 2);
+        program.LineTo(0, 2);
+        program.LineTo(0, 0);
+        return new Drawing("neutral-block", program);
+    }
+
+    private static Nest NewNest(int quadrant)
+    {
+        var nest = new Nest { Units = Units.Inches };
+        nest.PlateDefaults.Size = new Size(12, 24); // 12 deep (Y), 24 along the clamp edge (X)
+        nest.PlateDefaults.Quadrant = quadrant;
+        nest.PlateDefaults.EdgeSpacing = new Spacing(EdgeSpacing, EdgeSpacing, EdgeSpacing, EdgeSpacing);
+        nest.PlateDefaults.PartSpacing = 0.25;
+        new ClampSettings { Enabled = true, Centers = Centers }.ApplyToNewNest(nest);
+        return nest;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Independent oracle: part boxes against clamps grown by the bottom edge spacing.</summary>
+    private static void AssertClearOfClamps(Plate plate)
+    {
+        var left = plate.Quadrant is 2 or 3 ? -plate.Size.Length : 0;
+        var bottom = plate.Quadrant is 3 or 4 ? -plate.Size.Width : 0;
+        Assert.NotEmpty(plate.ClampZones);
+        foreach (var zone in plate.ClampZones)
+        {
+            var keepOut = zone.Bounds.Translate(left, bottom);
+            foreach (var part in plate.Parts)
+            {
+                var box = part.BoundingBox;
+                var overlapX = System.Math.Min(box.Right, keepOut.Right + EdgeSpacing)
+                    - System.Math.Max(box.Left, keepOut.Left - EdgeSpacing);
+                var overlapY = System.Math.Min(box.Top, keepOut.Top + EdgeSpacing)
+                    - System.Math.Max(box.Bottom, keepOut.Bottom - EdgeSpacing);
+                Assert.False(overlapX > 1e-6 && overlapY > 1e-6,
+                    $"{part.BaseDrawing.Name} at {box} enters {zone.Id} at {keepOut}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("Rectangles", 1)]
+    [InlineData("Default", 1)]
+    [InlineData("Rectangles", 3)]
+    public void AutoNestAvoidsMachineClampsAndTheyRoundTrip(string engine, int quadrant)
+    {
+        const int quantity = 40;
+        var drawing = Block();
+        var nest = NewNest(quadrant);
+        nest.Drawings.Add(drawing);
+        var rail = nest.PlateDefaults.ClampRail;
+        Assert.NotNull(rail);
+        using var manager = new PlateManager(nest);
+        var template = manager.GetOrCreateEmpty();
+        Assert.Equal(3, template.ClampZones.Count);
+
+        var item = new NestItem
+        {
+            Drawing = drawing,
+            Quantity = quantity,
+            StepAngle = OpenNest.Math.Angle.HalfPI,
+            RotationStart = 0,
+            RotationEnd = OpenNest.Math.Angle.HalfPI,
+        };
+        var result = NestPipeline.Run(new NestPipelineRequest(engine, [item],
+            NestStockBuilder.FromTemplate(template, null)));
+        Assert.True(result.IsValid, string.Join("; ", result.Violations));
+        Assert.Equal(quantity, Assert.Single(result.Raw.Fulfillment).Placed);
+
+        var applied = NestPipelineCommit.ApplyToEmptyPlates(result, manager);
+
+        Assert.True(applied.Count >= 2, $"expected several sheets, got {applied.Count}");
+        foreach (var plate in applied)
+        {
+            Assert.Same(rail, plate.ClampRail);
+            Assert.True(rail.Matches(plate));
+            AssertClearOfClamps(plate);
+        }
+        if (quadrant == 1)
+        {
+            // The edge between clamps stays usable: some part sits in the clamp band.
+            Assert.Contains(applied.SelectMany(p => p.Parts),
+                p => p.BoundingBox.Bottom < 0.625 + EdgeSpacing);
+        }
+
+        using var stream = new MemoryStream();
+        Assert.True(new NestWriter(nest).Write(stream));
+        var loaded = new NestReader(new MemoryStream(stream.ToArray())).Read();
+
+        Assert.Equal(rail, loaded.PlateDefaults.ClampRail);
+        Assert.Equal(applied.Count, loaded.Plates.Count); // trailing empty sheet not written
+        for (var i = 0; i < applied.Count; i++)
+        {
+            var reloaded = loaded.Plates[i];
+            Assert.Same(loaded.PlateDefaults.ClampRail, reloaded.ClampRail);
+            Assert.Equal(applied[i].ClampZones.Select(z => (z.Id, z.Bounds.X, z.Bounds.Y, z.Bounds.Length, z.Bounds.Width)),
+                reloaded.ClampZones.Select(z => (z.Id, z.Bounds.X, z.Bounds.Y, z.Bounds.Length, z.Bounds.Width)));
+            Assert.Equal(applied[i].Parts.Select(p => (p.Location, p.Rotation)),
+                reloaded.Parts.Select(p => (p.Location, p.Rotation)));
+            AssertClearOfClamps(reloaded);
+        }
+        Assert.Equal(3, loaded.CreatePlate().ClampZones.Count);
+    }
+}