john@actrix.gen.nz (John Vorstermans) (06/26/91)
Does anybody know of sources of information on the techniques for deriving the best way to pack box-like cartons etc. into shipping containers? That is, to minimise the amount of wasted space. This should come under the headings of Operational Research, Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems. Both exact and heuristic methods are of interest. If you could send references to articles or names of software packages (and supplier) for doing this sort of job, that would be great. If you can tell me of a guru on the subject, that would be great too. -- john@actrix.gen.nz
kevin@milton.u.washington.edu (Kevin Caskey) (06/26/91)
In article <1991Jun26.080725.12962@actrix.gen.nz> john@actrix.gen.nz (John Vorstermans) writes: >Does anybody know of sources of information on the techniques for >deriving the best way to pack box-like cartons etc. into shipping >containers? That is, to minimise the amount of wasted space. > >This should come under the headings of Operational Research, Artificial >Intelligence and Expert Systems. Both exact and heuristic methods are >of interest. > >If you could send references to articles or names of software packages >(and supplier) for doing this sort of job, that would be great. > >If you can tell me of a guru on the subject, that would be great too. > >-- >john@actrix.gen.nz This is called the knapsack problem in OR literature. Contact any expert in combinatorics. Unfortunately, I know of the email addresses for none. Kevin at U dub kevin@u.washington.edu