A new heuristic approach to one-dimensional stock-cutting problems with multiple stock lengths in ship production

Abstract

One-dimensional stock-cutting problem is a commonly encountered problem not only in shipbuilding and construction of coastal structures, but also in other engineering applications related to production and construction. The proposed approach achieves results using cutting patterns directly whereas analytical methods first need to establish a mathematical model. While obtaining ideal solutions of the analytical methods, the new approach limits the wastage to a minimum number of stock materials. In addition, the new approach allows the use of different sized stock materials while it creates various options for the use of single sized stock materials. Use of different sized stock materials broadens the point of view for the solution compared to the use of single sized stock material. Moreover, the new method yields integer results whereas the analytical methods using linear programming usually produce impractical non-integer results. To obtain integer results, the analytical methods need to solve the problem multiple times and screen the alternative solutions.