Development of an algorithm to generate and evaluate cutting solutions in edging and trimming operations at sawmills

Abstract

In this research work an algorithm that gathers the best procedures applied in sawmills was developed, along with a methodology based on cutting geometrical line analysis. This application was programmed under the C++language, sizes objective board and its prices, and the 2-D slab geometry are the input data, obtaining length and width solutions for every slab. Its outcomes have been compared with a pattern that matches the solutions provided by an “optimized” cutting machine in a southern sawmill in Chile. Four types of solutions were obtained when inputting slabs geometry, which was captured with four different reading steps. Outcomes show that solutions achieved with a reading width of 100 mm were 4% better in average than the pattern, and far better to other solutions achieved with the remaining 3 steps. Leaving aside the particular operating conditions of either method; a theoretical comparison of time by solution method, indicates that the 77 milliseconds SISCORMAD employed are significantly lower than those obtained with dynamic programming 320 milliseconds, 890 milliseconds with total enumeration, and 140 milliseconds obtained with geometric heuristic as solution times reported by [6 ]. This feature makes the developed algorithm very attractive for future applications. However, given the heuristic nature SISCORMAD, it is just a high quality solution, but not optimal.

Keywords

• algorithm
• heuristic
• cutting solution
• slab