Title
An iterated construction approach with dynamic prioritization for solving the container loading problems
Abstract
This paper addresses the single and multiple container loading problems, which forms the core engine of a warehouse management system we are contracted to implement for a Hong Kong logistics company. We propose to use dynamic prioritization to handle the awkward box types, whereas the box type with a higher priority is packed onto lower surfaces of the container for the single container case, or packed in earlier containers for the multiple container case. The solution found in one iteration of the algorithm is analyzed, and the priorities are updated and used in the next iteration. This approach provides very competitive results using standard benchmark data sets as compared with other methods. It helps to reduce the difficulty in system implementation and maintenance, because the algorithm is easy to understand for practitioners in the local industry, and it is applicable for both the single and multiple container loading problems at the same time. In addition, we find the existing test data for the multiple container loading problem to be deficient and supplement them by generating new test data consisting of 2800 test cases. Last but not least, our algorithm has been packaged into a software component with full graphical user interface and integrated into a warehouse management system for daily operations.
Year
DOI
Venue
2012
10.1016/j.eswa.2011.09.103
Expert Syst. Appl.
Keywords
Field
DocType
warehouse management system,multiple container loading problem,dynamic prioritization,new test data,iterated construction approach,existing test data,single container case,system implementation,multiple container case,test case,standard benchmark data,earlier container
Data mining,Data set,Computer science,Prioritization,Implementation,Graphical user interface,Test data,Test case,Component-based software engineering,Iterated function
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
39
4
0957-4174
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
5
0.41
23
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Andrew Lim115013.57
Hong Ma2654.21
Jing Xu3256.95
Xingwen Zhang4995.90