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Using Simulation to Assess the Effectiveness of Pallet Stacking Methods

  • Conference paper
Simulation, Modeling, and Programming for Autonomous Robots (SIMPAR 2010)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 6472))

Abstract

Stacking objects onto pallets is the most widely used method of bulk shipping, accounting for over 60% of the volume of goods shipped worldwide. Due in part to the wide variation in size, shape and weight of objects to be palletized, successful stacking is more of an art than a science. Pallet stacking is an example of the three dimensional cutting stock problem, a variant of the combinatorial NP-hard knapsack problem. This makes it hard to find a common heuristic to satisfy requirements for major shippers and receivers. In this paper, we explore the role that simulation can play in comparing how well automated metrics can gauge the quality of a pallet. A physics enabled simulator allows us to study the interlocking among hidden internal boxes and makes it possible to study metrics that cannot be determined by mere statistics. Results from a competition held in May 2010 are used to illustrate the concepts.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899-8230, USA

    Stephen Balakirsky, Fred Proctor & Tom Kramer

  2. RIM@GT, CoC, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0280, USA

    Pushkar Kolhe & Henrik I. Christensen

Authors
  1. Stephen Balakirsky
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  2. Fred Proctor
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  3. Tom Kramer
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  4. Pushkar Kolhe
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  5. Henrik I. Christensen
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. AIST Tsukuba Central 2, RT-Synthesis R.G., ISRI, AIST, 305-8568, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Noriaki Ando

  2. Intelligent Systems Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, M/S 8230, 20899-8230, Gaithersburg, MD, USA

    Stephen Balakirsky

  3. Department of Computer Science, Technical University Darmstadt, Hochschulstr. 10, 64289, Darmstadt, Germany

    Thomas Hemker  & Oskar von Stryk  & 

  4. Department of Management and Engineering (DTG), University of Padua, Stradella San Nicola, 3, 36100, Vicenza, Italy

    Monica Reggiani

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Balakirsky, S., Proctor, F., Kramer, T., Kolhe, P., Christensen, H.I. (2010). Using Simulation to Assess the Effectiveness of Pallet Stacking Methods. In: Ando, N., Balakirsky, S., Hemker, T., Reggiani, M., von Stryk, O. (eds) Simulation, Modeling, and Programming for Autonomous Robots. SIMPAR 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 6472. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17319-6_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17319-6_32

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-17318-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-17319-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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