3 ms·
These are specifically known as cutting stock problems [1]. Example of a possible application: I used to work at a home improvement retailer, and one of my res
by sidpatil 5y ago
These are specifically known as cutting stock problems [1].
Example of a possible application: I used to work at a home improvement retailer, and one of my responsibilities was to cut plywood boards for customers, to the dimensions they specified. I'd often wonder if the cuts I was making were optimal. The constraints were that any cuts I made had to go all the way through the entire piece, and that the blade itself was 1/8" thick.
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_stock_problem https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_stock_problem
- madcaptenor 5y agoA similar problem shows up in quilting - fabric comes in rolls of about 44 inches wide (called "WOF" for "width of fabric" in some patterns). (Occasionally there are other pieces - for example you can buy "fat quarters" which are 18 by 22 inches, i. e. half a yard by half WOF.) You may need many small pieces, say rectangles or triangles a few inches on a side. And so it's natural to ask what the best way to cut them is - either with minimal waste, or with making the smallest number of cuts.