IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/flsman/v35y2023i4d10.1007_s10696-022-09461-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A two-step evolutionary algorithm for the distributor’s pallet loading problem with multi-size pallets

Author

Listed:
  • Anan Mungwattana

    (Kasetsart University)

  • Thanakrit Piyachayawat

    (Kasetsart University)

  • Gerrit K. Janssens

    (Hasselt University)

Abstract

A two-step evolutionary algorithm for solving a real-life Distributor’s Pallet Loading Problem (DPLP) is presented. Previous literature considers multiple sizes of boxes to be loaded on the same size pallet for the DPLP. However, in this research, multiple-size pallets are allowed. Allowing multi-size pallets is new to the problem and makes it even harder to solve, because the DPLP with the same size pallet is NP-Hard already. Because of the complexity and size of the problem, a two-step algorithm, based on an Evolutionary Algorithm and a Differential Evolution Algorithm, is developed to solve the problem. The first step is to determine the number of pallets of each type, and to assign boxes onto each pallet. The second step is used for improving the solutions obtained from the first step. The effectiveness of the algorithm is evaluated by using a benchmark problem set based on 3D bin-packing problem, and real-life cases from a factory. For the benchmark problem set, the total number of pallets used, as suggested by the newly developed algorithm, is 0.42% higher than the worst results of the exact algorithm on average. However, the results, regarding computation time show that the proposed algorithm is able to find sufficiently good solutions with 78.54% less average calculation time of all problems which the algorithm performed better. As for the real-life cases, the solutions obtained by the algorithm are better both in terms of calculation time and the number of pallets required, which are 26.76% and 28.02% less of the average total occupied cross-section area, and 7 and 29 min of the average total computation time with α = 0.7 and α = 0.8, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Anan Mungwattana & Thanakrit Piyachayawat & Gerrit K. Janssens, 2023. "A two-step evolutionary algorithm for the distributor’s pallet loading problem with multi-size pallets," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 1256-1275, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:flsman:v:35:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s10696-022-09461-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10696-022-09461-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10696-022-09461-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10696-022-09461-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bischoff, E. E. & Janetz, F. & Ratcliff, M. S. W., 1995. "Loading pallets with non-identical items," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 84(3), pages 681-692, August.
    2. Terno, Johannes & Scheithauer, Guntram & Sommerwei[ss], Uta & Riehme, Jan, 2000. "An efficient approach for the multi-pallet loading problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(2), pages 372-381, June.
    3. Silvano Martello & David Pisinger & Daniele Vigo, 2000. "The Three-Dimensional Bin Packing Problem," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 48(2), pages 256-267, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bortfeldt, Andreas & Wäscher, Gerhard, 2013. "Constraints in container loading – A state-of-the-art review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 229(1), pages 1-20.
    2. Bonet Filella, Guillem & Trivella, Alessio & Corman, Francesco, 2023. "Modeling soft unloading constraints in the multi-drop container loading problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(1), pages 336-352.
    3. M-K Kang & C-S Jang & K-S Yoon, 2010. "Heuristics with a new block strategy for the single and multiple containers loading problems," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 61(1), pages 95-107, January.
    4. Tian Tian & Wenbin Zhu & Ying Zhu & Qiang Liu & Lijun Wei, 2024. "A two-phase constructive algorithm for the single container mix-loading problem," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 332(1), pages 253-275, January.
    5. Tobias Fanslau & Andreas Bortfeldt, 2010. "A Tree Search Algorithm for Solving the Container Loading Problem," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 22(2), pages 222-235, May.
    6. Sheng, Liu & Hongxia, Zhao & Xisong, Dong & Changjian, Cheng, 2016. "A heuristic algorithm for container loading of pallets with infill boxes," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 252(3), pages 728-736.
    7. Li, Yanzhi & Tao, Yi & Wang, Fan, 2009. "A compromised large-scale neighborhood search heuristic for capacitated air cargo loading planning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 199(2), pages 553-560, December.
    8. Lim, Andrew & Ma, Hong & Qiu, Chaoyang & Zhu, Wenbin, 2013. "The single container loading problem with axle weight constraints," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 358-369.
    9. H-L Li & J-F Tsai & N-Z Hu, 2003. "A distributed global optimization method for packing problems," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 54(4), pages 419-425, April.
    10. Sciomachen, Anna & Tanfani, Elena, 2007. "A 3D-BPP approach for optimising stowage plans and terminal productivity," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 183(3), pages 1433-1446, December.
    11. Zhu, Wenbin & Huang, Weili & Lim, Andrew, 2012. "A prototype column generation strategy for the multiple container loading problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 223(1), pages 27-39.
    12. Tian, Tian & Zhu, Wenbin & Lim, Andrew & Wei, Lijun, 2016. "The multiple container loading problem with preference," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 248(1), pages 84-94.
    13. Zhu, Wenbin & Fu, Ying & Zhou, You, 2024. "3D dynamic heterogeneous robotic palletization problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 316(2), pages 584-596.
    14. Araya, Ignacio & Moyano, Mauricio & Sanchez, Cristobal, 2020. "A beam search algorithm for the biobjective container loading problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 286(2), pages 417-431.
    15. Daniel Mack & Andreas Bortfeldt, 2012. "A heuristic for solving large bin packing problems in two and three dimensions," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 20(2), pages 337-354, June.
    16. Toffolo, Túlio A.M. & Esprit, Eline & Wauters, Tony & Vanden Berghe, Greet, 2017. "A two-dimensional heuristic decomposition approach to a three-dimensional multiple container loading problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 257(2), pages 526-538.
    17. Wascher, Gerhard & Hau[ss]ner, Heike & Schumann, Holger, 2007. "An improved typology of cutting and packing problems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 183(3), pages 1109-1130, December.
    18. Che, Chan Hou & Huang, Weili & Lim, Andrew & Zhu, Wenbin, 2011. "The multiple container loading cost minimization problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 214(3), pages 501-511, November.
    19. Bischoff, E.E., 2006. "Three-dimensional packing of items with limited load bearing strength," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 168(3), pages 952-966, February.
    20. Paquay, Célia & Limbourg, Sabine & Schyns, Michaël, 2018. "A tailored two-phase constructive heuristic for the three-dimensional Multiple Bin Size Bin Packing Problem with transportation constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 267(1), pages 52-64.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:flsman:v:35:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s10696-022-09461-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.