A global approach for the provision of bar pieces in a metallurgie firm

Until now, several algorithms have been presented for the cutting stock problem. They are all focused on a unitary task, without taking into account the relationships between the different activities involved in the process considered. The purpose of this paper is to present a global approach where all the activities included in the provision of bar pieces to the assembly department are considered. The paper analyses all of the meaningful tasks involved in the process, taking into account the global performance, often resorting to heuristic criteria and to the knowledge of the operating conditions of the plant. Mathematically using not too complex elements, solutions have been reached which allow efficient exploitation of the bars used with reasonable computing times. The solution thus obtained makes it possible to achieve different goals. Not only is there a significant decrease of loss due to bar cutting, but also an efficient processing of the bars has been achieved, reducing delays, and operation times, obtaining a better use of the storage, adequate displacement of the containers storing the bars, etc.