A complete algorithm for designing passive fences to orient parts

Peshkin and Sanderson (1988) showed that parts can be aligned as they move on a conveyor belt against a passive sequence of fences. In this paper the authors describe the first complete algorithm to design such sequences for a given convex polygonal part. The algorithm is complete in the sense that it is guaranteed to find a design if one exists and to terminate with a negative report otherwise. Based on an exact breadth-first search of the design space, the algorithm is also guaranteed to find the design requiring the fewest fences. The authors describe the algorithm and compare results with those previously reported. The authors conjecture that a fence design exists to orient any convex polygonal part defined by a sequence of rational vertices