A branch-and-price-and-cut algorithm for the pattern minimization problem
In cutting stock problems, after an optimal (minimal stock usage) cutting plan has been devised, one might want to further reduce the operational costs by minimizing the number of setups. A setup operation occurs each time a different cutting pattern begins to be produced. The related optimization problem is known as the Pattern Minimization Problem, and it is particularly hard to solve exactly. In this paper, we present different techniques to strengthen a formulation proposed in the literature....