A layer-building algorithm for the three-dimensional multiple bin packing problem: a case study in an automotive company

The three-dimensional multiple bin packing problem (3D-MBPP) consists of packing a set of items into a number of bins with different dimensions so as to optimize a given objective function, e.g., minimize the number of bins used to pack the items. In this paper, we consider a real world 3D-MBPP with several cargo constraints that arises from an automotive maker. We propose an algorithm that first builds horizontal layers of identical items and then, according to different selection criteria, greedily generates packing patterns by loading one layer at a time. Computational experiments performed on benchmark instances are reported, and the results are compared to those achieved through a well-known constructive heuristic.