A Hybrid Methodology for Nesting Irregular Shapes: Case Study on a Textile Industry*

The aim of this paper is to describe a hybrid methodology that combines a Genetic Algorithm and a Bottom-Left Greedy procedure for solving the two-dimensional Nesting Problem. The No-Fit Polygon construct is applied for obtaining local optima. Furthermore, a shrinking algorithm is incorporated to the metaheuristic engine to identify good quality solutions. Computational experiments performed on standard benchmark problems, as well as a practical case study developed in a textile industry, are also reported and discussed here in a manner as to testify the potentialities behind the novel approach.