A heuristic for solving the irregular strip packing problem with quantum optimization

Abstract

We introduce a novel quantum computing heuristic for solving the irregular strip packing problem, a significant challenge in optimizing material usage across various industries. This problem involves arranging a set of irregular polygonal pieces within a fixed-height, rectangular container to minimize waste. Traditional methods heavily rely on manual optimization by specialists, highlighting the complexity and computational difficulty of achieving quasi-optimal layouts. The proposed algorithm employs a quantum-inspired heuristic that decomposes the strip packing problem into two sub-problems: ordering pieces via the traveling salesman problem and spatially arranging them in a rectangle packing problem. This strategy facilitates a novel application of quantum computing to industrial optimization, aiming to minimize waste and enhance material efficiency. Experimental evaluations using both classical and quantum computational methods demonstrate the algorithm's efficacy. We evaluate the algorithm's performance using the quantum approximate optimization algorithm and the quantum alternating operator ansatz, through simulations and real quantum computers, and compare it to classical approaches.