(Covers the packing process, breaking early, tabular results and load levelling)

Once data entry is complete the Calculation Phase of CARGOMANAGER will then commence.

CARGOMANAGER makes use of a wide range of methods so as to obtain a cargo packing which makes maximum use of the volume of the container. If the cargo CAN be fitted then the length of the container used is minimised, if it cannot then the arrangement which maximises the volume packed is selected. If the packing is constrained by weight then appropriate messages will be output on both screen and printer and the weight of cargo packed will be restricted so as to meet the stated weight constraint.

The calculations are carried out in a number of distinct stages and during each stage a very large number of possible packing arrangements are investigated. As each stage progresses the screen display shows the rate of computational progress and the 'Break Early' option is available to terminate calculations early.

The time taken to pack a cargo depends on a number of factors. Obviously the number of cargo items and types is a major influence on the time taken. Also, if the specified cargo is significantly greater in volume than that of the container, the time taken will be extended.

In addition, the 'Level of Complexity' and the 'Effort once packed' values selected on the Packing Options Screen will have a major influence.

The time taken can also be reduced in the following ways:

You are able to Skip Forward over later calculation steps by pressing the Break Early button, if required and this facility is described below.

You may set the value of the 'Effort once packed' variable on the Packing Options screen to a value of 1. (see Section 6).

As outlined above there may well be situations where a CARGOMANAGER user wishes to restrict the number of calculations carried out - either because a solution has already been found, or because of time constraints. The selection of Break Early during any of the stages will terminate that stage prematurely, and move on to the next Stage of Calculations (which will, if no action is taken, proceed normally). In doing so, the best solution found up to the point when the button was selected will be retained as the 'best' solution.

If the problem is easily soluble then calculation time is likely to be fairly small, especially if the Packing Options for 'Complexity' and 'Effort once packed' have been set appropriately. This latter parameter will also, in these instances, avoid any need to utilise the Break Early button. Once calculations are complete the solution which provides the best volume utilisation (subject to weight constraints) is saved.

Select Continue to display the results in tabular form.

This screen presents in tabular form the number of items of each cargo type packed (in this instance all those available). A more comprehensive printer report can be obtained at this stage. This is achieved by selecting Print.

Three further options are available at this stage:

Firstly, you may wish to proceed and draw (on screen / printer) the packing arrangement which has been determined. This is accomplished by selecting the Draw option.

Secondly, if the specified load has only partly filled the container you may wish to immediately add some additional cargo items (of an existing OR new cargo type) to those which have already been packed. Within CARGOMANAGER this is referred to as End Packing.

In this situation the items already placed in the container will retain their existing positions within the container and any additional items specified will be fitted into spaces within the existing packing arrangement.

This can be selected using the Add option.

Finally, you may have now packed all the cargo which has to go into this container (it might have been restricted by weight for example) and wish to ensure that it is 'spread' as far as possible over the container floor. If the packing is volume restricted then the arrangement obtained by selecting Draw will probably meet your needs. However, where the load is restricted by weight the arrangement obtained by selecting Draw will be packed up at one end of the container. A further option Level will re-calculate possible packings with the objective of minimising height usage.

Thus, you may choose to move forward to display on screen / printer the solution calculated (by selecting Draw), or you may choose to Add additional cases which would lead you back to the input screen for End Packing, or you may level the load using the Level option.

If Draw is selected a three dimensional view of the empty container is displayed, together with a menu of possible commands which can be used to display the arrangement and, at the same time, select which views (if any), will subsequently be printed.

This option may be selected either after the tabular display of results or after the screen display of packing. The option takes the current cargo which has been successfully packed in the container and attempt to obtain an arrangement of the cases which minimised the height used. In doing so the load is 'spread' more evenly over the container floor.

The option is intended to provide a final arrangement for a cargo set. If, subsequently, additional cargo is added (Using End Packing), this cargo will be added to the Unlevelled Load and the Level option will need to be re-selected for this new cargo set.

As described in Section 6 (Options), two different levelling mechanisms may be employed. One of these is based on 'block-building' from the rear of the container, whilst the other utilises a layering procedure for the consignment. The method utilised is determined by your selection on the Options screen.

The Solutions Achieved.

Throughout extensive trials CARGOMANAGER has been found to provide container packings which give very high volume utilisation. However, situations might arise when extensive manual experimentation could provide an improved solution. We are pleased to receive reports of such situations (in writing) so that we can, where possible, incorporate further improvements in future releases.