A complete algorithm for designing passive fences to orient parts

Reviews Peshkin and Sanderson (1988) who showed that parts can be aligned as they move on a conveyor belt against a passive sequence of fences. Describes the first complete algorithm to design such sequences for a given convex polygonal part. The algorithm is complete in the sense that it is guaranteed to find a design if one exists and to terminate with a negative report otherwise. Based on an exact breadth‐first search of the design space, the algorithm is also guaranteed to find the design requiring the fewest fences. Describes the algorithm and compares results with those previously reported. Conjectures that a fence design exists to orient any convex polygonal part defined by a sequence of rational vertices.