Algorithm for 2D irregular-shaped nesting problem based on the NFP algorithm and lowest-gravity-center principle

The nesting problem involves arranging pieces on a plate to maximize use of material. A new scheme for 2D irregular-shaped nesting problem is proposed. The new scheme is based on the NFP (No Fit Polygon) algorithm and a new placement principle for pieces. The novel placement principle is to place a piece to the position with lowest gravity center based on NFP. In addition, genetic algorithm (GA) is adopted to find an efficient nesting sequence. The proposed scheme can deal with pieces with arbitrary rotation and containing region with holes, and achieves competitive results in experiment on benchmark datasets.