Packing Just Got Faster, Easier

 Packing is always a place you should search for better.

Packing Just Got Faster, Easier

MIT News, Steve Nadis. July 6, 2023

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and MIT spinout company Inkbit created a packing algorithm that determines ways to pack items most densely within a given object. The Scalable Spectral Packing model constructs an arrangement for solid three-dimensional (3D) objects to fill a fixed container, then positions them within it by voxelizing the container into a three-dimensional grid. The algorithm also voxelizes each object to be packed, then calculates the collision metric at each voxel to determine the available space for the object. The researchers use the fast Fourier transform method to locally maximize packing density by computing another metric at each voxel to find the best placement position while minimizing gaps between objects. In one demonstration, the algorithm packed 670 objects with a roughly 36% density in just 40 seconds. ... '