Dynamic Stacking Optimization in Uncertain Environments: A Rolling Mill Complex System

Dynamic stacking optimization is of critical importance in industries where timely production and delivery are essential. This process involves the strategic scheduling of crane operations to relocate products while adhering to stringent time constraints. This paper presents a study on dynamic stacking optimization for the Rolling Mill track of the DynStack competition hosted at GECCO 2024. The primary objective is to develop a heuristic-based approach to minimize rolling program messups, blocked mill time, and crane manipulations. The challenges posed by the uncertainty in block arrivals and the need for real-time decision-making are addressed. Various heuristic and optimization techniques were explored, with an emphasis on enhancing crane efficiency and block sorting accuracy.