A column generation procedure for gang-rip saw rip saw arbor design and scheduling

The authors present a mathematical model for scheduling a computer assisted gang-rip saw system. Such systems are typically used within the furniture manufacturing industry for processing (ripping) lumber. This model uses the concept of column generation of linear programming to design appropriate saw arbors, and to select a set of arbors with their corresponding run time, in order to process a given stream of incoming lumber according to a demand schedule for finished cut widths. Results of a limited computational experiment with this model are discussed.