| Article ID: | iaor19931537 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Volume: | 43 |
| Issue: | 5 |
| Start Page Number: | 425 |
| End Page Number: | 433 |
| Publication Date: | May 1992 |
| Journal: | Journal of the Operational Research Society |
| Authors: | Ashford R.W., Daniel R.C. |
| Keywords: | energy, cutting stock, project management, programming: branch and bound, scheduling |
Integer programs are harder to solve than linear programs of similar size. Even those of modest size may prove sufficiently difficult to deter practitoners from using them. But, formulated with care and solved with an appropriate branching strategy, they may be solved quickly. This paper discusses the elements of good formulation, high level branching constructs and effective branching strategies. These methods are applied to four practical case studies which are explored in depth. These case studies related to: contract allocation for an energy supplier; metal ingot production; project planning; production scheduling.