Polygon placement algorithm for maximizing floor space efficiency
Andy NguyenA modern fabrication facility houses hundreds of precision manufacturing tools. Each tool occupies a defined physical footprint — and how they are arranged directly affects throughput, worker routing, and operational cost.
Getting the layout right is a planning problem with real stakes.
Each tool's footprint is modeled as a polygon. The problem: fit as many polygons as possible into a fixed floor area, with no two polygons occupying the same space.
Heuristic
Each polygon is placed one at a time following explicit rules. No black box — every decision is traceable and auditable.
Sequential
Placement decisions are discrete. Add, remove, or reorder rules without retraining or reconfiguring a model.
Auditable
Domain experts can validate and adjust placement behavior without needing to touch underlying code.
Pull from queueTake the next polygon in priority order.
Scan positionsTest candidate positions top-to-bottom, left-to-right.
Check overlapAt each position, test against all placed polygons.
CommitFirst valid position with no overlap → place the polygon.
RepeatContinue until the queue is empty or the floor is full.
The algorithm's behavior is driven by explicit, readable rules — not learned weights. Planners can validate results, adjust strategy, and extend the system without a data scientist in the loop every time.
A solution that planners could understand, validate, and build on — without needing a data scientist in the room every time.