A Review of Optimization for Corrugated Boards
Ricardo Fitas, Heinz Joachim Schaffrath, Samuel Schabel
Abstract
This paper presents a comprehensive review of optimization practices in the corrugated board industry, which has recently experienced significant interest in using optimization methodologies driven by sustainable demands and increasing computational capabilities. The authors cover different review perspectives, including historical context, manufacturing applications, design optimization, and numerical optimization algorithms used. The main findings of this study indicate that the corrugated board industry has experienced a shift from trial-and-error and expert-driven approaches to data-centric strategies, particularly since the beginning of the 21st century. Interestingly, the industry has also adopted Multi-Disciplinary Optimization techniques from other fields, which demonstrates the importance of knowledge convergence across sectors. However, due to the complex nature of corrugated boards—including materials, design, and manufacturing processes—there is still much research to be done in this area. This work provides guidance for future research directions and encourages innovation and improvement in corrugated board optimization practices. In particular, the strong developments of material models for paper in recent years will boost the use of optimization tools in this field.