Explaining Time-Table-Edge-Finding Propagation for the Cumulative Resource Constraint

Abstract

Cumulative resource constraints can model scarce resources in scheduling problems or a dimension in packing and cutting problems. In order to efficiently solve such problems with a constraint programming solver, it is important to have strong and fast propagators for cumulative resource constraints. Time-table-edge-finding propagators are a recent development in cumulative propagators, that combine the current resource profile (time-table) during the edge-finding propagation. The current state of the art for solving scheduling and cutting problems involving cumulative constraints are lazy clause generation solvers, i.e., constraint programming solvers incorporating nogood learning, have prov..