An online chocolate company wants to develop an automated system to enable them to become more eco friendly as well as save time and money. They have invested in a range of packing of specific sizes and want to develop a software system to make maximum use of these for their products. Their aim is to give the packing staff a dear set of instructions for each order, to make the packing process more efficient and timely. The constraints of the system are as follows:
1. Single items should be packed in bubble packs where possible.
2. A gift card is optional and free on all orders and should go inside the packaging and will fit in all delivery boxes and bubble packs taking up minimal space.
3. Orders over £70 receive a free "champagne truffles' which should be included in the delivery.
4. Each order should be packed into the least number of bubble packs and/or boxes as possible to keep costs low and reduce packaging waste.
5. For the holiday season the company is running a special discount on the purchase of any three selection boxes for £65.
The chocolate company has selected the following range of products to trial the new software with:
|
CODE
|
Item
|
Cost
|
Width or Diameter
|
Depth
|
Height
|
|
P106
|
Milk chocolate coins
|
£3 50
|
3cm
|
-
|
8cm
|
|
P115
|
Deluxe mixed chocolate coins
|
£6 50
|
San
|
-
|
12cm
|
|
P120
|
White chocolate truffles
|
£7
|
6an
|
8cm
|
3cm
|
|
A320
|
Mixed chocolate creams
|
E9 50
|
Scm
|
10cm
|
3cm
|
|
A325
|
Deluxe chocolate creams
|
£16 50
|
Scm
|
12cm
|
4cm
|
|
BX04
|
Dark selection box
|
£25
|
18cm
|
25cm
|
4cm
|
|
Bx08
|
white selection box
|
£25
|
20cm
|
18an
|
Scm
|
|
BX10
|
Milk selection box
|
£25
|
18cm
|
25cm
|
4cm
|
|
8502
|
Small chocolate tree decoration
|
£4 50
|
6cm
|
-
|
-
|
|
850S
|
Large chocolate planet tree decoration
|
£650
|
Scm
|
-
|
|
|
5810
|
Champagne truffles
|
£10
|
San
|
|
12cm
|
The range of packing the company has selected is as follows:
|
Packaging
|
Width
|
Depth
|
Height
|
|
S1 Bubble Pack
|
6cm
|
3cm
|
8cm
|
|
52 Bubble Pack
|
8cm
|
3cm
|
12cm
|
|
52 box
|
20cm
|
15cm
|
10cm
|
|
B4 Box
|
25cm
|
20cm
|
10cm
|
|
B6 Box
|
30cm
|
20cm
|
20cm
|
• Bubble Packs are flexible to some extent. The height of the item must not exceed the height of the pack. The sum of the W+D of the item must not exceed the sum of the W+D of the pack.
• All delivery boxes have an inner padding that is 1cm thick on all sides including the bottom and top. The table below shows the outside dimensions of all boxes and packs only.
The company has provided you with the following sample orders to test your system. Workout the correct boxes and packets manually, and then use this data to test your algorithm.
|
Order Number
|
Gift
Card
|
Code
|
Item Description
|
Cost
|
Qty
|
|
101:34
|
Yes
|
P120
|
white chocolate truffles
|
£7
|
2
|
|
101134
|
-
|
5502
|
Small chocolate tree decoration
|
£4.50
|
1
|
|
101134
|
|
P106
|
Milk chocolate coins
|
f3.50
|
1
|
|
101265
|
No
|
8504
|
Large dkocolate planet tree decoration
|
f6.50
|
1
|
|
101342
|
Yes
|
BX08
|
white selection box
|
£23
|
1
|
|
101342
|
-
|
P115
|
Deluxe mixed chocolate coins
|
f6.50
|
|
|
101487
|
No
|
5X04
|
Dark selection box
|
£25
|
:
|
|
101487
|
-
|
BX08
|
white selection box
|
£22
|
|
|
101487
|
|
BX10
|
Milk selection box
|
£25
|
1
|
|
101487
|
-
|
P115
|
Deluxe mixed chocolate coins
|
£6.50
|
1
|
|
101653
|
yes
|
A325
|
Deluxe chocolate creams
|
£16.50
|
2
|
Given the above scenario, develop an algorithm (final design presented as a flow chart) that will work with any combination of items. Your algorithm shou4 generate some form of packing instructions for staff to follow, which should include at least indicate:
• The size and type of the pack or box required
• Some indication on how the items should be arranged
• Any extras that should be included