Optimum Design Method for Package Cushions.

From the point of view of environmental protection and limited resources, reducing the amount of package cushioning and properly designing its size are problems that need to be solved. In this study, we introduced the idea of linear programming to the usual cushioning design method. Consequently, various restrictive conditions (the strength of the part of the product which is supported by the cushion, the maximum area of the part that can be allocated to the product) could be considered in cushioning design. In addition, we could optimize the volume of the package cushion and the total material cost of the cushion and shipping container as well as the thickness of the cushion. The main results obtained through simulation are as follows. (1) It was possible to reduce the cushion volume by about 50 percent in the specifications of this report. (2) The ratio of fiberboard's unit price to the cushio's influences the size of the cushion in optimum cushioning design taking into account the total material cost. (3) There is a tendency for low-expansion foam to be suitable for cases in which the area of the cushion is limited, while high-expansion foam is suitable for cases in which the strength of the supporting part of the product is low.