Optimal Embedding of Wiring Diagrams in Constrained Three-Dimensional Spaces

Abstract

This paper investigates the \emph{Wiring Diagram Problem} (WDP), a three-dimensional layout design problem arising in industrial applications such as cable harness design and pipeline routing in constrained environments. In these settings, hierarchical tree-like systems composed of supply units, intermediate devices (e.g., valves or junctions), and terminal components must be spatially arranged and interconnected while satisfying stringent engineering requirements, including safety separation distances, obstacle avoidance, geometric feasibility, and constructibility constraints. We develop an optimization-based framework that formulates the WDP as a mixed-integer linear programming model capturing both topological and spatial design requirements within a unified formulation. To address the combinatorial and geometric complexity of three-dimensional routing, the feasible design space is discretized into structured network graphs that preserve engineering constraints while reducing dimensionality. The resulting model minimizes total cable or pipeline length while ensuring compliance with all technical specifications. Computational experiments on representative industrial instances demonstrate the robustness and practical applicability of the proposed approach for automated layout generation.

Figures (14)

• Figure 1: Example of wiring diagram (source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Motor_control_centre#Wiring_diagrams).
• Figure 2: On the left, admissible regions for node placement; on the right, the associated forest structure.
• Figure 3: Illustration of a feasible solution.
• Figure 4: Example of solution space discretization.
• Figure 5: Discretization at a root node.