Abstract: Method of placing and extracting raw materials or modules in such a way that a minimum area capable of accommodating the modules can be systematically searched for. The placement of the modules is started with drawing rightwardly upward oblique lines and rightwardly downward oblique lines. The number of the oblique lines of each kind is equal to the number of the modules. The modules are placed at the intersections of the oblique lines such that only one module is placed on each one of the oblique lines. Those modules which are located to the right of an arbitrary module are defined to be located on the right side. In this way, vertical or horizontal positional relations among all the modules are determined. Then, the left sides of those modules which have no other modules on their left sides are placed on a vertical baseline. The lower sides of those modules which have no other modules on their lower sides are placed on a horizontal baseline.

Abstract: Method of placing and extracting modules in such a way that a minimum area capable of accommodating the modules can be systematically searched for. The placement of the modules is started with drawing a grid having partitions or rooms greater in number than the modules. The grid is drawn by horizontal and vertical lines. Each horizontal line extends across two horizontally adjacent rooms. Each vertical line extends across two vertically adjacent rooms. Then, rectangular modules are arranged in the drawn rooms. Thereafter, the vertical lines are shrunk so that the horizontal lines are brought close to the top or bottom side of the grid while maintaining the vertical lengths of the modules inside the rooms. Finally, the horizontal lines are shrunk so that the vertical lines are brought close to the left or right side of the grid while maintaining the horizontal lengths of the modules inside the rooms.