Using Sifting for k-Layer Straightline Crossing Minimization

We present a new algorithm for k-layer straightline crossing minimization which is based on sifting that is a heuristic for dynamic reordering of decision diagrams used during logic synthesis and formal verification of logic circuits. The experiments prove sifting to be very efficient. In particular it outperforms the traditional layer by layer sweep based heuristics known from literature by far when applied to k-layered graphs with k \ge 3