Lot streaming with detached setups in three-machine flow shops

Abstract

<p>Lot streaming is the process of splitting a job or lot to allow overlapping between successive operations in a multistage production system. This use of transfer lots usually results in a shorter makespan for the corresponding schedule. In this paper, we study the structural properties of schedules which minimize the makespan for a single job with detached setup times in a flow shop. Although the structure of the optimal schedules is more complex than in the case with no setups [6], it is possible to find the optimal solution with <em>s</em> sublots in<em> O</em>(log <em>s</em>) time for the three-machine case</p>