Abstract
In scheduling literature, the flow shop problem concerns only with finding a processing order of jobs on each machine. However, this paper addresses a flow shop datch-scheduling problem capturing the issues of the flow shop and batch-scheduling, that is, to determine batch sizes of parts with a common due date, and to schedule the resulting batches so as to satisfy the objective of minimizing actual flow times of the parts through the shop. The objective not only minimizes inventory but also provides both receiving material just in time and delivery just in time. A heuristic method solving the problem is proposed. An example is also provided to show how the proposed method works.
