An optimum scheduling method for multi-option product flows through production lineswithout intermediate buffers

The presented method is constructed for optimum scheduling in production lines with parallel machines and without intermediate buffers. The production system simultaneously performs operations on various types of products. Multi-option products were taken into account – products of a given type may differ in terms of details. This allows providing for individual requirements of the customers. The one-level approach to scheduling for multioption products is presented. The integer programming is used in the method – optimum solutions are determined: the shortest schedules for multi-option products. Due to the lack of the intermediate buffers, two possibilities are taken into account: no-wait scheduling, possibility of the machines being blocked by products awaiting further operations. These two types of organizing the flow through the production line were compared using computational experiments, the results of which are presented in the paper.