Complexity of flow time minimization in a crossdock truck scheduling problem with asymmetric handover relations

We address a novel truck scheduling problem arising in crossdocking logistics, in which inbound trucks carry items (pallets) which must be sorted and loaded onto outbound trucks. We minimize the utilisation of the warehouse by focusing on the synchronisation between the different related trucks. The problem is to assign the trucks to the doors of the warehouse and sequence them, in order to minimize the total time spent in the system by the pallets. We discuss the complexity of the problem, showing that even with a single door the problem is NP-hard in general, and discuss some special cases.(C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This article addresses a new truck scheduling problem in crossdocking logistics, aiming to minimize warehouse utilization and total time spent by synchronizing trucks. The study reveals that even with a single door, the problem is NP-hard.