A method and computer program product for scheduling product lots through operations of a manufacturing line. The method including: selecting a set of sequential operations required to manufacture the lots; partitioning the product lots into designated lots and non-designated lots; and generating a release schedule for each of the non-designated lots into one or more operations of the set of sequential operations; generating a release schedule for each of the designated lots into each operation of set of sequential operations such that for each designated lot a total amount of time measured from completion of a first operation of the set of sequential operations through start of a last operation of the set of sequential operations does not exceed a target amount of time for the designated lots.