A workshop with three different machines produces six types of pipes, for which the durations of the processing steps are given. Every workpiece runs through the machines in the same order. Once started, any operations must be carried out without interruption, but the workpieces may wait between the machines. Every machine only processes one piece at a time. A workpiece may not overtake any other by passing onto the following machine. Which is the sequence of workpieces that minimizes the total time for completing all pieces?

Further explanation of this example: 'Applications of optimization with Xpress-MP', Section 7.2 'Flow-shop scheduling' (b2flowshop.mos)

! Datafile for 'flowshop.mos'

DUR: [3 6 3 5 5 7
      5 4 2 4 4 5
      5 2 4 6 3 6]