Stochastic Petri net models for performance evaluation of automated manufacturing systems

In the design and operation of automated manufacturing systems, performance evaluation plays a key role and entails powerful modelling tools to be used. In this paper, the authors show that generalized stochastic Petri nets (GSPNs) provide an effective modelling framework for performance evaluation of automated manufacturing systems. Using GSPNs, they study the performance of two representative systems; a manufacturing cell with multiple material handling robots and a simple flexible manufacturing system with three machines and two part types.