Summary

The move of manufacturing systems towards automation, integration and flexibility has increased the importance of the design phase in the life cycle of a manufacturing system. Petri Nets are the only set of tools which can support functional specification, modelling and evaluation of the future behaviour of the manufacturing system. This book is dedicated to the use of Petri Nets for specifying, modelling and evaluating the performances of manufacturing systems. The first part of the book presents the theory of Petri Nets, covering most of the recent developments. Applications of Petri Nets to modelling, evaluation and management of manufacturing systems are addressed in the second part. Numerous worked examples and solved exercises are included. Specific algorithms for planning and scheduling are provided. This book will be of great interest to students, factory engineers, managers and designers in both the academic and industrial worlds.