Algebra and dynamics of manufacturing-like processes

A mathematical framework which has been specifically developed for manufacturing-like systems is presented, focusing on time-free dynamics and control, as treated by finite state automata. The approach is based on the key concepts of object types, locations and manufacturing operations enriched with an algebra (manufacturing algebra) for building complex operations as algebraic series-parallel compositions. The same framework has been already extended to treat discrete-event dynamics forced by timed-events described as fact/time, a formulation not employed hereafter.