A stochastic approach to the analysis and evaluation of a transport system in an automated factory

The main goal of the paper is to propose a methodology to model and analyze the performance of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS), based on the use of Petri net stochastic models. The advantage of using a probabilistic model is that it features the capability to represent the behavior of complex deterministic manufacturing systems, avoiding a detailed description of the operations they involve. The approach the authors propose is carefully described in the paper, highlighting the choice of the probabilistic transitions to model the behavior of each activity performed in the manufacturing system. The model of the FMS is then used to evaluate its performance through simulation. The paper refers to a case-study concerning a flexible manufacturing factory for the production of semiconductor devices which represents a highly critical environment