Abstract
For flexible manufacturing cells (FMCs), the major control problem is to determine the optimal part routeing and machines dispatching policy. In this research, we present a methodology for generating optimal operating strategies for FMCs. The methodology is built on two techniques: stochastic timed Petri net (STPN) and Markov decision process (MDP). The operating strategy devised with the proposed methodology is deadlock-free and provides the best performance given a set of system parameters (machines, parts, machining times, etc.). Generation of programmable logic controller (PLC) codes is greatly facilitated as the generated strategy can be mapped directly to a ladder diagram representing the PLC code. The objective of real-time optimal control could then be achieved with this type of controller. An example is provided to illustrate the methodology.
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Zhou, Q., Wang, M. & Dutta, S.P. Generation of optimal control policy for flexible manufacturing cells: A Petri net approach. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 10, 59–65 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01184279
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01184279