Analysis of a multimachine flexible manufacturing cell using stochastic Petri nets

Abstract

In this article, a generalized stochastic Petri net model is developed to analyze the performance of a multimachine flexible manufacturing cell. The analyzed flexible manufacturing cell consists of one or more machine(s), a single conveyor, and a single robot. The conveyor transfers similar workpieces to the robot areas. Then, the robot loads parts onto the machines, which perform similar machining processes. The machines are subject to failure after a certain time due to tool wear or resetting. When a machine is in failure, a repair action is taken by the flexible manufacturing cell operator. A generalized stochastic Petri net model is constructed for a single-machine and three-machine flexible manufacturing cells, after which the suggested generalized stochastic Petri net model can be generalized to a flexible manufacturing cell with n machines. The obtained results provide an estimate of machine, robot, and operator utilization and production rates for the considered flexible manufacturing cell. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to illustrate the effect of the input parameters on the selected performance measures. The suggested model is tested using numerical examples and simulated using TimeNet tool.