Title: The alternatives aggregation Petri nets as a formalism to design discrete event systems

Authors: J.I. Latorre, E. Jimenez, M. Perez, J. Blanco, E. Martinez

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering Energetics and Materials, Public University of Navarre, Campus of Tudela. Ctra. Tarazona s/n. 31500 Tudela, Spain. ' Department of Electrical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logrono, Spain. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logron, Spain. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logron, Spain. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logron, Spain

Abstract: This paper formalises the evolution from decision problems to disjunctive optimisation problems based on several alternative Petri Net (PN) models. This copes with the general problem of Discrete Event Systems (DES) design and operation. A new type of PN called Alternatives Aggregation Petri Nets (AAPN) is presented as a promising tool to solve this general problem in an efficient way. AAPN are constructed by aggregating the alternative PN models, which are feasible solutions to the DES design. As a result, the optimisation problem can be solved by means of classical methods like exhaustive or heuristic search in a single phase.

Keywords: AAPNs; alternatives aggregation Petri nets; DES; discrete event systems; process modelling; simulation; design; disjunctive optimisation; manufacturing strategy; push; pull; decision problem; genetic algorithms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2010.036019

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2010 Vol.6 No.2, pp.152 - 164

Received: 02 Feb 2010
Accepted: 21 Apr 2010
Published online: 12 Oct 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article