Title: Performance optimisation of a CNC machine through exploration of timed state space

Authors: Miguel A. Mujica, Miquel Angel Piera

Addresses: Department of Telecommunications and Systems Engineering, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Campus UAB edif. Q, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. ' Department of Telecommunications and Systems Engineering, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Campus UAB edif. Q, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract: Flexible production units provide very efficient mechanisms to adapt the type and production rate according to fluctuations in demand. The optimal sequence of the different manufacturing tasks in each machine is a challenging problem that can deal with important productivity benefits. In this paper a Coloured Petri Net model of an eyeglass flexible production machine is presented. The problem of finding an optimal sequence for this machine is faced using an algorithm which uses the model together with the exploration of the state space to find an optimal or close to the optimal scheduling that minimises the makespan of different workloads.

Keywords: timed coloured Petri nets; state space; eyeglass manufacturing; flexible manufacturing; flexible production units; optimisation; modelling; sequencing; optimal scheduling; makespan minimisation; CNC machining.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2010.036020

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2010 Vol.6 No.2, pp.165 - 174

Received: 02 Feb 2010
Accepted: 24 May 2010
Published online: 12 Oct 2010 *

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