In: Zhou, M.C.: Petri Nets in Flexible and Agile Automation, pages 1-42. Dordrecht, NL: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1995.
Abstract: As customers' demands change rapidly, more and more manufacturers recognize the importance of flexible and agile production systems. To achieve high flexibility and agility, computer and related information technologies have to be introduced into their daily practice. The design and implementation of such manufacturing systems requires new methodologies and computer-aided design tools. Petri nets and the related graphical tools represent a promising solution technique for many challenging problems arising from the endeavor to design flexible and agile automated systems. This chapter introduces fundamentals of Petri nets and their related applications in industrial automation. It serves as a tutorial for researchers and engineers who are newly interested in these technologies to familiarize themselves with the basic terminologies, concepts, and approaches of Petri nets.