Time matrix controller design for the flexible manufacturing system

A matrix framework that based on the Petri nets theory (PN) and the standard industrial engineering (IE) techniques were adopted into this research. In the matrix framework, one of the important parts is how to introduce the time into the matrix system model to activate the matrix system functioning. Different types of time include parts input, for operations and processing, for resources arriving, and time for finished goods or products output are developed for designing manufacturing systems. Therefore, different time matrices Ts (i.e., T_u, T_v, T_r, T_y) are introduced in this study. Those time matrices are the key factors for integrating the manufacturing systems to approach the real time manufacturing world. Here, the key procedure for developing those time matrices is to develop and integrate the manufacturing matrix framework with the techniques of max/plus algebra. The result of this research is to introduce and establish time into the matrix manufacturing system to approach the real world production situation.