Modeling and analysis of tandem AGV systems using generalized stochastic Petri nets

This paper presents a Petri net modeling approach for analyzing tandem AGV systems. The approach allows the consideration of several critical design issues such as multi-load vehicles, multi-machine processing workstations, finite queue capacities, and constant work-in-process operating policies. The proposed approach is capable of providing analytical as well as simulative results and allows tandem AGV systems to be fully explored within a single modeling framework. Analytical analysis can be performed if the interarrival and service times are assumed to be exponentially distributed. Simulative results do not require this restriction, and thus general distributions can be used.