Method and apparatus for testing and controlling a flexible manufacturing system

A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions for simulating a flexible manufacturing system, said program having instructions for steps of a method, said instructions executable by the computer, the method comprising:

• determining a status vector from an initial marking vector of said flexible manufacturing system;
• solving a first matrix logic equation to determine a transition vector from activity completion matrix data and said status vector data;
• calculating a new marking vector from said transition vector, said activity completion matrix data, said initial marking vector, and activity start matrix data by solving a standard matrix equation;
• sending at least one logic signal to a recording device;
• and
• after the steps for solving and calculating, updating said initial marking vector by replacement with said new marking vector, said program repeating said steps.

An apparatus, for controlling a workcell comprising:

• at least one output line for sending logic signals, said output line having first and second ends;
• a computer, having a program executable on the computer and having at least one output port, said first end being attached to said output port, said program having instructions for steps of a method, the method comprising:
• solving a first matrix logic equation to determine a transition vector from a status vector;
• determining a start vector from said transition vector by solving a second matrix logic equation;
• and
• sending a logic signal for a component of said start vector to said output port, said program updating said status vector using said start vector and repeating said steps;
• and
• at least one device, said device being connected to said second end, said device for starting or stopping a job at a place in said workcell in response to logic signals received from said second end.

A method, for controlling a workcell comprising:

• solving a first matrix logic equation to determine a transition vector from status vector data;
• determining a start vector from said transition vector by solving a second matrix logic equation;
• sending a logic signal to at least one device, said logic signal including at least one of the components of the start vector,
• starting or stopping at least one job at a place in said workcell with said device in response to receiving the logic signal;
• and
• updating said status vector using said start vector and repeating said steps for a preselected number of cycles.

An apparatus for testing a flexible manufacturing system comprising:

• at least one output line, said output line having first and second ends;
• a recording device having at least one input, said input connected to the second end of said output line;
• a computer having a program executable encoded in a memory thereof, the computer having at least one output port, said program including instructions for steps of a method, the method comprising:
• determining a status vector from an initial marking vector of said flexible manufacturing system;
• solving a first matrix logic equation to determine a transition vector from activity completion matrix data and said status vector data;
• calculating a new marking vector from said transition vector, said initial marking vector, said activity completion matrix data, and activity start matrix data by solving a standard matrix equation;
• sending at least one logic signal to an output port of the computer, said logic signal being a component of the new marking vector;
• said first end being attached to said output port;
• and
• after the steps of solving and calculating, updating said initial marker vector by replacement with said new marking vector and repeating the steps of determining, solving, calculating, and sending.

A method for testing a flexible manufacturing system comprising:

• solving a first matrix logic equation to determine a transition vector from an activity completion matrix data and an initial status vector data;
• calculating a new marking vector from said transition vector, an initial marking vector, said activity completion matrix data, and an activity start matrix data by solving a standard matrix equation;
• sending at least one logic signal to an input of a recording device, said logic signal including one or more components of said new marking vector;
• and
• after the steps of solving and calculating, using said new marking vector to update said status vector data and to replace said initial marking vector with said new marking vector, said program repeating said steps of solving, calculating, and sending.