Timed Petri nets are used as models of cluster tools representing the flow of wafers through the chambers of the tool as well as sequences of actions performed by the robotic transporter. Since the durations of all activities are also represented in the model, performance characteristics can be derived from the model for steady-state, as well as transient behaviors. The performance of single-blade tools is compared with that of dual-blade tools. The effects of multiple loadlocks, redundant chambers and multiple robots are discussed and analyzed. Modeling of wafer routings with chamber revisiting and processing of wafers of multiple types is also briefly discussed.
In M-timed Petri nets, firing times are exponentially distributed random variables associated with transitions of a net. Several classes of M-timed Petri nets are discussed in this paper to show increasing "modelling power" of different nets. Conflict-free nets can model M and E k -type queueing systems. Free-choice nets can also represent H k -type systems. Systems with several classes of users and with service priorities assigned to user classes require nets with inhibitor arcs. Preemption of service can be represented by extended nets with escape (or generalized inhibitor) arcs. Finally, to provide flexible modelling of scheduling and decision strategies, enhanced Petri nets are introduced with two classes of transitions, immediate and timed ones, and with (exponentially distributed) firing times associated with the timed transitions. It is shown that the behaviour of bounded M-timed Petri nets can be represented by finite "state" graphs which are finite-state continuous-time homogeneous Markov processes. Stationary probabilities of states can thus be obtained by standard techniques used for analysis of Markov chains, and then operational analysis can be applied for performance evaluation. Simple models of interactive systems are used as an illustration of modelling.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.