Continuous Petri Nets and Hybrid Automata for the analysis of manufacturing systems

Abstract In this paper, we present a structural translation algorithm from constant speed continuous Petri nets into hybrid automata. The goal of this translation is to take advantage of both tools. The first one is an elegant modeling tool, while with the second one it is possible to perform powerful analysis. The translation algorithm is structural in the sense that it does not depend on the initial marking of the Petri net. We present the principal characteristics of the obtained hybrid automata, and we prove the timed bisimilarity between the constant speed continuous Petri net and the hybrid automaton obtained from the translation algorithm. An illustrative example of a manufacturing system is used all throughout the paper and some dynamic properties are highlighted.