A Generic P/T Net Model and Framework for Concurrent Integrated Design and Planning of Electromechanical Assemblies

This paper describes a new unified formal modeling framework based on generic place/transition nets (PTNs) for concurrent integrated design and planning of electromechanical assemblies. First, a generic PTN model is defined as an abstract (meta)class of all types of PTNs. Then, an integrated object modeling framework is proposed for capturing and representing information and knowledge in the assembly design and planning processes based on the defined generic PTN modeling language and formalisms. The proposed integrated assembly model with the generic PTNs can uniformly represent the causal relations at the assembly level, the operation level, and the feature-based single-part level through the data abstraction of components and connectors on various levels of integrated assembly design and planning. An assembly model compatible with the STandard for the Exchange of Product model data (STEP, officially ISO 10303) is also built with the generic PTNs. To validate the proposed modeling framework, a prototype system has been developed, and a case study on gearbox assembly design and planning is provided.