Applications of Petri nets in production scheduling: a review

The production scheduling problem allocates limited resources to tasks over time and determines the sequence of operations so that the constraints of the system are met and the performance criteria are optimized. One approach to this problem is the use of Petri nets in conjunction with other methods. In this paper, we give a comprehensive overview for production scheduling research that combines PNs with other methods, discuss both theoretical developments and practical experiences, and identify research trends. More than 20 major production and operations management journals published in years 1989–2005 has been reviewed. Existing approaches are classified into four groups, and additionally a historical progression in this field was emphasized. Finally, recommendations for future research are suggested in this paper.