Risk analysis of dynamic systems: Petri nets — Modeling examples

The treatment of typical examples that the reliability engineer is confronted with on a daily basis when analyzing and modeling industrial systems allows us to go a step further in discovering the immense possibilities of modeling using Petri nets, as described in the previous section [SE 4 072] .

The aim of this second dossier is therefore to open up avenues for getting Petri net modeling off to a good start, both for the evaluation of classic reliability parameters, such as the reliability, availability or MTTF (Mean Time To Failure) of safety devices, and for the evaluation of more sophisticated reliability parameters requiring very in-depth modeling, such as the availability of production, the frequency of failures or the maintenance load of production systems.

Although Petri nets derive much of their expressive power from their graphical appearance, mastering the construction of large models requires both discipline and rigor. The link with reliability diagrams and flow diagrams is used in this dossier to provide guidelines for modular modeling, which is essential if you want to master your models as they develop.

Since the success of a Monte-Carlo simulation lies in the speed of the calculations, the tricks to know and the pitfalls to avoid are indicated in the examples used as support.

Finally, this set of examples confirms the assertion made in the [SE 4 072] dossier that Petri nets currently offer the best ratio of intellectual investment to modeling power in the field of operational safety. Beware of addiction... !

For information on the notations and graphics used, please refer to [SE 4 072] .