Towards an optimal deadlock avoidance algorithm for flexible manufacturing systems

In this paper a new conceptual framework for investigating the deadlock avoidance problem in flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) is introduced. The aim of the framework is to capture the production route information, which is relevant to deadlock avoidance, and more specifically to avoidance of circular wait situations. Three sources of circular wait situations in FMSs are identified. Based on these, a deadlock avoidance algorithm is presented, which is a restriction policy that is less restrictive than others presented earlier, and is in our opinion a step towards finding an optimal (least restrictive) restriction policy.