Schedule preparation method for substrate processing device and substrate processing device

A schedule preparation method being a method, by which a schedule preparing portion included in a substrate processing apparatus, having at least one single substrate processing unit that processes one substrate at a time and a controller arranged to control the processing unit, prepares a schedule for specifying operations of the substrate processing apparatus in chronological order, and

• comprising a schedule preparation step of preparing a schedule for each substrate by positioning, in chronological order, a plurality of blocks, each specifying contents of an operation to be performed on the substrate by the substrate processing apparatus,
• wherein the schedule preparation step includes a high load avoidance positioning step in which, in preparing the schedules for a plurality of substrates, blocks, each corresponding to a high load operation that is an operation in which a high control load occurs at least temporarily in the controller, are positioned on a time axis so that high load time slots, each being a time slot during which a high control load occurs in the controller, are not concentrated, and
• wherein, at the substrate processing apparatus, after preparation of a schedule for a predetermined first substrate among a plurality of substrates of a process job in common has ended, execution of the prepared schedule is started in a state where preparation of a schedule for a predetermined second substrate, among the plurality of substrates, for which a processing order is later than that of the first substrate, has not ended, and
• the method further comprises a schedule changing step, in which, after execution of the prepared schedule is started, a yet-to-be-executed portion of the prepared schedule is changed.