Device, method, program and recording medium, for simulation of article arraying operation performed by robot

A simulation method for simulating, on a computer, an article arraying operation performed by a robot, the method comprising:

• locating, by the computer, a conveyor model, a plurality of article models, a sensor model and an arraying robot model in a virtual space, which are prepared respectively by modeling a conveyor, a plurality of articles placed on the conveyor, a sensor detecting the plurality of articles and an arraying robot arraying the plurality of articles on the conveyor;
• simulating, by the computer, an article conveying motion, the conveyor model moving, by the article conveying motion, to convey the plurality of article models placed in a random arrangement on the conveyor model;
• simulating, by the computer, an article detecting motion, the sensor model operating, by the article detecting motion, to obtain position information of each of the plurality of article models conveyed in the random arrangement;
• generating, by the computer, an arrangement pattern on the conveyor model by using the position information, the arrangement pattern including a plurality of pattern elements in a predetermined regular arrangement, each pattern element representing a position of each of the article models;
• and
• simulating, by the computer, an article arraying motion by using information of the article conveying motion and the position information, the arraying robot model moving while tracking the article conveying motion, by the article arraying motion, to pick up each of the article models in the random arrangement and place a picked-up article model in accordance with the arrangement pattern;
• wherein, in the generating the arrangement pattern, the computer
• recognizes a point set on the conveyor model where generation of the arrangement pattern is executed, and
• generates the arrangement pattern when the article models pass through the point by the article conveying motion;
• wherein
• the point set on the conveyor model is located downstream of the sensor model and upstream of a working space boundary which designates a working space of the arraying robot model;
• and
• the point is set or changed in response to an input or operation of an operator.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium recording a simulation program for simulating an article arraying operation performed by a robot, the simulation program, when executed, causing a computer to perform:

• locating a conveyor model, a plurality of article models, a sensor model and an arraying robot model in a virtual space, which are prepared respectively by modeling a conveyor, a plurality of articles placed on the conveyor, a sensor detecting the plurality of articles and an arraying robot arraying the plurality of articles on the conveyor;
• simulating an article conveying motion, the conveyor model moving, by the article conveying motion, to convey the plurality of article models placed in a random arrangement on the conveyor model;
• simulating an article detecting motion, the sensor model operating, by the article detecting motion, to obtain position information of each of the plurality of article models conveyed in the random arrangement;
• generating an arrangement pattern on the conveyor model by using the position information, the arrangement pattern including a plurality of pattern elements in a predetermined regular arrangement, each pattern element representing a position of each of the article models;
• and
• simulating an article arraying motion by using information of the article conveying motion and the position information, the arraying robot model moving while tracking the article conveying motion, by the article arraying motion, to pick up each of the article models in the random arrangement and place a picked-up article model in accordance with the arrangement pattern;
• wherein, in the generating the arrangement pattern, the computer is caused to
• recognize a point set on the conveyor model where generation of the arrangement pattern is executed, and
• generate the arrangement pattern when the article models pass through the point by the article conveying motion;
• wherein
• the point set on the conveyor model is located downstream of the sensor model and upstream of a working space boundary which designates a working space of the arraying robot model;
• and
• the point is set or changed in response to an input or operation of an operator.