Control program generation apparatus, control program generation method, and program

A control program generation method that generates, with a computer, a control program for an automated manufacturing machine including a plurality of actuators, the method comprising:

• reading an action chart describing an operation of the automated manufacturing machine, the action chart including a plurality of subperiods into which an operation period from a start to an end of the operation of the automated manufacturing machine is divided, the action chart including a plurality of element actions included in the operation of the automated manufacturing machine, each of the plurality of element actions indicating an action of a corresponding actuator of the plurality of actuators in a direction of an inherent degree of freedom of the corresponding actuator by a specified displacement, each of the plurality of element actions being assigned to a subperiod of the plurality of subperiods;
• and
• generating the control program to cause the automated manufacturing machine to operate by referring to a stored correspondence between the plurality of element actions on the action chart and a plurality of program elements to perform the plurality of element actions, by converting the plurality of element actions on the action chart into the plurality of program elements, and by combining together the plurality of program elements in an order of the plurality of subperiods,
• wherein the reading the action chart includes reading, in addition to the action chart, at least one subchart corresponding to consecutive subperiods of the plurality of subperiods assigned with element actions of the plurality of element actions,
• the read action chart includes a subchart representation assigned to at least one subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, and the subchart representation is specific to the at least one subchart, and
• the generating the control program includes generating, for the at least one subperiod assigned with the subchart representation, the control program by combining together, in an order of the consecutive subperiods on the at least one subchart, program elements of the plurality of program elements for the element actions assigned to the consecutive subperiods on the at least one subchart corresponding to the subchart representation.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to implement a method for generating a control program for an automated manufacturing machine including a plurality of actuators, the method comprising:

• reading an action chart describing an operation of the automated manufacturing machine, the action chart including a plurality of subperiods into which an operation period from a start to an end of the operation of the automated manufacturing machine is divided, the action chart including a plurality of element actions included in the operation of the automated manufacturing machine, each of the plurality of element actions indicating an action of a corresponding actuator of the plurality of actuators in a direction of an inherent degree of freedom of the corresponding actuator by a specified displacement, each of the plurality of element actions being assigned to a subperiod of the plurality of subperiods;
• and
• generating the control program to cause the automated manufacturing machine to operate by referring to a stored correspondence between the plurality of element actions on the action chart and a plurality of program elements to perform the plurality of element actions, by converting the plurality of element actions on the action chart into the plurality of program elements, and by combining together the plurality of program elements in an order of the plurality of subperiods,
• wherein the reading the action chart includes reading, in addition to the action chart, at least one subchart corresponding to consecutive subperiods of the plurality of subperiods assigned with element actions of the plurality of element actions,
• the read action chart includes a subchart representation assigned to at least one subperiod of the plurality of subperiods, and the subchart representation is specific to the at least one subchart, and
• the generating the control program includes generating, for the at least one subperiod assigned with the subchart representation, the control program by combining together, in an order of the consecutive subperiods on the at least one subchart, program elements of the plurality of program elements for the element actions assigned to the consecutive subperiods on the at least one subchart corresponding to the subchart representation.