Method and computer program product for identifying element which limits throughput of plating apparatus

A computer program product which is constructed to make a processor in a computer perform steps for identifying, in a plating apparatus comprising plural processing units for processing substrates and one or plural transfer apparatuses for conveying the substrates, an element in elements comprising the processing units and the one or plural transfer apparatuses which limits throughput of the whole plating apparatus, wherein the steps comprise:

• a step for receiving input of a set of plating process conditions;
• a step for creating, based on the set of plating process conditions, a time chart which represents process schedules of the plural processing units and the one or plural transfer apparatuses;
• a step for calculating, based on the time chart, at least one of an operation rate and a degree of freedom of taking-out with respect to each of the elements comprising the plural processing units and the one or plural transfer apparatuses, wherein the operation rate of the processing unit or the transfer apparatus is defined as a ratio of time relating to operation of the processing unit or the transfer apparatus relative to total operation time of the plating apparatus, wherein the degree of freedom of taking-out represents a degree of freedom with respect to timing when the substrate which has been processed can be taken out of one of the processing units;
• and
• a step for displaying, with respect to each of the elements comprising the plural processing units and the one or plural transfer apparatuses, at least one of the calculated operation rate and the calculated degree of freedom of taking-out on a display.