Method and apparatus for automatically dividing machining process in automatic programming apparatus

An apparatus for automatically dividing a machining process executed to obtain a predetermined product shape from a material shape of a workpiece, wherein the apparatus is applied to an automatic programming apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• a removal shape computing section, wherein the removal shape computing section computes a removal shape, which is a shape to be removed from the material shape when executing the machining process, based on the material shape and the product shape;
• a reference machining boundary determining section, which defines a reference machining boundary that intersects a reference axis defined on the product shape and divides the volume of the removal shape into two equal parts;
• a process division boundary defining section that defines, on the removal shape, a process division boundary that intersects the reference axis based on the reference machining boundary and the profile of the product shape;
• and
• a process dividing section, which divides the machining process into a first process and a second process with the process division boundary.