Positioning apparatus and positioning method

A positioning apparatus mounted on a programmable logic controller and starts positioning control on a target to be controlled by the programmable logic controller, the positioning apparatus configured to start the positioning control according to output of a positioning command in accordance with input of an external input signal from an external sensor, the apparatus comprising:

• an external input unit that receives the input of the external input signal from the external sensor;
• a timer unit that counts, in inside of the positioning apparatus, a period of time that starts when the external input signal is input to the external input unit to adjust timing to output the positioning command;
• an arithmetic processing unit that calculates positioning command data on a basis of a positioning parameter that is set, using a positioning control program, as an operating condition for the device to be controlled;
• a memory that stores a setting timer value that is set, using the positioning control program, as delay time to delay the start of the positioning control and the positioning command data calculated by the arithmetic processing unit;
• and
• a positioning command output unit that outputs the positioning command to the target to be controlled on a basis of the positioning command data stored in the memory, wherein
• the positioning command output unit outputs the positioning command when a count value of the timer unit agrees with the setting timer value stored in the memory, and
• the setting timer value stored in the memory is changeable in accordance with setting in the positioning control program.