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

A control program generation method for generating, 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 a degree of freedom of the corresponding actuator by a specified displacement, each of the plurality of element actions being assigned to a corresponding 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 to the plurality of program elements, and by combining together the plurality of program elements in an order of the plurality of subperiods,
• wherein the action chart to be read includes a parallel processing portion including a set of two or more consecutive subperiods of the plurality of subperiods,
• the parallel processing portion includes a plurality of parallel subperiods into which the parallel processing portion is divided, and the plurality of parallel subperiods are parallel to the two or more consecutive subperiods,
• each of the plurality of parallel subperiods in the parallel processing portion is assigned with an element action of the plurality of element actions corresponding to a selected actuator of the plurality of actuators,
• each of the two or more consecutive subperiods in the parallel processing portion is assigned with an element action of the plurality of element actions corresponding to an actuator of the plurality of actuators other than the selected actuator, and
• the generating the control program includes generating the control program by combining together, in an order of the plurality of parallel subperiods, program elements of the plurality of program elements for element actions of the plurality of element actions assigned to the plurality of parallel subperiods in the parallel processing portion, and combining together, in an order of the two or more consecutive subperiods, program elements of the plurality of program elements for element actions of the plurality of element actions assigned to the two or more consecutive subperiods in the parallel processing portion.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing 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 a degree of freedom of the corresponding actuator by a specified displacement, each of the plurality of element actions being assigned to a corresponding 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 to the plurality of program elements, and by combining together the plurality of program elements in an order of the plurality of subperiods,
• wherein the action chart to be read includes a parallel processing portion including a set of two or more consecutive subperiods of the plurality of subperiods,
• the parallel processing portion includes a plurality of parallel subperiods into which the parallel processing portion is divided, and the plurality of parallel subperiods are parallel to the two or more consecutive subperiods,
• each of the plurality of parallel subperiods in the parallel processing portion is assigned with an element action of the plurality of element actions corresponding to a selected actuator of the plurality of actuators,
• each of the two or more consecutive subperiods in the parallel processing portion is assigned with an element action of the plurality of element actions corresponding to an actuator of the plurality of actuators other than the selected actuator, and
• the generating the control program includes generating the control program by combining together, in an order of the plurality of parallel subperiods, program elements of the plurality of program elements for element actions of the plurality of element actions assigned to the plurality of parallel subperiods in the parallel processing portion, and combining together, in an order of the two or more consecutive subperiods, program elements of the plurality of program elements for element actions of the plurality of element actions assigned to the two or more consecutive subperiods in the parallel processing portion.