Control program development support apparatus

A control program development support apparatus comprising:

• a control program execution unit for executing a control program, which controls an operation of a servo mechanism, to calculate and output a controlled variable for said servo mechanism in a predetermined control cycle;
• a simulation unit, in which said servo mechanism is configured as a virtual model, for simulating, in a predetermined simulation cycle which is set shorter than said predetermined control cycle, an operation of said servo mechanism for a time corresponding to said predetermined control cycle, while dynamically analyzing the operation of said servo mechanism by using said model, to calculate and output a state variable of said servo mechanism;
• a holding unit, arranged between said control program execution unit and said simulation unit, for temporarily holding said controlled variable from said control program execution unit to transfer said controlled variable to said simulation unit, whereas temporarily holding said state variable from said simulation unit to transfer said state variable to said control program executing unit;
• and
• a simulation control unit for making said simulation unit shift to a state of waiting for a response from said control program execution unit and making said control program execution unit initiate an operation of calculating a controlled variable according to said state variable when said state variable from said simulation unit is held in said holding unit, whereas making said control program execution unit shift to a state of waiting for a response from said simulation unit and making said simulation unit initiate a simulating operation according to said controlled variable when said controlled variable from said control program execution unit is held in said holding unit.