Patent Publication Number: US-2018046963-A1

Title: Process planning support apparatus, process planning support method, and computer-readable recording medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TD RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-159017, filed on Aug. 12, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The embodiment discussed herein is related to a process planning support apparatus, a process planning support method, and a computer-readable recording medium. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventionally, process planning to allocate works to work stations, respectively, in an assembly line for performing assembly of products is created by a designer while evaluating the work time or cost in each of the work stations. For creation of the process planning, a process planning support apparatus that generates an order in which the cost calculated by a simulator verifying an assembly work is the lowest, and that divides processes to equalize costs of the processes, thereby designing process planning is known. 
     However, in the case of process planning for an assembly line in which humans and robots are mixed in work stations, creation of the process planning may include many man-hours and is not easy even if the process planning is created by a professional designer. 
     For example, the work time may greatly vary depending on a work subject such as a robot and a human even when contents of a work are the same. Considering a work of assembling components as an example, the work time can be estimated from the time of each of elements such as grasp, carry, paste, and press when the work subject is a human. However, when the work subject is a robot, fine movements such as approach, hold, and lift need to be considered as for the element of grasp, for example, and settings on these fine movements are handled manually by the designer. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of an embodiment, a process planning support apparatus includes a processor that executes a process including: setting allocation of works with respect to each of work stations in an assembly line; first calculating work times corresponding to work subjects of the work stations based on library data of each of unit works, in which each unit work is expressed by a combination of element works each having motions as constituent elements, for the works allocated to the work stations, respectively; second calculating evaluation indexes of the work stations based on the calculated work times, respectively; and outputting the calculated evaluation indexes. 
     The object and advantages ox the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     It is to foe understood that, both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of a process planning support apparatus according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an explanatory diagram for explaining an assembly line; 
         FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram for explaining outputting of an evaluation result; 
         FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram for explaining an assembly-work module library; 
         FIG. 5  is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration example of an assembly work module; 
         FIG. 6  is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of an assembly work; 
         FIG. 7  is an explanatory diagram for explaining order restrictions on an assembly work; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the process planning support apparatus according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of calculating a work time; and 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the process planning support apparatus according to the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to accompanying drawings. In the embodiments, constituent elements having the same functions are denoted by like reference signs and redundant explanations thereof will be omitted. The process planning support apparatus, the process planning support method, and the process planning support program described in the following embodiments are only examples and the embodiments are not limited thereto. Each of the embodiments described below may be combined appropriately within a scope in which no contradiction occurs. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram, illustrating a functional configuration example of a process planning support apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a process planning support apparatus  1  is an information processor such as a PC (Personal Computer) and has a storage unit  10 , a work modeling unit  11 , a process/work-order setting unit  12 , a work-order-restriction determination unit  13 , a work-time calculation unit  14 , an evaluation-value calculation unit  15 , and an evaluation-result output unit  16 . 
     The process planning support apparatus  1  receives process planning in which works of assembling products are allocated to work stations (processes), respectively, in an assembly line for performing assembly of products according to an operation of a user  2 . The process planning support apparatus  1  then calculates an evaluation result  3  of the process planning received from the user  2  and displays the evaluation result  3  on a display or the like to output the evaluation result  3  of the process planning to the user  2 . The user  2  creates actual process planning based on the evaluation result  3 . 
       FIG. 2  is an explanatory diagram for explaining an assembly line. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , an assembly line  20  for performing assembly of products has four processes at work stations A to D as an example of the present embodiment. 
     In the assembly line  20 , products are carried to the next work station by a conveyor belt (not illustrated) or the like according to a takt time (a time limit) defined from production planning. A robot  21 A and workers  21 B to  21 D are placed at the work stations A to D in the assembly line  20 . In the illustrated example, the robot  21 A is placed at the work station A, and the workers  21 B to  21 D are placed at the work stations B to D, respectively, 
     Works based on the process planning are allocated to the work stations A to D in the assembly line  20 . The robot  21 A and the workers  21 B to  21 D placed at the work stations A to D, respectively, perform the works allocated according to the process planning to the products carried in the assembly line  20  to produce the products. 
     The configuration example of the assembly line  20  is not limited to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 . For example, the assembly line  20  can have more than four processes (work stations). The placement position of the robot  21 A can be other than the work station A and the robot  21 A can be provided in plural. 
       FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram for explaining outputting of the evaluation result  3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the process planning support apparatus  1  calculates work times of respective works (a to h in the illustrated example) allocated to the work stations (A to E in the illustrated example) based an the process planning received from the user  2 . The calculated work times are saved in a work time table  2   a  indicating the work times of the respective works at the respective work stations. 
     The process planning support apparatus  1  outputs the evaluation result  3 , which is an evaluation index calculated for each of the work stations based on the work time table  2   a . Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the evaluation result  3  can be a graph of a takt time T 1  and the total work time (a cycle time) being the sum of work times T 2  at each of the work stations in the work time table  2   a.    
     Alternatively, the evaluation result  3  can be a graph of a running cost obtained by multiplying the cycle time at each of the work stations in the work time table  2   a  by a cost coefficient. The user  2  can know an evaluation of the process planning input and set in the process planning support apparatus  1  based on the graph of the evaluation result  3  indicating the evaluation indexes of the respective work stations, and can refer to the graph when creating actual process planning. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1  , the storage unit  10  is a storage device such as a hard disk device  109  (see  FIG. 10 ) and stores therein an assembly-work module library  10   a , equipment/jig information  10   b , and a standard time database (hereinafter, DB)  10   c.    
     The assembly-work module library  10   a  is library data of each of unit works, in which each unit work is expressed as a module by combining element works each including motions as constituent elements for each of works as targets to be allocated to the work stations A to D, respectively. 
     An element work is a work in a minimum unit that provides a state change to a component, a tool, equipment, or the like by a series of motions being the constituent elements. A unit work is a work in one unit that provides a change for approaching to a completed state to a product. 
       FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram for explaining the assembly-work module library  10   a . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the assembly-work module library  10  a has a data configuration in which a unit work  30   a , an each-work-subject-directed unit work  30   b , an element work  31 , and a motion  32  layered in this order. 
     The unit work  30   a  has information about a work in one unit, such as an identifier, a name, a classification, a remark, a component, an attachment-destination component, an automation difficulty level, a work subject, and a truth value as to whether a work is an additional work. 
     The identifier in the unit work  30   a  is identification information that identifies a work. The name and the classification are information indicating the name and the classification of a work. The remark is a remark column for a work and includes, for example, restriction information such as an execution order of the work. The component and the attachment-destination component are information indicating components related to a work. 
     The automation difficulty level indicates the difficulty level in a case where a work is performed by the robot  21 A. For example, when a work is performed by the robot  21 A, the cost of the work can be obtained based on the automation difficulty level. For example, when the difficulty level of a work performed by the robot  21 A is high, the initial cost of the robot  21 A becomes high and thus the cost may be calculated to be high according to the height of the difficulty level. 
     The work subject is information indicating a subject (a robot or a worker) that performs a work. The truth value as to whether a work is an additional work is information (a flag) indicating whether the work is an additional work. 
     The each-work-subject-directed unit work  30   b  is information indicating a unit work directed to each work subject in the unit work  30   a  and has information such as a work subject, a tool, a jig, and an equipment/peripheral device. The work subject indicates a subject that performs a work. The tool, the jig, and the equipment/peripheral device indicate a tool, a jig, and an equipment/peripheral device used by a work subject for the relevant work. The unit work  30   a  and the each-work-subject-directed unit work  30   b  are also referred to as “unit work  30 ” when these are not particularly distinguished. 
     The element work  31  is information of an element work that is linked to the unit work  30  and is combined with the unit work  30  using an identifier or the like. The element work  31  has information such as an identifier, a name, a classification, a workpiece component, a tool, a jig, equipment, a work time, and a remark. 
     The identifier in the element work  31  is identification information that identifies an element work. The name and the classification are information indicating the name and the classification of an element work. The workpiece component, the tool, the jig, and the equipment are information indicating a workpiece component, a tool, a jig, and equipment related to an element work. The work time is information indicating an estimated work time of an element work. The remark is a remark column for an element work. 
     The motion  32  is information of motions that are linked to the element work  31  using identifiers or the like and that become constituent elements (also “motion elements”) of the element work  31 . 
       FIG. 5  is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration example of an assembly work module. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , an assembly work module in one assembly work (“pasting work” in an illustrated example) of the assembly-work module library  10   a  includes a unit work, element works, and motions with respect to each of work subjects (a human or a robot), which are combined in a layered manner (four layers in the illustrated example). 
     Specifically, a unit work  30  a being “pasting work” has the work-subject-directed unit work  30   b  corresponding to a human or a robot. For example, in the case of a human, the work-subject-directed unit work  30   b  has element works  31  including “pick”, “carry”, “paste”, and “press”. In the case of a robot, the work-subject-directed unit work  30   b  has element works  31  including “image and recognize”, “pick”, “carry”, “paste”, and “press”. The element works  31  of the robot have motions  32  of the robot for each of the element works, including “wait”, “move arm”, and “grasp”. 
       FIG. 6  is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of an assembly work. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the assembly work such as “fit a component X to a component Y” can be expressed by arranging element works  31  and motions  32  to modularize one unit work  30 . The entire work in process planning can be expressed by arranging modularized unit works  30 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the equipment/jig information  10   b  is information about equipment or a jig to be used in each work. Specifically, a parameter on a work time taken by equipment or a jig in an additional work is set for each piece of equipment or a jig in the equipment/jig information  10   b . The standard time DB  10   c  is a database in which a standard time of each motion in a human or a robot is previously defined. A value previously calculated according to a method such as a PTS (Predetermined Time Standard) method or a MOST (Maynard Operation Sequence Technique) method is set as the standard time. 
     The work modeling unit  11  refers to the assembly-work module library  10   a  with respect to each of works (unit works  30 ) included in the process planning received according to the operation of the user  2  and modularizes works to generate a model (a module) of each of the unit works  30 . The work modeling unit  11  outputs the generated models to the process/work-order setting unit  12 . 
     The process/work-order setting unit  12  sets allocation of works to the respective work stations A to D (processes) in the assembly line  20  based on the process planning received, according to the operation of the user  2 . Specifically, the process/work-order setting unit  12  arranges the models of the respective unit works  30  generated by the work modeling unit  11  in a set work order to express the entire work in the process planning. 
     The work-order-restriction determination unit  13  checks (determines) whether the work order allocated by the process/work-order setting unit  12  meets restrictions on an execution order of the unit works  30  based on restriction information indicating an execution order of the respective unit works  30  in the assembly-work module library  10   a . The work-order-restriction determination unit  13  outputs a result of the check to the process/work-order setting unit  12 . When the order of the works in the process planning received according to the operation of the user  2  does not meet the restrictions, the process/work-order setting unit  12  outputs a warning to the user  2 . This enables the user  2  to confirm that the order of the works in the process planning does not meet the restrictions previously set. 
       FIG. 7  is an explanatory diagram for explaining order restrictions on an assembly work. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an order of a product assembly work is expressed by a directed acyclic graph that has respective works leading to work completion (root) as nodes  40  and in which the nodes  40  are connected from a work to be completed first to works to be completed later. 
     The work-order-restriction determination unit  13  checks whether the order of the works in the received process planning meets the restrictions on the execution order using the directed acyclic graph, 
     Specifically, the work-order-restriction determination unit  13  searches for groups (immediately below the root) that have no parent group as for the order of the works in the received process planning. Next, the work-order-restriction determination unit  13  selects one group from the search result and searches for a child to recursively assign a number thereto. A number #i−(j+1) is assigned to a child based on a number (#i−j) of the parent group. 
     In a branch portion  41  having a plurality of child groups, a SubAssy number k instead of “i” is newly acquired for the second and subsequent child groups, so that #k−0 is assigned to the corresponding parent and #k−1 is assigned to the child. In a confluence portion  42  having a plurality of parents, a plurality of numbers are assigned. When a parent group having plural numbers have one child group, one of the numbers of the parent group, being lower (smaller) in the SubAssy number is assigned to the child group. 
     The work-order-restriction determination unit  13  performs following checks (1) to (3) to all the works to determine whether the execution order meets the order restrictions. 
     (1) A node of a group to which a target work belongs is selected. 
     (2) A child group is selected on the graph. 
     (3) Whether all works included in the group selected in (2) have been performed earlier in the work order assigned with numbers (whether the works meet the restriction information) is confirmed. 
     The work-time calculation unit  14  calculates, for each of works set by the process/work-order setting unit  12  and allocated, to each of the work stations A to D, a work time corresponding to a work subject at the relevant work station, while referring to data modeled (modularized) in the assembly-work module library  10   a.    
     The evaluation-value calculation unit  15  calculates an evaluation index of each of the work stations A to D based on the work times calculated by the work-time calculation unit  14 . Specifically, the evaluation-value calculation unit  15  calculates the sum of work times of works allocated to the work stations A to D, respectively, to calculate a cycle time of each of the work stations A to D as the evaluation index. Furthermore, the evaluation-value calculation unit  15  multiplies the cycle time of each of the work stations A to D by a predetermined cost coefficient to calculate a cost corresponding to the cycle time of each of the work stations A to D as the evaluation index. 
     The evaluation-result output unit  16  outputs the evaluation index of each of the work stations A to D, calculated by the evaluation-value calculation unit  15 , as the evaluation result  3  through file outputting or display outputting to a display. 
     An operation of the process planning support apparatus  1 , specifically, calculation of the work time in the work-time calculation unit  14  is described detail next.  FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the process planning support apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment. In  FIG. 8 , an operation example of the work-time calculation unit  14  after allocation of works to: the work stations A to D (processes) in the assembly line  20  is set and the models of the respective unit works  30  are arranged in the set work order by the process/work-order setting unit  12  is illustrated. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8  , when processing is started, the work-time calculation unit  14  performs addition of an additional work and calculation of the work time of the additional work (Step S 1  to Step S 3 ), calculation of the work time of a subject work (Step S 4 ), and calculation of a tool switching time (Step S 5  and Step S 6 ) with respect to each of the work stations A to D. The work-time calculation unit  14  calculates a cycle time from the sum of the times of the subject work, the additional work, and the tool switching (Step S 7 ). 
     Specifically, at Step S 1 , the work-time calculation unit  14  additionally allocates an additional work of setting/resetting a component to the worker ( 21 B) adjacent to the work station A of the robot  21 A (Step S 1 ). For example, with respect to a work in which an additional work truth value is true among works allocated to the work station A of the robot  21 A, the work-time calculation unit  14  allocates the additional work of setting/resetting to the adjacent worker. 
     Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  additionally allocates an additional work of loading/unloading a component to the work station A of the robot  21 A (Step S 2 ). For example, with respect to a work in which the additional work truth value is true among the works allocated to the work station A of the robot  21 A, the work-time calculation unit  14  additionally allocates the additional work of loading/unloading. 
     Subsequently, the work-time calculation unit  14  refers to parameters previously set in the equipment/jig information  10   b  and calculates the times taken for the additional works (setting/resetting and loading/unloading of a component) (Step S 3 ). 
     Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  refers to data modeled (modularized) from the assembly-work module library  10   a  and calculates the work time of the subject work with respect to each of the work stations A to D (Step S 4 ). 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of calculating a work time. More specifically,  FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating the processing of calculating the work time at Step S 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , when the processing is started, the work-time calculation unit  14  acquire data (modularized data) indicating contents of the assembly work allocated to the work stations A to D, respectively (Step S 10 ). Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  loads the acquired data of the assembly work, that is, loads the acquired data to data in the respective unit works  30  (Step S 11 ). 
     Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  determines the work subject of the loaded assembly work (Step S 12 ). Specifically, as for a work allocated to the work station A of the robot  21 A, the work-time calculation unit  14  determines the work subject to be “robot”. As for works allocated to the work stations B to D of the workers  21 B to  21 D, the work-time calculation unit  14  determines the work subject to be “human”. 
     When the work subject is determined to be “human” at Step S 12 , the work-time calculation unit  14  acquires the work time of each motion by referring to the standard time DB  10   c  based on motion contents (“grasp”, “carry”, “paste”, and “press”, for example) of humans in the modules of the assembly work (see  FIG. 5 ) (Step S 13 ). 
     When the work subject is determined to be “robot” at Step S 12 , the work-time calculation unit  14  calculates the time taken fox each motion using, information (such, as “approach”, “hold”, . . . ) of sub modules of a motion level of the robot in the modules of the assembly work (see  FIG. 5 ) (Step S 14 ). 
     Specifically, the work-time calculation unit  14  calculates the time taken for each motion of the robot by a combination of each of the motions (“approach”, “hold”, . . . ) in the information of the sub modules of the motion level and a waiting time. Furthermore, each motion is assumed to have an operating speed (s) expressed by percentage as a parameter. The work-time calculation unit  14  obtains a time (Tact, A) taken for a motion (A) of the robot by the following calculating expression (1). 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     In this expression, c is a conversion factor [sec/step] depending on equipment N above  is the number of motion steps in the motion (A). T sleep  is a waiting time [sec]. 
     After Step S 13  or Step S 14 , the work-time calculation unit  14  calculates the sum of work times of respective motions taken for the assembly work (Step S 15 ). Specifically, the work-time calculation unit  14  obtains the sum of work times of respective motions taken for a work (X) by the following expression (2). 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  outputs the calculated work time of each work as the work time table  2   a  or the like to the evaluation-value calculation unit  15  (Step S 16 ) to end the processing. 
     Subsequent to the processing of calculating the work time of the subject work (Step S 4 ), the work-time calculation unit  14  sequentially checks the works (modules) of the respective work stations and detects the number of times of switching of tools or components (Step S 5 ). Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  calculates the time taken for the switching with respect to each of the work stations based on the detected number of times of switching (Step S 6 ). 
     Subsequently, the work-time calculation unit  14  calculates the sum of work times of the subject work, the additional work, and the tool switching to calculate the cycle time with respect to each of the work stations (Step S 7 ). Next, the work-time calculation unit  14  outputs the calculated cycle time to the evaluation-value calculation unit  15  to end the processing. 
     As described above, the process planning support apparatus  1  has the process/work-order setting unit  12  that sets allocation of works to the work stations A to D in the assembly line  20 . The process planning support apparatus  1  also has the work-time calculation unit  14  that calculates, for the work allocated to each of the work stations A to D, the work time corresponding to the relevant work subject based on the assembly-work module library  10  a with respect to each of unit works, in which each unit work is expressed by a combination of element works each including motions as constituent elements. The process planning support apparatus  1  further has the evaluation-value calculation unit  15  that calculates the evaluation index (the cycle time or the cost, for example) with respect to each of the work stations A to D based on the work time calculated by the work-time calculation unit  14 . The process planning support apparatus  1  has the evaluation-result output unit  16  that outputs the evaluation index calculated by the evaluation-value calculation unit  15  to a display or the like to present the evaluation index to the user  2 . 
     The process planning support apparatus  1  can perform a design support in a case where the user  2  designs process planning by presenting the evaluation index calculated with respect to each of the work stations A to D to the user  2 . Specifically, the user  2  can easily confirm the evaluation indexes of the respective work stations A to D, which greatly differ according to the work subjects (a robot or a worker, for example) in the work stations A to D without performing setting of a fine movement in a case where the work subject is a robot. 
     Furthermore, because the work-time calculation unit  14  adds the work time taken for the additional work according to the work subject, the process planning support apparatus  1  can present the evaluation index to which the additional work is also considered according to the work subject to the user  2 . 
     The process planning support apparatus  1  also has the work-order-restriction determination unit  13  that checks the execution order of allocated works based on the restriction information on the execution order of the works. Therefore, work allocation according to the execution order can be set to the respective work stations. 
     The respective constituent elements of each of the illustrated devices do not always need to be physically configured as illustrated. That is, specific modes of distribution or integration of the devices are not limited to those illustrated, and all or some of the devices can be configured to be functionally or physically distributed or integrated in an arbitrary unit according to various loads or use statuses. 
     All or an arbitrary part of various processing functions performed in the process planning support apparatus  1  can be performed on a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (or a microcomputer such as an MPU (Micro Processor Unit) or an MCU (Micro Controller Unit)). It is needless to mention that all or an arbitrary part of the various processing functions can be performed on a program that is analyzed and executed by a CPU (or a microcomputer such as an MPU or an MCU) or on hardware using wired logic. The various processing functions performed in the process planning support apparatus  1  can be performed in corporation of a plurality of computers through cloud computing. 
     The various types of processing described in the above embodiment can be realized by executing a program prepared in advance on a computer. An example of a computer (hardware) that executes a program having identical functions to those in the above embodiment is described below.  FIG. 10  is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the process planning support apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the process planning support apparatus  1  has a CPU  101  that performs various types of computing processing, an input device  102  that receives a data input, a monitor  103 , and a speaker  104 . The process planning support apparatus  1  also has a medium reading device  105  that reads a program and the like from a storage medium, an interface device  106  for connecting to various devices, and a communication device  107  for communicating with and connecting to an external device wiredly or wirelessly. The process planning support apparatus  1  further has a RAM  108  that temporarily stores therein various types of information, and the hard disk device  109 . The respective components ( 101  to  109 ) in the process planning support apparatus  1  are connected to a bus  110 . 
     A program  111  for performing various types of processing in the work modeling unit  11 , the process/work-order setting unit  12 , the work-order-restriction determination unit  13 , the work-time calculation unit  14 , the evaluation-value calculation unit  15 , and the evaluation-result output unit  16  described in the above embodiment is stored in the hard disk device  109 . Various data  112  (such as the assembly-work module library  10   a , the equipment/jig information  10   b , and the standard time DB  10   c ) that is referred to by the program  111  is also stored in the hard disk device  109 . The input device  102  receives an input of operation information from an operator of the process planning support apparatus  1 , for example. The monitor  103  displays various screens to be operated by the operator, for example. For example, a printing device is connected to the interface device  106 . The communication device  107  is connected to a communication network such as a LM (Local Area Network) and exchanges various types of information with an external device via the communication network. 
     The CPU  101  reads the program  111  stored in the hard disk device  109  and loads the program  111  on the RAM  108  to execute the program  111 , thereby performing various types of processing. The program  111  does not always need to be stored in the hard disk device  109 . For example, the process planning support apparatus  1  can read the program  111  stored in a readable storage medium and execute the read program  111 . A storage medium readable by the process planning support apparatus  1  corresponds to a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, and a hard disk drive, for example. The program  111  can be stored in a device connected to a public circuit, the Internet, a LAN, or the like and the process planning support apparatus  1  can read the program  111  therefrom to execute the read program  111 . 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily create process planning for an assembly line. 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to further the art, and are not to be construed as limitations to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.