A calculation amount and calculation time for a substrate conveyance schedule are reduced. A scheduler is provided which is incorporated in a control section of a substrate processing apparatus including a plurality of substrate processing sections that process a substrate, a conveyance section that conveys the substrate, and the control section that controls the conveyance section and the substrate processing sections, and calculates a substrate conveyance schedule. The scheduler includes: a modeling section that models processing conditions, processing time and constraints of the substrate processing apparatus into nodes and edges using a graph network theory, prepares a graph network, and calculates a longest route length to each node; and a calculation section that calculates the substrate conveyance schedule based on the longest route length.

A method for implementing machining operations for a workpiece. Pre-existing hole locations for temporary fasteners in the workpiece requiring a clamp-up force for performing the machining operations to form holes in the workpiece is identified. A set of the pre-existing hole locations is determined from the pre-existing hole locations that results in an optimal path for performing the machining operations on the workpiece taking into account clamp-up force specifications for the workpiece. The optimal path has a near-minimum distance. An ordered sequence for performing the machining operations to form the holes at hole locations is determined that has the optimal path. Robotic control files that causes robotic devices to perform the machining operations using the optimal path is created. The robotic devices are operated using the robotic control files to form the holes in the ordered sequence using the optimal path that takes into account the clamp-up force specifications.

A calculation amount and calculation time for a substrate conveyance schedule are reduced. A scheduler is provided which is incorporated in a control section of a substrate processing apparatus including a plurality of substrate processing sections that process a substrate, a conveyance section that conveys the substrate, and the control section that controls the conveyance section and the substrate processing sections, and calculates a substrate conveyance schedule. The scheduler includes: a modeling section that models processing conditions, processing time and constraints of the substrate processing apparatus into nodes and edges using a graph network theory, prepares a graph network, and calculates a longest route length to each node; and a calculation section that calculates the substrate conveyance schedule based on the longest route length.

A method for implementing machining operations for a workpiece. Pre-existing hole locations for temporary fasteners in the workpiece requiring a clamp-up force for performing the machining operations to form holes in the workpiece is identified. A set of the pre-existing hole locations is determined from the pre-existing hole locations that results in an optimal path for performing the machining operations on the workpiece taking into account clamp-up force specifications for the workpiece. The optimal path has a near-minimum distance. An ordered sequence for performing the machining operations to form the holes at hole locations is determined that has the optimal path. Robotic control files that causes robotic devices to perform the machining operations using the optimal path is created. The robotic devices are operated using the robotic control files to form the holes in the ordered sequence using the optimal path that takes into account the clamp-up force specifications.

The present invention increases the productivity of an entire factory, even of the type that produces different types of products in different quantities using transport vehicles, by performing transport operation control. This transport operation control device is provided with: a spatial distribution measuring unit which measures the spatial distribution of products-in-process being transported by the transport vehicles; and an operation schedule calculation unit which, on the basis of the measured spatial distribution of the group of partly-finished products, calculates an operation schedule that specifies both a route and a frequency of a transport operation to be carried out by each transport vehicle of the transport vehicles, wherein the operation schedule calculation unit determines the timing with which to update the operation schedule, on the basis of changes in a productivity index that is determined from the measured spatial distribution of the products-in-process.

In an electromagnetic transport system, a transport route is divided into transport sections, each including at least one transport segment. A section control unit is assigned to each transport section, and a segment controller is assigned to each transport segment. A logistics unit, specifies a destination of the transport units to section control units via the logistics network. Section control units are connected to segment controllers of associated transport segments via a segment network and are designed to: determine a track section for the associated transport section from the destination, determine target values using the track section and transmit the target values to the segment controllers via the segment network. Segment controllers supply current to drive coils using target values and occurring actual values to generate a magnetic field which interacts with drive magnets of the transport units to move the transport units.

Various embodiments are directed to operator workstations that improve efficiency of handling operations at an object handling environment. In one aspect, an operator workstation for handling a plurality of objects is provided. The operator workstation includes a workbench platform having a configurable number of sub-platforms upon which objects can be disposed. The operator workstation further includes a plurality of sensors configured to collect sensor data for detection of object presences and object states of objects disposed upon the workbench platform. The operator workstation further includes a plurality of equipment configured to control movement of objects disposed upon the workbench platform. In various embodiments, different subsets of the sensors and equipment are configured for network communication via different network services provided by a wireless network. For instance, network communication may be provided to different sensors and equipment via different network slices of a 5.sup.th generation new radio (5G) cellular network.