Workpiece circulation control method, circulation control device, medium and program product

Abstract

The invention discloses a workpiece circulation control method, circulation control equipment, a storage medium and a computer program product, and relates to the technical field of assembly lines. The workpiece circulation control method is applied to a circulation controller of a front-side parallel station and comprises the following steps: monitoring material demand counting data of a rear-side parallel station; wherein under the condition that the rear side parallel station meets the material requirement condition, the material requirement counting data are updated; and under the condition that the required material counting data are changed, releasing the unprocessed workpieces. The invention provides a workpiece on-demand distribution strategy so as to realize high-efficiency circulation of the carrier as much as possible and improve the production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of production line technology, and in particular to workpiece flow control methods, flow control equipment, media, and program products. Background Technology

[0002] During product manufacturing, due to equipment cycle time and space requirements, some parallel workstations utilize single-track assembly lines. On the single-track assembly line, both processed and unprocessed workpieces from the parallel workstations flow along the same single-track conveyor belt.

[0003] In related technologies, single-track parallel workstations adopt a workpiece average distribution strategy. However, when this strategy is used, workpiece flow congestion will occur when some workstations experience abnormalities, meaning that reliability needs to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this application is to provide a workpiece flow control method, flow control equipment, medium, and program product, which aims to solve the technical problem that the reliability of workpiece allocation strategy in single-track production lines needs to be improved.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a workpiece flow control method, applied to the flow controller of a front parallel station. The workpiece flow control method includes: Monitor the material demand count data of the parallel workstations behind; wherein, the parallel workstations behind update the material demand count data when the material demand conditions are met; If the material count data changes, release the unprocessed workpiece.

[0006] In one embodiment, releasing an unprocessed workpiece when the required material count data changes includes: Compare the material demand count data with the locally stored material release count data; If the required material count is greater than the unloaded material count, release the unprocessed workpiece and update the unloaded material count.

[0007] In one embodiment, releasing an unprocessed workpiece when the required material count is greater than the local material release count includes: If the required material count is greater than the unloaded material count, and the difference does not exceed a preset threshold, the unprocessed workpiece is released.

[0008] In one embodiment, the method further includes: If the material count data of the parallel station behind is detected to be zero, the material discharge count data is cleared.

[0009] Furthermore, this application also provides a workpiece flow control method, applied to a flow controller of a rear parallel station, the workpiece flow control method including: If the material demand conditions are met, update the material demand count data so that if the front parallel station detects a change in the material demand count data, it controls the front parallel station to release the unprocessed workpiece.

[0010] In one embodiment, when the material demand conditions are met, the material demand count data is updated so that if the preceding parallel station detects a change in the material demand count data, and then controls the preceding parallel station to release the unprocessed workpiece, the method further includes: If the workpiece is not in place, return to update the material count data.

[0011] In one embodiment, after returning to update the required material count data if the workpiece is not in place, the method further includes: If the number of updates to the material count data exceeds a preset threshold and the workpiece has not arrived, a workpiece flow failure alarm will be triggered.

[0012] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a workpiece flow control device, the device including: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the workpiece flow control method as described above.

[0013] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a storage medium, which is a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the workpiece flow control method described above.

[0014] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the workpiece flow control method described above.

[0015] One or more technical solutions proposed in this application have at least the following technical effects: Compared to the average allocation strategy used in parallel workstations in related technologies, this application updates the material demand count data at the rear parallel workstation when the material demand conditions are met, and releases unprocessed workpieces when the front parallel workstation detects changes in the material demand count data of the rear parallel workstation. Therefore, this application provides a workpiece allocation strategy on demand to maximize the efficient flow of the carrier and improve production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the workpiece flow control method of this application. Figure 2 This is a detailed step diagram of step S20 in Embodiment 1 of the workpiece flow control method of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of another embodiment of the workpiece flow control method of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of station A and station B in a specific example; Figure 5 This is a simplified flowchart illustrating an example of the workpiece flow control method of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of the hardware operating environment involved in the flow control method in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0020] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0021] To better understand the technical solution of this application, a detailed description will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0022] During product manufacturing, due to equipment cycle time requirements, some workstations are designed in parallel. Parallel workstations are generally designed as dual-track systems, i.e., two conveyor belts, one for transferring unprocessed fixtures and the other for transferring processed fixtures. However, due to space constraints, some parallel workstations are designed as single-track systems, i.e., one conveyor belt. In this case, both processed and unprocessed tooling will be on the same conveyor belt, requiring a solution to the allocation logic.

[0023] Therefore, this application provides a solution, namely, a workpiece on-demand allocation strategy, to maximize the efficient flow of carriers and improve production efficiency. The technical solution of this application and how it solves the above-mentioned technical problems will be described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Before providing a further detailed description of the embodiments of this application, the nouns and terms used in the embodiments of this application will be explained. The nouns and terms used in the embodiments of this application shall be interpreted as follows: Parallel workstations: These increase the number of workstations performing the same process to balance production cycle time, thereby improving the efficiency of the entire production line. For example, after one process (such as process A) is completed, the workpiece can be assigned to any idle workstation in a parallel process (such as B1 or B2) for further processing. This allows time-consuming processes to handle multiple workpieces simultaneously, significantly increasing overall processing capacity (i.e., production capacity).

[0025] Ethernet / IP is an industrial communication protocol based on standard Ethernet technology and the TCP / IP protocol suite. The "IP" in its name stands for Industrial Protocol. Managed by the ODVA organization, it uses the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) as its application layer specification, enabling seamless integration from controllers (such as PLCs) and I / O modules to enterprise-level systems in industrial automation systems. In terms of technical architecture, Ethernet / IP fully utilizes the physical layer, data link layer (such as MAC and PHY), and network and transport layers of commercial Ethernet, including IP, TCP, and UDP protocols. Its core lies in the application layer implementation of the CIP protocol, which defines the device's data objects, services, and a unified communication path. Ethernet / IP supports two key communication modes to adapt to different industrial application needs: explicit messages and implicit messages. Explicit messages are typically used for data exchange with low real-time requirements, such as device configuration and parameter settings, based on reliable TCP connections; while implicit messages are used to transmit time-sensitive I / O data and control information, employing the efficient UDP protocol to meet real-time requirements.

[0026] To better understand the solution provided in the embodiments of this application, the solution will be described below in conjunction with a specific application scenario.

[0027] The main water hose and the return water hose are equipped with station A and station B on the side. The two stations are parallel and are used to retrieve the caps of the carriers flowing on the return water hose.

[0028] It is understood that the above is only one example, and this embodiment is not limited here.

[0029] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a workpiece flow control method, referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the workpiece flow control method of this application.

[0030] In this embodiment, the workpiece flow control method includes steps S10~S20: Step S10: If the material demand conditions are met, the parallel workstations behind update the material demand count data.

[0031] Step S20: The front parallel station monitors the material count data of the rear parallel station. If the material count data changes, the unprocessed workpiece is released.

[0032] It should be noted that the executing entity in this embodiment can be a computing service device with data processing, network communication, and program execution functions, such as a tablet computer, personal computer, or mobile phone, or an electronic device or flow control device capable of performing the above functions. The following description uses a flow control device as an example to illustrate this embodiment and the subsequent embodiments. Both the front parallel workstation and the rear parallel workstation are equipped with flow control devices.

[0033] The front parallel workstation is the parallel workstation located upstream in the flow direction. Correspondingly, the rear parallel workstation is the parallel workstation located downstream in the flow direction. The flow control equipment of the front parallel workstation and the flow control equipment of the rear parallel workstation communicate with each other via Ethernet / IP.

[0034] When the material demand conditions are met at the rear parallel station, the material demand count data can be updated. These conditions can be that the rear parallel station is ready to perform the corresponding operation. Alternatively, to improve throughput efficiency, the material demand can be triggered when the rear parallel station completes or is close to completing the corresponding operation on the current workpiece; in this case, the rear parallel station will be ready when the workpiece is in place.

[0035] Material demand count data can be a status bit. If material is demanded, the material demand count data is set; if material is not demanded, the material demand count data is reset. The preceding parallel station monitors the status bit's state to accurately indicate to the preceding parallel station whether material is demanded.

[0036] Alternatively, the flow control equipment at the rear parallel station can be equipped with a material demand counter. Updating the material demand count involves incrementing the counter by 1. Thus, when the front parallel station detects the material demand counter has increased by 1, it can release the unprocessed workpieces from the conveyor belt, allowing them to flow to the rear parallel station. Understandably, before release, the unprocessed workpieces remain at the front parallel station, awaiting processing. Here, unprocessed workpieces are those that have not yet been processed by either the front or rear parallel stations. Understandably, if there is a possibility of workpieces becoming stuck at the front parallel station, one or more unprocessed workpieces can be released to the rear parallel station.

[0037] Furthermore, monitoring only the material counter is susceptible to unpredictable factors, such as network latency and jitter, or scheduling failures caused by operating system scheduling issues. Therefore, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 2 In one specific embodiment, step S20 specifically includes steps S21 to S22: Step S21: The front parallel station compares the required material count data with the locally stored material discharge count data.

[0038] Step S22: If the required material count data is greater than the unloaded material count data, the front parallel station releases the unprocessed workpiece and updates the unloaded material count data.

[0039] The flow controller at the front parallel station is equipped with a material release counter. The material release counter is configured to increment by 1 each time an unprocessed workpiece is released. If the current value of the demand counter is greater than the current value of the material release counter, the front parallel station releases the unprocessed workpiece. However, the number of workpieces required by the rear parallel station is not limited to one, so the difference between the demand counter and the material release counter is not limited to 1. That is, the difference between the two may be greater than 1.

[0040] Of course, to avoid stalling, it is necessary to design a threshold. Therefore, in one specific embodiment, when the flow control device of the front parallel station executes step S22, it specifically releases the unprocessed workpiece when the required material count data is greater than the unloaded material count data and the difference does not exceed a preset threshold.

[0041] The preset threshold is greater than 1; for example, it could be 2. Additionally, the preset threshold can prevent congestion caused by repeated material requests from downstream parallel workstations.

[0042] Of course, the preset threshold can also provide timely feedback if the workpiece is not in place. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 In one specific embodiment, the method further includes step S30: In step S30, if the workpiece is not in place, the parallel station behind returns to update the material count data.

[0043] After the rear parallel station requests material, if the material release counter increments by 1 and equals the material request counter, it checks if the workpiece is in place. If the workpiece is in place, the rear parallel station executes the process action. If the workpiece is not in place, the material request action continues, i.e., the material request counter increments by 1 again. At this time, the flow control equipment of the front parallel station detects that the material request counter is greater than the material release counter, which may indicate that material has not been released or has been released but has not arrived. In either case, the front parallel station performs the material release. If the workpiece arrives at this time, the workpiece flow proceeds normally.

[0044] Alternatively, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: Step S40: If the number of updates to the material count data exceeds a preset threshold and the workpiece is not in place, the parallel station behind will issue a workpiece flow fault alarm.

[0045] If the workpiece still fails to arrive at the parallel workstation after multiple material requests, a workpiece flow fault alarm will be triggered.

[0046] Furthermore, regarding the aforementioned material demand counter and material release counter, if the material demand count data of the rear parallel station is detected to be zeroed, the front parallel station will also zero out the material release count data. Alternatively, if the material release count data of the front parallel station is detected to be zeroed out, the rear parallel station will also zero out the material demand count data. In other words, both parallel stations will synchronously perform data zeroing or initialization operations to avoid scheduling failures.

[0047] It is easy to see that, compared to the average allocation strategy used in parallel stations in related technologies, in this embodiment, the rear parallel station updates the material demand count data when the material demand conditions are met, and the front parallel station releases unprocessed workpieces when it detects changes in the material demand count data of the rear parallel station. Therefore, this embodiment provides a workpiece allocation strategy on demand to maximize the efficient flow of the carrier and improve production efficiency.

[0048] To aid in understanding the implementation flow of the workpiece flow control method obtained by combining this embodiment with the above-described embodiment one, an example is provided. Please refer to... Figure 4 The main water hose 10 and the return water hose 20 are provided with station A and station B on their sides. These two stations are connected in parallel and both have a cap-retrieving mechanism 30 for retrieving caps from the carriers flowing on the return water hose. Both also have a carrier positioning mechanism 40 for allowing or preventing the carriers from flowing on the return water hose 20.

[0049] Workstations A and B communicate via Ethernet / IP. Workstation B reads the material request counter from workstation A, and workstation A reads the material release counter from workstation B. Both the material request and release counters use 32-bit unsigned data types to ensure that the counts do not overflow. The material request and release counters are displayed on a touchscreen for easy troubleshooting. Furthermore, a communication heartbeat monitoring system is added between workstations A and B, triggering an alarm in case of communication failure.

[0050] Therefore, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 A simplified flowchart of a workpiece flow control method is provided, and the specific flow process is as follows: (1) When the return water belt at station A needs to be fitted with a pressure cap carrier, the material counter should be incremented by 1.

[0051] (2) B station performs logical judgment. When the material demand count is greater than the material release count, the unprocessed carrier is released and the material release counter is incremented by 1.

[0052] (3) Station A determines the relationship between the material feeding count and the material demand count.

[0053] (4) If it is less than, wait for station B to release the vehicle.

[0054] (5) If they are equal, wait for the vehicle to arrive.

[0055] (6) If the vehicle fails to arrive within a certain time, the material count is incremented by 1, and the previous steps are repeated. The vehicle arrival failure alarm is triggered twice.

[0056] It should be noted that the above examples are only for understanding this application and do not constitute a limitation on the workpiece flow control method of this application. Any simple modifications based on this technical concept are within the protection scope of this application.

[0057] This application provides a flow control device, which includes: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, which are executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the workpiece flow control method in Embodiment 1 above.

[0058] The following is for reference. Figure 5The diagram illustrates a structural schematic of a flow control device suitable for implementing embodiments of this application. The flow control device in the embodiments of this application may include, but is not limited to, mobile terminals such as mobile phones, laptops, digital broadcast receivers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PADs (Portable Application Description), PMPs (Portable Media Players), in-vehicle terminals (e.g., in-vehicle navigation terminals), and fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. Figure 5 The flow control device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitations on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, the flow control device may include a processing unit 1001 (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in ROM 1002 (Read Only Memory) or a program loaded from storage device 1003 into RAM 1004 (Random Access Memory). RAM 1004 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the flow control device. The processing unit 1001, ROM 1002, and RAM 1004 are interconnected via bus 1005. An I / O (Input / Output) interface 1006 is also connected to the bus. Typically, the following systems can be connected to I / O interface 1006: input devices 1007 including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices 1008 including, for example, LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays), speakers, vibrators, etc.; storage devices 1003 including, for example, magnetic tapes, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices 1009. Communication device 1009 allows the flow control device to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although flow control devices with various systems are shown in the figures, it should be understood that it is not required to implement or possess all the systems shown. More or fewer systems can be implemented alternatively.

[0060] Specifically, according to the embodiments disclosed in this application, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from storage device 1003, or installed from ROM 1002. When the computer program is executed by processing device 1001, it performs the functions defined in the methods of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0061] The flow control device provided in this application, employing the workpiece flow control method in the above embodiments, can solve the technical problem that the reliability of workpiece allocation strategies in single-track production lines needs to be improved. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the flow control device provided in this application are the same as those of the workpiece flow control method provided in the above embodiments, and other technical features in this flow control device are the same as those disclosed in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0062] It should be understood that the various parts disclosed in this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0063] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) stored thereon, the computer-readable program instructions being used to execute the workpiece flow control method in the above embodiments.

[0064] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application may be, for example, a USB flash drive, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wires, optical cables, RF (Radio Frequency), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0065] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be included in the flow control device; or it may exist independently and not be assembled into the flow control device.

[0066] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs that, when executed by the flow control device, cause the flow control device to: monitor the material demand count data of the rear parallel station; wherein, when the rear parallel station meets the material demand conditions, it updates the material demand count data; and when the material demand count data changes, it releases the unprocessed workpiece. Alternatively, when the material demand conditions are met, it updates the material demand count data so that when the front parallel station detects a change in the material demand count data, it controls the front parallel station to release the unprocessed workpiece. Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0067] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0068] The readable storage medium provided in this application is a computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) for executing the above-described workpiece flow control method, which can solve the technical problem that the reliability of workpiece allocation strategies in single-track production lines needs to be improved. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the computer-readable storage medium provided in this application are the same as the beneficial effects of the workpiece flow control method provided in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0069] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the workpiece flow control method described above.

[0070] The computer program product provided in this application can solve the technical problem that the reliability of workpiece allocation strategy in single-track production lines needs to be improved. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the computer program product provided in this application are the same as the beneficial effects of the workpiece flow control method provided in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0071] The above description is only a part of the embodiments of this application and does not limit the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent structural transformations made under the technical concept of this application and using the content of this application specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A workpiece flow control method, characterized in that, A workpiece flow control device applied to a front-side parallel workstation, wherein the workpiece flow control method includes: Monitor the material demand count data of the rear parallel workstations; wherein, the rear parallel workstations update the material demand count data when the material demand conditions are met; If the required material count data changes, the unprocessed workpiece is released.

2. The workpiece flow control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of releasing unprocessed workpieces when the required material count data changes includes: The required material count data is compared with the locally stored material discharge count data; If the required material count is greater than the unloaded material count, release the unprocessed workpiece and update the unloaded material count.

3. The workpiece flow control method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of releasing unprocessed workpieces when the required material count data is greater than the local material release count data includes: If the required material count is greater than the unloaded material count, and the difference does not exceed a preset threshold, the unprocessed workpiece is released.

4. The workpiece flow control method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the material count data of the rear parallel station is detected to be zero, the material discharge count data is cleared.

5. A workpiece flow control method, characterized in that, A workpiece flow control device applied to a rear parallel workstation, wherein the workpiece flow control method includes: If the material demand conditions are met, update the material demand count data so that if the front parallel station detects a change in the material demand count data, it controls the front parallel station to release the unprocessed workpiece.

6. The workpiece flow control method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The method further includes updating the material demand count data when the material demand conditions are met, so that if the front parallel station detects a change in the material demand count data, and then controls the front parallel station to release the unprocessed workpiece, the method further includes: If the workpiece is not in place, return to execute the update of the required material count data.

7. The workpiece flow control method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, After returning to update the material count data when the workpiece is not in place, the method further includes: If the number of updates to the material count data exceeds a preset threshold and the workpiece is not in place, a workpiece flow failure alarm will be triggered.

8. A flow control device, characterized in that, Applied to parallel workstations, the device includes: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the workpiece flow control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program is stored on the storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the workpiece flow control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the workpiece flow control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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