Abstract: A route setting method according to the present invention sets, in a work transfer system including a plurality of work transfer units which connect a plurality of loading places to a plurality of unloading places, a route of the work transfer units to pass a work between a planned loading place and a planned unloading place which are required to transfer the work in the plurality of loading places and the plurality of unloading places. The route setting method includes the steps of setting, based on layout information representing a layout of the plurality of work transfer units, a plurality of candidates of the route between the planned loading place and the planned unloading place, and selecting, based on a predetermined condition, one route from the plurality of candidates of the route set in the candidate setting step.

Abstract: A transport system of this invention includes a transport means for forming a plurality of transport paths from a transport source to a transport destination and transporting a work via a transport path selected from the plurality of transport paths, a control means for controlling the transport means, and a read means for, when the work has arrived at a branch point in the transport path, reading out, from a storage medium, transport path information representing a transport direction of the work at the branch point in the transport path, the storage medium being provided on the work and storing the transport path information. The control means controls the transport means to transport the work in the transport direction of the work at the branch point represented by the transport path information read out by the read means.

Abstract: A route setting method according to the present invention sets, in a work transfer system including a plurality of work transfer units which connect a plurality of loading places to a plurality of unloading places, a route of the work transfer units to pass a work between a planned loading place and a planned unloading place which are required to transfer the work in the plurality of loading places and the plurality of unloading places. The route setting method includes the steps of setting, based on layout information representing a layout of the plurality of work transfer units, a plurality of candidates of the route between the planned loading place and the planned unloading place, and selecting, based on a predetermined condition, one route from the plurality of candidates of the route set in the candidate setting step.