17. A method for controlling a robot comprising the steps of: storing a numerical control language program in a mass storage device connected to a central processing unit, the numerical control language program adapted to be executed by a computer numerical control machine tool to perform a manufacturing process; operating the central processing unit to convert the numerical control language program into a robot language program based upon a pre-defined conversion configuration table having discrete configuration instructions for converting each numerical control language positional command to a robot language positional command and converting each numerical control language miscellaneous code command to a robot language sub-program, further including opening the numerical control language program stored in the mass storage device, allocating an output area of the mass storage device for logic statements, allocating an output area of the mass storage device for positions; reading a command line from the numerical control language program, creating an entry in the logic output area for the commend line; fetch from the command line a token and an argument string that follows the token, search for a token letter associated with the token in the conversion configuration table, and determine a type for the command line based upon data in the conversion configuration table; storing the robot language positional commands and the robot language sub-programs as the robot language program in the mass storage device; and executing the robot language program with a robot controller connected to the mass storage device and the robot at a run-time of the robot to perform the manufacturing process.
18. The method according to claim 17 wherein if the command line is a preparatory type command, motion characteristics based upon the command line argument string are stored.