VEHICLE BODY ASSEMBLY AND SEQUENCING SYSTEM

• US 20100263191A1
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau Incorporated (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kllibarda, Vellbor
• Granted Patent: US 8,713,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/430
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/18 Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines conveyors and haulage in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49998 Work holding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53539 including work conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53548 and work carrying vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle body assembly and sequencing system includes the advantages of a batch vehicle body build sequence with the advantages of a random sequence of vehicle body styles transferred to a painting area. The build system includes using automated guided vehicles which transfer and store assembled, un-painted vehicle bodies in a storage area and sequentially transfers selected bodies from the storage area to the painting area achieving a random or variable supply of different vehicle bodies to be painted a certain color.

Claims

1. A method of assembling and organizing vehicle bodies prior to painting the vehicle bodies, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a plurality of vehicle bodies in a sequence along an assembly line;

transferring the assembled vehicle bodies to a storage area remote from the assembly line;

storing the assembled bodies in a storage area; and

selectively transferring the vehicle bodies to a painting area according to the color that the selected vehicle bodies are to be painted.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembly sequence comprises the step of assembling the vehicle bodies in a batch sequence based on vehicle body style.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the batch sequence comprises the sequential assembly of a plurality of a first body style, followed the by sequential assembly of at least a second body style.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transferring the vehicle bodies comprises the steps of engaging the vehicle body by an automated guided vehicle and moving the automated guided vehicle along a predetermined path from a body pickup point to a body delivery point.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a vehicle body storage rack having a plurality of compartments, each compartment adapted for engaging receipt of a vehicle body.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of storing the assembled vehicle bodies further comprises the step of organizing and storing the vehicle bodies in the storage rack by vehicle body style.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of storing the assembled vehicle bodies in a vertical orientation with respect to one another in multiple rows and columns to minimize the use of assembly plant floor space.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of storing the assembled vehicle bodies further comprises the step of organizing and storing the vehicle bodies in the storage rack by the color that the stored vehicle bodies are to be painted.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively transferring the vehicle bodies to the painting area further comprises the step of sequentially selecting at least one vehicle body according to the color the body is to be painted from the storage area and removing the selected body from the storage area.

10. A method of assembling and organizing vehicle bodies prior to painting the vehicle bodies, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a plurality of at least a first style of vehicle body and a second style of vehicle body in a batch sequence along an assembly line;

sequentially transferring the assembled vehicle bodies of the first style and the second style from the assembly line to a vehicle body storage area;

temporarily storing the assembled vehicle bodies of the first style and the second style in a body storage rack; and

selectively and sequentially removing the first and the second vehicle body styles from the storage area and sequentially transferring the first and the second body styles to a painting area based on the color that the respective first and second body styles are to be painted in the painting area.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein assembly in a batch sequence comprises the step of assembling a plurality of the first body style prior to assembling a second body style.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of storing the vehicle bodies further comprises the step of storing the respective vehicle bodies by body style such that there is a plurality of first body styles stored in close proximity and a plurality of second body styles stored in close proximity.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of providing a vertical storage rack having a plurality of vertically spaced compartments, each compartment adapted to receive a vehicle body.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of providing a plurality of storage racks positioned in a plurality of storage bays located in the storage area.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of storing the vehicle bodies in a storage rack compartment comprises the step of centering the vehicle body in the storage compartment.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein transferring the assembled vehicle bodies further comprises:

engaging the vehicle body with an automated guided vehicle;

raising the vehicle body in a vertical direction;

moving the vehicle body from the assembly line to the storage area;

selectively raising or lowering the vehicle body relative to the storage rack; and

depositing the vehicle body in a selected compartment of the storage rack.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the automated guided vehicle axially engages a pallet supporting the vehicle body in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the body.

18. A method of assembling and organizing vehicle bodies prior to painting the vehicle bodies, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a plurality of a first style of vehicle body in a batch sequence along an assembly line;

assembling a plurality of a second style of a vehicle body in a batch sequence along the assembly line;

sequentially engaging the assembled first and the second style bodies with an automated guided vehicle (AGV) through transverse axial engagement of the AGV with a pallet supporting vehicle body relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body;

sequentially transferring the respective vehicle bodies from the assembly line along a predetermined and preprogrammed AGV path to a vehicle body storage area;

providing a plurality of vehicle body storage racks positioned in the storage area, each storage racking having at least two vertically separated compartments, each compartment adapted for receipt of a vehicle body;

selectively raising or lowering the vehicle body to align the vehicle body with a selected storage compartment;

depositing the vehicle body in the selected storage rack compartment; and

selectively and sequentially removing the first and the second vehicle body styles from the respective storage compartment and sequentially transferring the respective first and the second body styles to a painting area based on the color that the respective first and second body styles are to be painted in the painting area.