ROBOTIC HIGH DENSITY WELDING BODY SHOP
First Claim
1. A method of managing a motor vehicle body shop assembly of the type including a body assembly line and a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the assembly line, and the method comprising:
- providing at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV), a source of parts (SOP) located on parts racks (PR), a tooling management area (TMA) including first model tooling (FMT) for use by the RAD to assemble a first motor vehicle model and second model tooling (SMT) for use by the RAD to assemble a second motor vehicle model, means defining a movement path (MP) for the AGV extending from the SOP and the TMA to the RAD and returning to the SOP and the TMA, and means for guiding the at least one AGV for selective movement along the MP between the SOP, the TMA, and the RAD; and
utilizing the at least one AGV to selectively deliver FMT and SMT to the RAD for use in respectively assembling the first motor vehicle model and the second motor vehicle model, return the FMT or SMT not in use to the TMA, and deliver full PRs from the SOP to the RAD and return empty PRs to the SOP.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for managing the delivery of component parts and tooling to a robotic welding assembly positioned on a motor vehicle body assembly line. Automatic guided vehicles deliver component parts from a source of parts to a parts staging area on the robotic welding assembly including a substage awaiting area, a substage in-use area and a substage empty area, and further automatic guided vehicles deliver tooling from a tooling management area to the robotic welding assembly whereafter the tooling, upon model changeover, is moved to a tooling use area proximate the assembly line whereafter, upon further model changeover, the tooling is removed from the tooling use area and loaded onto an automatic guided vehicle for return to the tooling management area.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of managing a motor vehicle body shop assembly of the type including a body assembly line and a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the assembly line, and the method comprising:
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providing at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV), a source of parts (SOP) located on parts racks (PR), a tooling management area (TMA) including first model tooling (FMT) for use by the RAD to assemble a first motor vehicle model and second model tooling (SMT) for use by the RAD to assemble a second motor vehicle model, means defining a movement path (MP) for the AGV extending from the SOP and the TMA to the RAD and returning to the SOP and the TMA, and means for guiding the at least one AGV for selective movement along the MP between the SOP, the TMA, and the RAD; and utilizing the at least one AGV to selectively deliver FMT and SMT to the RAD for use in respectively assembling the first motor vehicle model and the second motor vehicle model, return the FMT or SMT not in use to the TMA, and deliver full PRs from the SOP to the RAD and return empty PRs to the SOP. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of managing a motor vehicle body shop assembly of the type including an assembly line and a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the line, the method comprising:
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providing at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV), a source of parts (SOP) located on parts racks (PR), means defining a movement path (MP) for the AGV extending from the SOP to the RAD and returning to the SOP, and means for guiding the at least one AGV for selective movement along the MP; providing a staging area (SA) at the RAD including a plurality of substage areas arranged sequentially along and proximate the MP; and delivering a PR to the SA utilizing the AGV and thereafter moving the PR sequentially between the substage areas. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of managing a motor vehicle body shop assembly of the type including an assembly line and a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the line, the method comprising:
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providing at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV), a tooling management area (TMA) including first model tooling (FMT) for use at the RAD for assembling a first motor vehicle model on the assembly line and second model tooling (SMT) for use at the RAD for assembling a second motor vehicle model on the assembly line, means defining a movement path (MP) for the AGV extending from the TMA to the RAD and returning to the TMA, and means for guiding the at least one AGV for selective movement along the MP; providing a tooling use area (TUA) at the RAD; and with an FMT in the TUA for use by the RAD, an AGV carrying an SMT is moved from the TMA to the RAD, the SMT is unloaded onto the RAD, thereafter, following the completion of the first model vehicle production, the FMT is removed from the TUA, the SMT is moved to the TUA, the FMT is moved onto an AGV, and the FMT is returned to the TMA by the AGV. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A motor vehicle body shop system comprising:
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a body assembly line; a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the assembly line; a source of parts (SOP); a tooling management area (TMA) including first model tooling (FMT) for use by the RAD to assemble a first motor vehicle model and second model tooling (SMT) for use by the RAD to assemble a second motor vehicle model; at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV); means defining a movement path (MP) for the AGV extending from the SOP and the TMA to the RAD and returning to the SOP and the TMA; and means for guiding the at least one AGV for selective movement along the MP between the SOP, the TMA, and the RAD. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A motor vehicle body shop system including:
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an assembly line; a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the line; a source of parts (SOP) located on parts racks (PR); means defining a movement path (MP) extending from the SOP to the RAD and returning to the SOP; a staging area (SA) at the RAD including a plurality of substage areas arranged sequentially along and proximate the MP; at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV) arranged for selective movement along the MP and operative to deliver a PR to the SA; and a robot on the RAD operative to thereafter move the PR sequentially between the substations. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A motor vehicle body shop system including:
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an assembly line; a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the line and including at least one robot; at least one automated guide vehicle (AGV); a tooling management area (TMA) including first model tooling (FMT) for use at the RAD for assembling a first motor vehicle model on the assembly line and second model tooling (SMT) for use at the RAD for assembling a second motor vehicle model on the assembly line; means defining a movement path (MP) for the AGV extending from the TMA to the RAD and returning to the TMA; means for guiding the at least one AGV for selective movement along the MP; a tooling use area (TUA) at the RAD; and a load/unload mechanism carried by the AGV and operative in coaction with the robot, with an FMT in the TUA for use by the RAD, to move an AGV carrying an SMT from the TMA to the RAD, unload the SMT onto the RAD, and thereafter, following the completion of the first model vehicle production, remove the FMT from the TUA, move the SMT to the TUA, move the FMT onto an AGV, and return the AGV to the TMA. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method of supplying tooling and parts to a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) located on a motor vehicle body assembly line comprising the steps of:
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providing a source of parts (SOP); providing a source of tooling (SOT); providing a movement path (MP) interconnecting the RAD, the SOP and the SOT; providing a plurality of automatic guide vehicles (AGVs) capable of moving along the MP; and selectively moving the AGVs along the MP to selectively deliver component parts to the RAD from the SOP and selectively deliver tooling to the RAD from the SOT.
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Specification