High Density Welding

• US 20140217155A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau Incorporated (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kilibarda, Velibor
• Granted Patent: US 9,802,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 228/178
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/006 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/047 moving work to adjust its position between soldering, welding or cutting steps B23K37/053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/50 Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/022 Transferring or handling sub-units or components, e.g. in work stations or between workstations and transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/00 Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• 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 29/534 Multiple station assembly or disassembly apparatus

Abstract

Methods for welding motor vehicle body component subassemblies at a weld stations are disclosed. First and second pallets may be arranged for reciprocal movement between a load/unload station and the weld station and the pallets are alternately moved from a load/unload station to the weld station while the other pallet is moved from the weld station to a load/unload station. Each pallet may have a plurality of substations for receipt of component subassemblies and, while each pallet is at the load/unload station, the component subassembly at each substation is moved to the next successive substation and a further component is added to the moved component.

Claims

1. A method of welding motor vehicle components at a weld station comprising:

providing a pallet having a plurality of successive substations for receipt of component subassemblies;

reciprocally moving the pallet back and forth between a load/unload station and the weld station;

while the pallet is at the load/unload station, moving the component subassembly at each substation to the next successive substation and adding a further component to each moved component subassembly; and

while the pallet is at the weld station, welding each component subassembly at each substation of the pallet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of moving the pallet back and forth between the weld station and the load/unload station, welding each component subassembly at each substation of the pallet while the pallet is at the weld station and moving each welded component subassembly to the next successive weld station of the pallet and adding a further component to the moved subassembly while the pallet is at the load/unload station are repeated until a final welded subassembly is presented at the final substation with the pallet positioned at the load/unload station, whereafter the final welded subassembly is removed from the pallet for use in further motor vehicle assembly processes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pallet has at least first, second, and third substations and wherein, as the pallet is positioned at the load/unload station:

a subassembly consisting of components A/B/C/D is removed from the third substation;

a subassembly consisting of components A/B/C is moved from the second substation to the third substation;

a new component D is added to the subassembly A/B/C positioned at the third substation;

a subassembly consisting of components A/B is moved from the first substation to the second substation;

a new component C is added to the subassembly A/B positioned at the second substation; and

new components A and B are loaded onto the first substation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the weld station includes a plurality of substations corresponding to the plurality of pallet substations;

as the pallet arrives at the weld station, the pallet substations align respectively with the weld station substations; and

a welding operation is performed at each weld substation unique to the component subassembly positioned on the pallet at that weld substation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pallet comprises a first pallet and wherein the method further comprises:

providing a second pallet reciprocally movable between a load/unload station and the weld station and having a plurality of successive substations for receipt of component subassemblies;

alternately moving each pallet from its load/unload station to the weld station while moving the other pallet from the weld station to its load/unload station; and

while each pallet is at the load/unload station, moving the component subassembly at each substation to the next succeeding substation and adding a further component to each moved subassembly.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

each pallet has its own load/unload station; and

the load/unload stations and the weld station are in linear alignment with the weld station positioned between the load/unload stations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein while one pallet is at its load/unload station for movement of the subassemblies between the successive substations, the other pallet is at the substation for welding of the component subassemblies at the substations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method includes the further steps of:

providing an inventory of motor vehicle components D;

following the performance of the steps of claim 1, returning the pallet to the load/unload station;

moving the welded subassembly ABC to a third substation of the pallet;

loading a component D from inventory onto the third substation;

moving the subassembly AB from the first substation to the second substation;

loading a third component C from inventory onto the second substation;

loading components A and B from inventory onto the first substation;

returning the pallet to the weld station; and

welding the components A/B/C/D, positioned at the third substation, together to form a welded subassembly ABCD, welding the components A/B/C, positioned at the second substation, together to form a welded subassembly ABC, and welding the components A/B, positioned at the first substation, together to form a welded subassembly AB.

8. A method of welding motor vehicle components at a weld station comprising:

providing first and second pallets reciprocally movable between a load/unload station and the weld station and each having a plurality of successive substations for receipt of component subassemblies;

alternately moving each pallet from its load/unload station to the weld station while moving the other pallet from the weld station to its load/unload station; and

while each pallet is at its load/unload station, moving the subassembly of components at each substation to the next successive substation and adding a further component to each moved subassembly.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

each pallet has its own load/unload station; and

the load/unload stations and the weld station are in linear alignment with the weld station positioned between the load/unload stations.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein while one pallet is at its load/unload station for movement of the subassemblies between the successive substations, the other pallet is at the weld station for welding of the component subassemblies at the substations.

11. A method of welding motor vehicle components at a weld station comprising:

providing inventories of motor vehicle components A, B and C;

providing a pallet mounted for reciprocal movement between a load/unload station and the weld station and having a plurality of successive pallet substations thereon;

loading components A and B from inventory onto a first substation of the pallet;

moving the pallet to the weld station;

welding the components A/B together at the weld station to form a welded subassembly AB;

returning the pallet to the load/unload station;

moving the welded subassembly AB from the first substation to a second substation on the pallet;

loading a component C from inventory onto the second substation;

loading components A and B from inventory onto the first substation;

returning the pallet to the weld station; and

welding the components A/B/C, positioned at the second substation, together at the weld station to form a welded subassembly ABC while welding the components A/B, positioned at the first substation, together at the weld station to form a welded subassembly AB.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further includes the steps of:

providing an inventory of motor vehicle components E;

following the performance of the steps of claim 11, returning the pallet to the load/unload station;

moving the welded ABCD subassembly from the third substation to a fourth substation of the pallet;

loading a component E from inventory onto the fourth substation;

moving the welded ABC subassembly from the second substation to the third substation;

loading a component D from inventory onto the third substation;

moving the welded AB subassembly from the first substation to the second substation;

loading a component C from inventory onto the second substation;

loading components A and B from inventory onto the first substation;

returning the pallet to the weld station; and

welding the components A/B/C/D/E, positioned at the fourth substation, together to form a welded subassembly ABCDE, welding the components A/B/C/D, positioned at the third substation, together to form a welded subassembly ABCD, welding the components A/B/C, positioned at the second substation, together to form a welded subassembly ABC, and welding the components A/B positioned at the first substation, together to form a welded subassembly AB.

14. A method of welding motor vehicle components at a weld station comprising:

providing first and second pallets reciprocally movable between a load/unload station and the weld station and each having a plurality of substations for receipt of component subassemblies;

alternately moving each pallet from its load/unload station to the weld station while moving the other pallet from the weld station to its load/unload station;

while each pallet is at the weld station, welding the component subassemblies at the pallet substation; and

while each pallet is at its load/unload station, removing at least one welded component subassembly from the pallet while loading new components onto the pallet substations from component inventory.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

each pallet has its own load/unload station; and

the load/unload station and the weld station are in linear alignment with the weld station positioned between the load/unload station.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the weld station has a plurality of substations corresponding to the plurality of pallet substations;

as each pallet arrives at the weld station, the pallet substations align respectively with the weld station substations; and

a welding operation is performed at each weld station substation unique to the component subassembly position on the pallet at that weld station substation.