Device and method for feeding, clamping and processing, particularly for geometric welding of automobile welding components in a work station

• US 6,170,732 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Industries AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Original Assignee: Thyssen Krupp Industries GmbH
• Inventors: Zimmer, Erich, Röhling, Bernd, Ego, Thomas, Lang, Wolf Dieter, Erb, Hans Peter, Wiegand, Manfred, Vogt, Franz-Josef, Jäck, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JONATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/380,216
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 228/8, 228/44.3, 228/4.1, 228/47.1, 228/49.1, 228/212, 219/659, 219/652, 219/158, 269/37, 269/40
• US Class Current: 228/4.1
• 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: B62D 65/00 Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a device for feeding, clamping, and processing, particularly for geometric welding of automobile body components in a work station. The invention method consists of side-section clamping frames which, after receiving a body side section with the help of portal robots which travel along an elevated four-axle portal in the X-Y axis, are brought into the geometrical welding station, positioned at both sides of the body conveyer system for geometrical welding. The device is characterized in that a four-axle portal (2) is arranged above the geometrical welding station and along which four-axle portal (2), on each side of the body conveyer system (1), at least one portal robot (3), from which side-section clamping frames (9) are hung, can travel in the X-Y axis between a position for receiving the body side sections (8) and a position for clamping and welding the body. The four-axle portal (2) consists of rails (5) which are stationary and parallel or at right angles to the body conveyer system (1), one or more cross members (4) which can travel along the rails (5), one or more portal robots (3) which can travel in the longitudinal direction of the cross members (4), and side-section clamping frames (9) which are vertically movable and/or rotatably attached about a ventricle axis on the portal robot (3).

Claims

1. A method for feeding, clamping and processing for geometric welding of car body components in a processing station, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a car body conveyor system;

providing a station for geometric welding with an elevated four-axle portal extending to each side of the conveyor system;

bringing car body components, including at least one front wall or at least one front wall and an underbody component group, with the car body conveyor system into the station for geometric welding and exactly positioning the car body components at the station;

clamping car body components to be welded;

laying car body side sections in a side section clamping frame;

providing a portal robot movable in X/Y directions at the elevated four-axle portal;

bringing side section clamping frames into the geometric welding station with the portal robot to position the side section clamping frames at both sides of the car body components;

clamping car body side sections with the components to be welded; and

providing welding robots mounted laterally to the side of the car body conveyor system;

swinging welding robots mounted laterally beside the car body conveyor system and/or moving the robots towards the welding spots;

joining car body side sections to a car body structure by the aid of the welding robots arranged laterally and/or welding robots arranged above the car body by way of geometric welding; and

subsequently welding the parts together completely.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising bringing the underbody group of the car body jointly with the at least one front wall with the car body conveyor system into the station for geometric welding and exactly positioning these there and joining the underbody group and roof sections to the car body structure by the aid of the welding robots.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the side section clamping frames are fixed prior to the welding procedure with the components to be welded using stationary positioning and clamping elements.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein, said step of subsequently welding the parts together completely occurs in another welding station.

5. A method for feeding, clamping and processing car body components, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a car body conveyor system;

providing a station for geometric welding with an elevated four-axle portal extending to each side of the conveyor system;

bringing car body components, including at least one front wall or the at least one front wall and an underbody component group, with the car body conveyor system into the station and exactly positioning the car body components at the station;

clamping car body components to be welded;

laying car body side sections in a side section clamping frame;

providing a portal robot at the elevated four-axle portal, the portal robot being movable in orthogonal directions in a plane above the conveyor;

bringing side section clamping frames into the geometric welding station with the portal robot to position the side section clamping frames at both sides of the car body components;

clamping car body side sections with the components to be welded;

providing welding robots mounted laterally to the side of the car body conveyor system;

swinging welding robots mounted laterally beside the car body conveyor system and/or moving the robots towards the welding spots;

joining car body side sections to a car body structure by the aid of the welding robots arranged laterally and/or welding robots arranged above the car body by way of geometric welding; and

subsequently welding the parts together completely.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising bringing the underbody group of the car body jointly with the at least one front wall with the car body conveyor system into the station for geometric welding and exactly positioning these there and joining the underbody group and roof sections to the car body structure by the aid of the welding robots.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the side section clamping frames are fixed prior to the welding procedure with the components to be welded using stationary positioning and clamping elements.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein, said step of subsequently welding the parts together completely occurs in another welding station.