Robotic high density welding body shop

• US 8,308,048 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau Incorporated (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kilibarda, Velibor
• Primary Examiner(s): D'ANIELLO, NICHOLAS P
• Application Number:
  US13/076,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20110192007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 228/47.1, 228/49.6, 294/30, 297/71
• US Class Current: 228/49.6
• 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 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/50 Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/00 Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for
• 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: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53313 Means to interrelatedly feed plural work parts from plural sources without manual intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53383 and means to fasten work parts together
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53417 Means to fasten work parts together
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53539 including work conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53548 and work carrying vehicle

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.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle body shop system comprising:

a body assembly line;

a robotic welding assembly device (RAD) positioned on the assembly line, the assembly device including a first and a second longitudinally extending scaffolding structure positioned on opposing sides of the assembly line, each scaffolding structure is stationary and includes a top wall and a plurality of support columns to define a working space below the top wall and a work area positioned along the assembly line between the first and the second scaffolding structures, at least one inverted robot connected to at least one of the first and second scaffolding structure top wall extending downward into the working space;

a source of parts (SOP) positioned along a path of travel in communication with the welding assembly device;

a first model tooling (FMT) and a second model tooling (SMT) in selective communication with the work area;

at least one guided device for supporting at least one part moveable along the path of travel between at least the source of parts to a position adjacent to at least one of the first and the second scaffolding structures, wherein the at least one inverted robot transfers the at least one component from the guided device through the working space and into the work area;

a tooling management area positioned along the path of travel distant from the welding assembly device and in communication with the welding assembly device, the tooling management area selectively housing the first model tooling and the second model tooling; and

a tool shuttle assembly positioned transverse to the assembly line through the working space in communication with the work area, the first and the second tooling selectively engaged with the tool shuttle to selectively move the first and the second tooling through the working space into the work area, wherein;

the at least one guided device selectively supports and reciprocally transfers the first and second model tooling from the tool management area along the path of travel to a position adjacent the first or the second scaffolding structure for engagement of the first and the second model tooling with the tool shuttle.

2. A motor vehicle body shop system according to claim 1 wherein the source of parts further comprises a plurality of parts racks, the guided device supporting at least one part rack.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pallet for selectively supporting one of the first or the second model tooling, the pallet selectively moveable along the assembly line between the tooling management area and the work area.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

a plurality of inverted robots connected to the top wall of the first and the second scaffold structures; and

a plurality of upright robots positioned in the work space and connected to a floor structure, at least one of the inverted and upright robots operable to selectively engage a part from the guided device and transfer the part through the work space into the work area.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a flanking shelf adjacent at least one of the first or the second scaffolding structure;

a device for moving the at least one component from the guided device onto the shelf, wherein the guided device is selectively positioned adjacent the flanking shelf.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the guided device is an automated guided vehicle (AGV).

7. A motor vehicle body assembly system comprising:

a body assembly line;

a robotic welding assembly device positioned on the assembly line, the assembly device including a first and a second longitudinally extending scaffolding structure positioned on opposing sides of the assembly line, each scaffolding structure is stationary and includes a top wall and a plurality of support columns to define a working space below the top wall and a work area positioned along the assembly line between the first and the second scaffolding structures, a plurality of inverted and upright robots positioned in working space of the first and the second scaffolding structures and selectively extendible into the work area;

a source of parts positioned along a path of travel in communication with the welding assembly device;

a tool management area for selectively housing a first model tooling (FMT) and a second model tooling (SMT) the tool management area positioned along the path of travel and in communication with the work area; and

a plurality of guided devices selectively moveable along the path of travel between the tool management area, source of parts and welding assembly device for selective engagement, support and transfer of the first and second model tooling and parts for supporting at least one part moveable along the path of travel between at least the source of parts to a position adjacent to at least one of the first and the second scaffolding structures, wherein at least one the plurality of inverted or upright robots engage the part and transfer the part through the working space and into the work area.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a tool shuttle assembly positioned transverse to the assembly line through the working space in communication with the work area, the first and the second tooling selectively engaged with the tool shuttle to selectively move the first and the second tooling through the working space into the work area.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a flanking shelf adjacent at least one of the first or the second scaffolding structure;

a device for moving the at least one component from the guided device onto the shelf, wherein the guided device is selectively positioned adjacent the flanking shelf.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the guided devices are automated guided vehicles (AGV).