High density welding

• US 9,802,664 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kilibarda, Velibor
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Richard
• Application Number:
  US14/245,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20140217155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• 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 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.

3. 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.

4. The method of claim 3, 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.

5. The method of claim 4, 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.

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 6, 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.

8. 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 weld station for welding of the component subassemblies at the substations.

9. 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;

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

repeating 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.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein while the pallet is at the load/unload station, the method further comprising the steps of:

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

loading a component C from an inventory to the welded subassembly AB at the second pallet substation; and

loading components A and B from the inventory onto the first pallet substation.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein while the pallet is at the load/unload station, the method further comprising the steps of:

moving a welded subassembly ABC from the second pallet substation to a third pallet substation; and

loading a component D from the inventory to the welded subassembly ABC at the third pallet substation.

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

providing a pallet having a plurality of successive first, second and third 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;

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; and

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