Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K37/00—Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass
  • B23K37/04—Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass for holding or positioning work
  • B23K37/047—Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass for holding or positioning work moving work to adjust its position between soldering, welding or cutting steps
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23P—METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS
  • B23P21/00—Machines for assembling a multiplicity of different parts to compose units, with or without preceding or subsequent working of such parts, e.g. with programme control
  • B23P21/004—Machines for assembling a multiplicity of different parts to compose units, with or without preceding or subsequent working of such parts, e.g. with programme control the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23P—METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS
  • B23P2700/00—Indexing scheme relating to the articles being treated, e.g. manufactured, repaired, assembled, connected or other operations covered in the subgroups
  • B23P2700/50—Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S901/00—Robots
  • Y10S901/30—End effector
  • Y10S901/41—Tool
  • Y10S901/42—Welding

Definitions

• the invention relates to a flexible robotic assembly line of sheet metal elements by welding (for example) different sheet metal parts to each other. It fits into the context of automated lines where handling and assembly are provided by robots in the form of articulated arms whose operations and movements are coordinated and controlled by a centralized unit.
• the invention relates to the assembly of sheet metal parts of a motor vehicle such as body sides, or openings such as hoods, side doors or hatches, which typically require assembly, for example by welding, a skin and a lining to form a rigid assembly.
• the different types of the same element correspond for example to different versions of the same vehicle such as coupe, sedan or estate.
• the hatchback type coupe, sedan type or break type is not the same for the same model of vehicle.
• the production line is designed to be completely flexible to accommodate demand throughout the life of the vehicle production line. Such a line can also be used to assemble the doors of different vehicle models, so as to adapt to the demand for the vehicles in question which is also not predictable.
• the object of the invention is to provide a totally flexible sheet metal assembly line arrangement with reduced cost.
• the subject of the invention is a flexible installation for assembling sheet metal parts in order to constitute sheet metal elements of several types, this installation comprising:
• At least one assembly rail extending parallel to the series of aligned stations and carrying at least one mobile assembly robot from one station to another along the rail which carries it to assemble some sheet metal parts; to others on each post;
• At least one handling rail running along an assembly rail and carrying at least one handling robot for supplying each station with pieces of sheet metal to be assembled and for extracting from each station the elements that have been assembled, the assembly rail along this handling rail being located between the handling rail and the series of assembly stations.
• the invention also relates to an installation as defined above, comprising two assembly rails extending on either side of the series of aligned stations.
• the invention also relates to an installation as defined above, comprising two handling rails extending on either side of the two assembly rails.
• the invention also relates to an installation as defined above, wherein the assembly robots are spot welding robots.
• the idea underlying the invention is to provide an arrangement comprising a series of aligned assembly stations, as well as different rails carrying assembly and handling robots arranged so that the handling robots can move independently of assembly robots that operate on an assembly station. Handling robots that can access all assembly stations independently of assembly robots and vice versa
• the assembly line which is shown in the single figure by 1 therein comprises a series of eight fixed positions marked 2 to 9 which are aligned with each other.
• Each of these fixed stations 2 to 9 is arranged for the assembly of a type of opening, offering the possibility of assembling up to eight types of opening.
• These openings which are represented as identical elements in the single figure actually have different shapes.
• the various fixed stations 2 to 9 are aligned in a main direction of the assembly line, marked by AX, and which corresponds to an axis extending from top to bottom in the single figure.
• Two rails marked by 1 1 and 12 are located on either side of the central alignment defined by the fixed positions 2 to 9, these two rails 1 1 and 12 extending parallel to the direction AX being located from and other fixed posts.
• the rail 1 1 is an assembly rail, here carrying a spot welding robot which is movable along this rail, which allows it to move from one to the other of the stations 2 to 9 to achieve spot welding operations on one or the other of these stations.
• a spot welding robot comprises a base carrying a base movable in rotation about a vertical axis and which carries an articulated arm, this base being mounted on the rail which carries it to be movable in translation along said rail.
• the articulated arm has a lower portion articulated on the base to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and an upper portion hinged to the lower portion that extends so as to be rotatable about a parallel axis to the axis of articulation of the lower portion with the base.
• the upper portion of the arm is extended by a head movable in rotation relative to the upper portion of the arm that extends, and the assembly is motorized at each of its joints to allow the articulated arm with its head to be placed in any desired position.
• the head is equipped with a welding clamp that the robot moves in space to realize sets of welding points located at preprogrammed positions and in a predetermined sequence.
• the assembly rail 12 carries two other spot welding robots 14 and 15, of the same type as the robot 13, which are movable along the rail 12 to be able to operate on each of the fixed stations 2 to 9.
• a third rail 17 extends along the rail 1 1, being offset from the rail 1 1 which is thus located between the rail 17 and the alignment of positions 2 to 9.
• This third rail constitutes a handling rail, carrying two handling robots 18 and 19. It constitutes an outer rail along the assembly rail January 1, being positioned in such a way that this assembly rail January 1 is located between the handling rail 17 and the series of fixed stations 2-9.
• the handling robots are of the same type as the robots described above: they comprise a pedestal movable along the rail which carries it, and carrying a base pivoting about a vertical axis and carrying an articulated arm with two portions extended at the level its upper portion by a head movable in rotation around different axes.
• the robot head is secured to a gripping member or gripper with which the robot can handle elements and sheet metal parts.
• These handling robots 18 and 19 are advantageously equipped with changers allowing them to change the gripping member in order to handle different pieces of sheet metal and / or different types of sheet metal elements assembled.
• the robot marked by 18 ensures the supply of the various fixed positions 2 to 9 in pieces of sheet metal to assemble. He grasps each piece of sheet metal at a not shown supply station which is located at the end of the assembly line, and places these pieces of sheet metal on one or the other of the assembly stations 2 to 9.
• the handling robot 19 extracts each sheet metal element, once it has been assembled, from the fixed station where it has been assembled by spot welding made by the robots 13-15, to transfer it to another non-production island. shown in the figure, but located at one end of the line which is opposite the end where the supply station is located.
• the handling robots 18 and 19, carried by the third rail 17, can supply a station and extract an assembled element on another station, at the same time as spot welding robots 13-15 carried by rails 1 1 and 12 weld sheet metal parts to another station to assemble another element.
• the welding robots 13 to 15 and the handling robots 18 and 19 can be controlled independently, which makes it possible to supply a fixed station while the welding robots are finishing the assembly of an element. on another fixed position.
• the welding cycle time can be increased since it is no longer penalized by the supply and extraction times which constitute operations that can be performed in masked time. makes the handling robots independent of welding robots.
• the handling robots that carries the third rail 17 can act on the posts fixed 2-9 which are at a sufficiently low distance but without interfering with spot welding robots which also intervene on these same fixed stations 2-9.
• the rail 12, which is furthest from the rail 17 carrying the handling robots carries two welding robots 14 and 15.
• the invention thus makes it possible, as illustrated schematically in the single figure, for the supply robot 18 to initially supply the stationary station 9 with pieces of sheet metal to be welded to each other to assemble an element of a certain type, while welding robots 13-15 are operating to weld parts, on another station.
• the welding robots 13-15 are released, they are then moved along the rails 1 1 and 12 to be positioned opposite the fixed station 9 to perform a predetermined cycle of welding points to assemble the element of the type corresponding to this fixed station 9. While the robots 13-15 execute this welding sequence, the handling robot 18 supplies another stationary station, namely the station 2, with pieces of sheet metal to be welded to assemble an item of a type corresponding to the fixed station No. 2. Once the welding cycles are completed on the station 9, the welding robots are then moved to the station No. 2 so as to perform another cycle of welding points to assemble the corresponding sheet metal element at station 2. While this other welding cycle is implemented, on the one hand, the robot 19 extracts the element that was previously assembled on the station No. 9 to place it on another island not shown, and secondly , the supply robot 18 is controlled to supply another station, such as the station No. 6, by placing on the latter parts to be welded to assemble an element of another type.
• Each of the fixed stations 2-9 can be configured to assemble a particular type of sheet metal element such as an opening, so that the assembly line illustrated in the single figure thus allows flexibility to be provided. total on the manufacture of eight types of different elements.
• the assembly robots join the pieces of sheet metal to each other by making welding points.
• the invention also applies to a line in which the robots perform assemblies of sheet metal parts by gluing or by any other means of securing a piece of sheet metal to another such as crimping.
• the embodiment of the invention shown in the single figure comprises two assembly rails 1 1 and 12 located on either side of the series of fixed positions, and a handling rail 17 which Externally loins the rail 1 1, but other configurations are possible.
• the invention also relates to a line comprising a single assembly rail along a series of fixed stations, and a single handling rail along this assembly rail being located in such a way that the assembly rail is positioned between the series of fixed positions and the handling rail.
• the invention also relates to an arrangement in which there is provided a series of fixed positions surrounded on both sides by two assembly rails, themselves surrounded by two external handling rails.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Automatic Assembly (AREA)
• Resistance Welding (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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Family Cites Families (39)

• 2012
  • 2012-05-09 EP EP12719975.0A patent/EP2846965A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-05-09 WO PCT/EP2012/058576 patent/WO2013167184A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2012-05-09 CN CN201280073079.XA patent/CN104302442A/zh active Pending
  • 2012-05-09 US US14/399,906 patent/US20150165566A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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