Welding method and device for motor vehicle body components by means of lifting and lowering round table for quick tool change

Abstract

The invention relates to a unit (1) for welding body parts (2, 3, 4), including: at least one assembly station (5) provided with welding robots (6); a loading station (7) for supplying parts to be assembled to the unit; a conveyor (15) for conveying a shaping device (10), designed to receive the set of parts (2, 3, 4) for assembly, to the assembly station (5); as well a station (20) for the automatic exchange of the shaping tool. The automatic exchange station comprises: a rotary hoisting turret (21) which includes a handling rotor (22) having a substantially vertical axis of rotation (ZZ') and comprising a plurality of tool holders (23, 23, 223, 323) distributed about said axis (ZZ'), each tool holder being designed to receive a shaping tool (10); and at least one hoisting member (24) allowing the vertical movement of at least the tool holder (23) located in line with the conveyor (15), so that a new tool (10) can be alternately removed from or placed on the conveyor.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the general field of assembly lines for body elements, especially but not exclusively intended to be equipped in vehicle manufacturing plants. [0002] More specifically, the invention relates to the configuration of a welding assembly plant suitable for the manufacture of motor vehicle body sides, as well as the assembly method that can be carried out by such a plant. Background technique [0003] It is known to use automated assembly lines to assemble vehicle parts. [0004] Typically, the parts to be assembled are arranged on a forming tool comprising a chassis bearing different positioning and fastening members, such as pins, live hooks, etc., to enable the The parts are temporarily held in the assembled configuration. [0005] It will be appreciated that there is a need to employ forming tools related to the model and profile of the vehicle (sedan, coupe, coupe, station wagon, etc.), and more specifically to chan...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, such a deployment is understandably at odds with the desire to obtain compact equipment to maximize the density of production areas within the relevant plant

[0016] Finally, no matter which method is considered, the transfer of forming tools from the tool storage area to the assembly station necessarily results in changes in the mechanical datum and thus can have difficulties with regard to the positioning accuracy and repeatability of the tools facing the automated assembly device

[0017] Moreover, sometimes insufficient is the need to find a compromise between the effective accuracy of positioning, i.e. the quality of assembly, which can be improved by the complexity and bulk of the equipment associated with the optional added alignment means, and the speed of execution. rate can be affected by implementing this additional alignment device

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