Automatic assembly process for automobile outer covering part capable of being adjusted in three directions

Abstract

The invention provides a three-direction-adjustable automatic assembly process for an automobile outer covering part. The three-direction-adjustable automatic assembly process comprises the steps that firstly, an automobile body and the outer covering part are conveyed to corresponding stations respectively; secondly, assembling of the hinge and the outer covering part is executed; and thirdly, the outer covering part and the automobile body are assembled. Manufacturing errors of the vehicle body and the outer covering part are quantified into fluctuation quantities, active compensation is conducted in the one-dimensional direction by combining the fluctuation quantities of the vehicle body and the outer covering part, adjustment of the industrial robot in the other two-dimensional direction is combined, and finally three-dimensional space full-degree-of-freedom error adaptation of the hinge is achieved. In this way, the manual adjusting link is eliminated, working hours are saved, more importantly, the surface difference and gap consistency of assembly of the outer covering part and the vehicle body is remarkably improved, and the assembly quality and production efficiency of the whole vehicle are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automatic assembly technology for automotive exterior body panels, and more specifically to an automatic assembly process for automotive exterior body panels with three-way adjustment. Background Technology

[0002] In existing 3D vision-based automated assembly technologies, the assembly of hinges to the car body or doors typically relies on fixed tooling for positioning. Because the tooling itself lacks adaptability, it struggles to compensate for dimensional fluctuations between car body units and panels accumulated during manufacturing processes such as stamping and welding. This rigid assembly method directly results in unadjustable errors between the hinge mounting surface and the mating surface of the car body or door. After assembly, manual adjustments are often still required to eliminate appearance quality issues such as surface differences and gaps, increasing production cycle time and significantly impacting assembly consistency and product quality stability.

[0003] While existing technologies can enable industrial robots to automatically position and adjust the vehicle body in two directions (such as the X and Y axes), thus improving automation levels to some extent, and some solutions even achieve hinge tightening within automated workstations, saving time compared to traditional manual tightening, these solutions still fall short of the limitation of two-way adjustment. They cannot proactively compensate for system errors in a third critical direction (such as Z-axis height). Therefore, they fundamentally fail to completely resolve assembly quality defects caused by vehicle body manufacturing deviations, and overall assembly accuracy and adaptability remain limited, making it difficult to meet the demands of high-precision flexible production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problems existing in the background art, this invention proposes an automated assembly process for automotive exterior body panels with three-way adjustment.

[0005] The present invention proposes an automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Step 1: Transport the vehicle body and outer body panels to their respective workstations;

[0007] Step two: Assemble the hinge and outer cover.

[0008] In this step, the manufacturing error of the body and outer body panels is quantified as a fluctuation amount, and the fluctuation amount of the body and outer body panels is actively compensated in one dimension during the assembly of the hinge to compensate for the cumulative deviation in one dimension caused by the manufacturing error.

[0009] Step 3: Assemble the outer body panels and the vehicle body;

[0010] In this step, an industrial robot transfers the outer cover with the hinge assembly completed to the workstation where the car body is located, and adjusts the position of the hinge and the car body in the other two dimensions to complete the assembly.

[0011] Preferably, in step two, the assembly of the hinge and the outer cover specifically includes:

[0012] S1. The industrial robot transfers the hinge to the station where the outer cover is located, and puts the first mounting surface of the hinge into a pre-installation state with the matching surface of the outer cover.

[0013] S2. Determine the positioning direction of the outer body panel and the vehicle body assembly, and select the first reference point on the vehicle body and the second reference point on the outer body panel in that direction;

[0014] S3. Using the set template vehicle as the standard and the first and second reference points as positioning datums, calculate the following in the assembly state:

[0015] The theoretical distance H between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in the positioning direction. l1 ,

[0016] The theoretical distance H between the second reference point of the outer cover and the mating surface of the outer cover in the positioning direction. l2 ;

[0017] S4. Take photos and scan the vehicle body and outer body panels respectively to obtain the actual distance H between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in the positioning direction. s1 The actual distance H between the second reference point of the outer cover and the mating surface of the outer cover in the positioning direction. s2 ;

[0018] S5. Calculate the fluctuation amount, including:

[0019] Vehicle body fluctuation H1 = H s1 -H l1 ,

[0020] External cover fluctuation H2 = H s2 -H l2 ;

[0021] S6. Adjust the position of the hinge in the positioning direction according to the fluctuations H1 and H2 to compensate for the cumulative deviation in the positioning direction caused by manufacturing errors;

[0022] S7. The industrial robot fixes the first mounting surface of the hinge to the mating surface of the outer cover.

[0023] Preferably, in step three, the assembly of the outer body panel with the vehicle body is performed, specifically including:

[0024] S1. An industrial robot transfers the outer cover with hinges to the work station where the car body is located, and puts the second mounting surface of the hinges into a pre-installation state with the matching surface of the car body.

[0025] S2. Adjust the second mounting surface of the hinge to a preset position in two directions other than the positioning direction, where the other two directions are two coordinate axis directions orthogonal to the positioning direction;

[0026] S3. The industrial robot fixes the second mounting surface of the hinge to the matching surface of the vehicle body.

[0027] Preferably, the theoretical distance value H l1 and H l2 Determined based on CAD data or measured benchmark values ​​of the prototype vehicle.

[0028] Preferably, the actual distance value H s1 and H s2 Acquired through scanning measurements using a vision system or laser measurement system.

[0029] Preferably, the positioning direction is any one of the X, Y, or Z directions.

[0030] Preferably, the outer cover is a back door, and the positioning direction is Z-axis.

[0031] Preferably, the first reference point is the taillight mounting hole on the side panel of the vehicle body, and the second reference point is the taillight mounting hole on the tailgate.

[0032] Preferably, the outer cover is a machine cover, and the positioning direction is Y-axis.

[0033] Preferably, the first reference point is the process hole or latch mounting point on the front beam of the vehicle body, and the second reference point is the hood lock mounting point on the hood.

[0034] Preferably, the outer cover is a car door, and the positioning direction is the Y direction.

[0035] Preferably, the work station where the outer cover is located is provided with a centering platform, which is provided with a first included angle for fixing the outer cover, a second clamp for fixing the hinge, and a drive mechanism connected to the second included angle for driving the second clamp to move in the positioning direction.

[0036] Preferably, the drive mechanism is a servo variable pitch mechanism.

[0037] This invention quantifies the manufacturing errors of the vehicle body and outer body panels as fluctuations, and actively compensates for these fluctuations in one dimension. Combined with adjustments made by an industrial robot in the other two dimensions, it ultimately achieves full-degree-of-freedom error adaptation in three-dimensional space for the hinges. This not only eliminates manual adjustments and saves time, but more importantly, it significantly improves the surface differences and gap consistency between the outer body panels and the vehicle body, thereby enhancing overall vehicle assembly quality and production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustable directions of the hinges, tailgate, and body in an automated assembly process for a three-way adjustable automotive exterior panel proposed in this invention.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the measurement points in the Z direction between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in an automatic assembly process for a three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panel proposed in this invention.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the measuring point in the Z direction of the first reference point of the tailgate and the matching surface of the tailgate in an automatic assembly process for a three-way adjustable automotive exterior panel proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The present invention proposes an automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels, comprising the following steps:

[0042] Step 1: Transport the vehicle body and exterior panels to the corresponding work stations. The exterior panels are the tailgate, doors, or engine hood.

[0043] Step two, assemble the hinge and outer cover, including:

[0044] S1. The industrial robot transfers the hinge to the station where the outer cover is located, and puts the first mounting surface of the hinge into a pre-installation state with the matching surface of the outer cover.

[0045] S2. Determine the positioning direction of the outer body panel and the vehicle body assembly, and select the first reference point on the vehicle body and the second reference point on the outer body panel in this direction. Specifically: when the outer body panel is a tailgate, the positioning direction is Z-direction; when the outer body panel is a hood or a door, the positioning direction is Y-direction.

[0046] S3. Using the set template vehicle as the standard and the first and second reference points as positioning datums, calculate the following in the assembly state:

[0047] The theoretical distance H between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in the positioning direction. l1 The theoretical distance H between the second reference point of the outer cover and the mating surface of the outer cover in the positioning direction. l2Specifically: theoretical distance value H l1 and H l2 This is determined based on CAD data or measured benchmark values ​​from a prototype vehicle.

[0048] S4. An industrial robot equipped with a vision system or laser measurement system takes photos and scans the vehicle body and outer covering to obtain:

[0049] The actual distance H between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in the positioning direction. s1 The actual distance H between the second reference point of the outer cover and the mating surface of the outer cover in the positioning direction. s2 ;

[0050] S5. Calculate the fluctuation amount, including:

[0051] Vehicle body fluctuation H1 = H s1 -H l1 ,

[0052] External cover fluctuation H2 = H s2 -H l2 ;

[0053] S6. Adjust the position of the hinge in the positioning direction according to the fluctuation amounts H1 and H2. Specifically: A centering platform is set up at the station where the outer cover is located. The centering platform includes a first included angle for fixing the outer cover, a second clamp for fixing the hinge, and a drive mechanism connected to the second included angle to drive the second clamp to move in the positioning direction. Its specific working principle is as follows: The industrial robot grabs the back plate and transfers it to the centering platform, where it is clamped by the first clamp; the industrial robot grabs the hinge and transfers it to the centering platform, where it is clamped by the second clamp. The drive mechanism drives the second clamp to move along the set direction according to the total compensation amount (H1+H2) to compensate for the cumulative deviation in the positioning direction caused by manufacturing errors.

[0054] S7. The industrial robot fixes the first mounting surface of the hinge to the matching surface of the outer cover.

[0055] Step 3: Assemble the outer body panels and the vehicle body, including:

[0056] S1. An industrial robot transfers the outer cover with hinges to the work station where the car body is located, and puts the second mounting surface of the hinges into a pre-installation state with the matching surface of the car body.

[0057] S2. Adjust the second mounting surface of the hinge to a preset position in two coordinate axes orthogonal to the positioning direction other than the positioning direction;

[0058] S3. The industrial robot fixes the second mounting surface of the hinge to the matching surface of the vehicle body.

[0059] Example 1

[0060] Taking the assembly of the hinges between the tailgate and the side panel of a car as an example, the specific steps are as follows:

[0061] Step 1: Transport the vehicle body and outer body panels to their respective workstations;

[0062] Step two, assemble the hinge and outer cover, including:

[0063] S1. The industrial robot picks up the hinge from the rack, transfers it to the workstation where the back door is located, and places the hinge on the second fixture of the centering platform. Through visual guidance and force control perception, the industrial robot makes the first mounting surface of the hinge initially fit with the matching surface of the back door, and enters the pre-installation state.

[0064] S2, such as Figure 1 As shown, when the hinge is assembled with the tailgate, the Y and Z directions can be adjusted, while when the tailgate with the hinge is assembled with the body, the X and Y directions can be adjusted. Therefore, the Z direction is taken as the positioning direction for the assembly of the tailgate with the body, and the taillight mounting hole on the side of the body is selected as the first reference point and the taillight mounting hole on the tailgate as the second reference point in this direction.

[0065] S3. Calculation of theoretical distance:

[0066] Pre-enter the standard data of the prototype vehicle, and calculate the theoretical distance H in the Z direction between the taillight mounting hole on the side panel of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body hinge based on the selected first and second reference points. l1 The theoretical distance H between the taillight mounting hole on the tailgate and the mating surface of the tailgate hinge in the Z direction. l2 ;

[0067] S4. Actual distance measurement:

[0068] like Figure 2-3 As shown, a vision system is used to scan and measure the current vehicle body and tailgate to obtain the actual distance H in the Z direction between the taillight mounting hole on the side panel of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body hinge. s1 The actual distance H between the taillight mounting hole on the tailgate and the mating surface of the tailgate hinge in the Z direction. s2 ;

[0069] S5. Calculate the fluctuation amount, including:

[0070] Calculate the vehicle body error (fluctuation): H1 = H s1 -H l1 ,

[0071] Calculate the backdoor error (fluctuation): H2 = H s2 -H l2 ;

[0072] S6. The control system generates instructions based on the total compensation amount (H1+H2) to drive the servo module on the centering platform to move the second fixture and its hinges in the Z direction by a corresponding distance, thereby compensating for the cumulative deviation in height caused by manufacturing errors.

[0073] S7. After the position adjustment is completed, the industrial robot uses an automatic tightening gun to pass the screw through the through hole on the hinge and screw it into the threaded hole on the back door to complete the fixing of the hinge and the back door.

[0074] Step 3: Assemble the outer body panels and the vehicle body, including:

[0075] S1. The industrial robot picks up the rear door with the hinges already assembled, moves it to the workstation where the vehicle body is located, and, under the real-time guidance of the vision system, adjusts the posture of the rear door so that the second mounting surface of the hinge is initially aligned with the matching surface on the side panel of the vehicle body, and enters the pre-installation state.

[0076] S2. Based on the Z-axis position determined in step two, the industrial robot, according to feedback from the vision system, fine-tunes the position of the tailgate in the X-axis (front and back) and Y-axis (left and right), which are orthogonal to the Z-axis, until the through hole on the hinge plate is completely aligned with the mounting hole on the side of the vehicle body, thus achieving the preset assembly position.

[0077] S3. Maintaining the centering position, the industrial robot uses an automatic tightening gun to pass the screw through the through hole on the second mounting surface of the hinge and screw it into the threaded hole on the side panel of the vehicle body, thus completing the automated assembly of the tailgate and the vehicle body.

[0078] Example 2

[0079] When the outer covering is a hood or a door, the assembly principle is the same. The Y-axis (vehicle's longitudinal direction) is selected as the positioning direction. In this case, the first reference point on the vehicle body can be the process hole or latch mounting point on the front longitudinal beam, and the second reference point on the hood can be the hood lock mounting point. The drive mechanism for the center console will accordingly compensate for this movement in the Y-axis.

[0080] As shown above, this implementation method obtains the actual deviation through non-contact visual measurement, quantifies it as a fluctuation, and actively compensates for the fluctuations in one dimension by combining the two. Combined with adjustments made by the industrial robot in the other two dimensions, it ultimately achieves full-degree-of-freedom error adaptation in three-dimensional space for the hinge. This not only eliminates the manual adjustment step and saves time, but more importantly, it significantly improves the surface difference and gap consistency between the outer body panels and the vehicle body assembly, thereby improving the overall vehicle assembly quality and production efficiency.

[0081] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated assembly process for a three-way adjustable automotive exterior panel, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Transport the vehicle body and outer body panels to their respective workstations; Step two: Assemble the hinge and outer cover. In this step, the manufacturing error of the body and outer body panels is quantified as a fluctuation amount, and the fluctuation amount of the body and outer body panels is actively compensated in one dimension during the assembly of the hinge to compensate for the cumulative deviation in one dimension caused by the manufacturing error. Step 3: Assemble the outer body panels and the vehicle body; In this step, an industrial robot transfers the outer cover with the hinge assembly completed to the workstation where the car body is located, and adjusts the position of the hinge and the car body in the other two dimensions to complete the assembly.

2. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step two, the assembly of the hinge and the outer cover, specifically includes: S1. The industrial robot transfers the hinge to the station where the outer cover is located, and puts the first mounting surface of the hinge into a pre-installation state with the matching surface of the outer cover. S2. Determine the positioning direction of the outer body panel and the vehicle body assembly, and select the first reference point on the vehicle body and the second reference point on the outer body panel in that direction; S3. Using the set template vehicle as the standard and the first and second reference points as positioning datums, calculate the following in the assembly state: The theoretical distance H between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in the positioning direction. l1 , The theoretical distance H between the second reference point of the outer cover and the mating surface of the outer cover in the positioning direction. l2 ; S4. Take photos and scan the vehicle body and outer body panels respectively to obtain the actual distance H between the first reference point of the vehicle body and the matching surface of the vehicle body in the positioning direction. s1 The actual distance H between the second reference point of the outer cover and the mating surface of the outer cover in the positioning direction. s2 ; S5. Calculate the fluctuation amount, including: Vehicle body fluctuation H1 = H s1 -H l1 , External cover fluctuation H2 = H s2 -H l2 ; S6. Adjust the position of the hinge in the positioning direction according to the fluctuations H1 and H2 to compensate for the cumulative deviation in the positioning direction caused by manufacturing errors; S7. The industrial robot fixes the first mounting surface of the hinge to the mating surface of the outer cover.

3. The automatic assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 2, characterized in that, Step three involves assembling the outer body panels to the vehicle body, specifically including: S1. An industrial robot transfers the outer cover with hinges to the work station where the car body is located, and puts the second mounting surface of the hinges into a pre-installation state with the matching surface of the car body. S2. Adjust the second mounting surface of the hinge to a preset position in two directions other than the positioning direction, where the other two directions are two coordinate axis directions orthogonal to the positioning direction; S3. The industrial robot fixes the second mounting surface of the hinge to the matching surface of the vehicle body.

4. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, Theoretical distance value H l1 and H l2 Determined based on CAD data or measured benchmark values ​​of the prototype vehicle.

5. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, Actual distance value H s1 and H s2 Acquired through scanning measurements using a vision system or laser measurement system.

6. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning direction can be any of the X, Y, or Z directions.

7. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer cover is a tailgate, and the positioning direction is Z-axis; preferably, the first reference point is the taillight mounting hole on the side of the vehicle body, and the second reference point is the taillight mounting hole on the tailgate.

8. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer cover is a hood, and the positioning direction is Y-axis; preferably, the first reference point is the process hole or latch mounting point on the front beam of the vehicle body, and the second reference point is the hood lock mounting point on the hood.

9. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer cover is a car door, and the positioning direction is Y-axis.

10. The automated assembly process for three-way adjustable automotive exterior body panels according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The workstation where the outer cover is located is equipped with a centering platform. The centering platform is equipped with a first included angle for fixing the outer cover, a second clamp for fixing the hinge, and a drive mechanism connected to the second included angle for driving the second clamp to move in the positioning direction. Preferably, the drive mechanism is a servo variable pitch mechanism.

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