Parallel cell-based mobility production system

The parallel cell-based mobility production system addresses the challenge of diverse customer needs by allowing flexible production of multiple vehicle models through a serial and parallel line configuration, ensuring continuous production and rapid equipment adaptation.

JP7712841B2Active Publication Date: 2025-07-24HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2021169009
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2021-01-21
Filing Date
2021-10-14
Publication Date
2025-07-24
Estimated Expiration
2041-10-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing vehicle production methods struggle to adapt to diverse customer needs, face production volume restrictions, and are inflexible in handling multiple vehicle models, making it difficult to meet changing demands and maintain production continuity.

Method used

A parallel cell-based mobility production system comprising a serial production line, parallel production line, and inspection line, where vehicles pass through cells arranged in series and sub-lines to accommodate various models, allowing individual cell operation settings and flexible production adjustments.

Benefits of technology

Enables production of multiple vehicle models while ensuring flexibility, allowing continuous production despite abnormalities, increasing volume without shutdown, and enabling rapid equipment changes, suitable for both suburban and urban factory installations.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a parallel cell based mobility production system.SOLUTION: An embodiment parallel cell based mobility production system includes a serial production line 100 through which vehicles of various types sequentially pass to be processed, a parallel production line composed of a plurality of sublines arranged in parallel, each subline provided with a plurality of cells arranged in serials, and an inspection line 500 in which the vehicles of various types passed through the parallel production line are sequentially fed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a parallel cell-based mobility production system that can absorb the diversity of customer needs through the production of multiple vehicle models during vehicle production, can continue production even when an abnormality occurs during the process, can increase production volume without shutdown and separate construction, can individually set the operation of each cell, thus ensuring flexibility, can quickly change production facilities due to rapid changes in the product cycle, and can be installed and operated not only in a factory in the suburbs but also in a factory inside a building in the city center.

Background Art

[0002] The present invention relates to a vehicle production method for future adaptation. Conventionally, a consistent mass production method centered on a conveyor has been maintained. However, in the future society, the industry is changing mainly towards electric vehicles, diversity is emphasized, and in order to meet customer needs, it is expected that a change in the customer-centered manufacturing method will be necessary.

[0003] Conventionally, vehicles are input in a consistent sequence, and production is carried out in a consistent sequence until the completed vehicles come out. The working hours of all processes are the same, and vehicles with parts exceeding the working hours are difficult to input and production volume restrictions occur. That is, it is judged that there are difficulties in meeting the diverse customer needs of the future society while maintaining the production structure unique to mass production for a consistent small variety. Therefore, it is necessary to innovate a manufacturing method that can easily and quickly produce multiple vehicle models at one location, breaking away from such traditional vehicle production methods. The matters described as the above background art are for enhancing the understanding of the background of the present invention, and should not be accepted as corresponding to the prior art known to those with ordinary knowledge in this technical field.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention has been proposed to solve such problems, and can absorb the diversity of customer needs through the production of multiple vehicle models during vehicle production, continue production even when an abnormality occurs during the process, increase the production volume without shutdown and separate construction, can individually set the operation of each cell, ensuring flexibility, and can quickly change the production equipment due to a rapid change in the product cycle, and provides a parallel cell-based mobility production system that can be installed and operated not only in a factory in the suburbs but also in a factory inside a building in the city center.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a parallel cell-based mobility production system that enables the production of various vehicle models through one production system, and is composed of one or more cells arranged in series, through which vehicles of various vehicle models pass sequentially and production operations are performed, a serial production line, a parallel production line composed of a plurality of sub-lines arranged in parallel, each sub-line being provided with a plurality of cells arranged in series, and the sub-lines being matched according to vehicle models so that the vehicles passing through the serial production line are input into the corresponding sub-lines according to vehicle models, and an inspection line into which vehicles of various vehicle models passing through the parallel production line are sequentially input.

[0007] The serial production line can perform pre-work and the installation process of the chassis.

[0008] The serial production line is composed of the plurality of cells arranged in series, and each cell can sequentially perform pre-work and the installation process of the chassis.

[0009] The in-line production line is composed of a pre-work cell, a chassis alignment work cell, a drive module installation cell, and a chassis mounting cell arranged in sequence. Vehicles of various vehicle models sequentially pass through their respective cells for operations to be performed.

[0010] In the sub-line of the parallel production line, the plurality of cells assigned with specific operations are arranged in series. In some cases of the plurality of sub-lines, the corresponding cells can be shared.

[0011] The sub-line of the parallel production line is composed of an indoor and outdoor trimming work cell, an option installation cell, a bumper installation cell, a wheel installation cell, and a door installation cell arranged in sequence. Vehicles of the vehicle models corresponding to the sub-line sequentially pass through their respective cells for operations to be performed.

[0012] The option installation cell, the wheel installation cell, and the door installation cell of the sub-line are provided in a number less than the total number of the sub-lines, and each sub-line can share the option installation cell, the wheel installation cell, and the door installation cell with each other.

[0013] The indoor and outdoor trimming work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The first cell can perform one or more of wire harness installation, seat belt installation, and roof rack installation of the vehicle.

[0014] The indoor and outdoor trimming work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The second cell can perform one or more of crash pad installation, headlining installation, and washer fluid reservoir installation.

[0015] The indoor and outdoor trimming work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The third cell can perform one or more of indoor trim installation, indoor console installation, air conditioning duct installation, and floor carpet installation.

[0016] The option part mounting cell can perform one or more of seat installation, glass installation, and FEM installation.

[0017] The bumper mounting cell can perform one or more of bumper installation, pedal installation, wiper installation, and wiring harness installation.

[0018] The wheel mounting cell can perform one or more of wheel installation, tire installation, and under cover installation.

[0019] The in-line production line and the inspection line are respectively provided on both sides, and the parallel production line can be provided between the in-line production line and the inspection line.

[0020] The plurality of sub-lines of the parallel production line are arranged continuously in the vertical direction, and a vehicle model with a larger production quantity can pass through a sub-line arranged higher.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to the parallel cell-based mobility production system of the present invention, during vehicle production, the diversity of customer needs can be absorbed through the production of multiple vehicle models. Even when an abnormality occurs during the process, production can continue, and the production volume can be increased without shutdown and separate construction. Since the operation of each cell can be set individually, flexibility is ensured, and rapid changes in production equipment due to early product cycle changes are possible. It can be installed and operated not only in a factory in the suburbs but also in a factory inside a building in the city center.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a parallel cell-based mobility production system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a manual cell of a parallel cell-based mobility production system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an automatic cell of a parallel cell-based mobility production system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 to 5 are drawings showing an operation method of a parallel cell-based mobility production system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a parallel cell-based mobility production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to the present invention is a parallel cell-based mobility production system that enables various vehicle types to be produced through one production system. It is composed of one or more cells arranged in series, and a serial production line (100) in which vehicles of various vehicle types pass sequentially and production work is carried out, and a parallel production line (300) composed of a plurality of sub-lines arranged in parallel. Each sub-line is provided with a plurality of cells arranged in series, and by matching the sub-lines according to vehicle types, the vehicles passing through the serial production line are put into the corresponding sub-lines according to vehicle types, and an inspection line (500) into which vehicles of various vehicle types passing through the parallel production line are sequentially put.

[0025] The production process of vehicles is very complex and carried out sequentially. In the case of the present invention, this is simplified into a serial production line (100), a parallel production line (300), and an inspection line (500). The serial production line (100) is composed of processes where the change in work is not significant even if the vehicle models are different, by integrating a series of common production processes.

[0026] The parallel production line (300) is composed of a plurality of sub-lines (300’), and each sub-line is arranged in parallel between the serial production line (100) and the inspection line (500). Also, each sub-line is responsible for the production of vehicles of different vehicle models.

[0027] Finally, the inspection line (500) sequentially inspects all vehicles and is a serial line through which various vehicle models commonly pass.

[0028] Specifically, the parallel cell-based mobility production system of the present invention enables the production of vehicles of various vehicle models in one place. When there are a variety of vehicle models, there may be differences in the mounting order for each vehicle model, and there may be differences in the amount of work even for the same type of work. Also, the differences in optional parts between vehicles may be significant, and customers may place special orders separately, so it is difficult to handle with the conventional conveyor production system.

[0029] Therefore, in the case of the present invention, a parallel cell-based mobility production system is proposed that enables the production of various vehicle models through one production system. First, in the case of the serial production line (100), it is composed of one or more cells arranged in series, and vehicles of various vehicle models pass through sequentially so that production work can be carried out.

[0030] The parallel production line (300) is composed of a plurality of sub-lines (300') arranged in parallel. Each sub-line (300') is provided with a plurality of cells arranged in series. And each vehicle passing through the serial production line (100) is matched to a sub-line according to the vehicle type, so that the vehicles passing through the serial production line (100) are put into the corresponding sub-line according to the vehicle type.

[0031] And in the inspection line (500), vehicles of various vehicle types passing through the parallel production line (300) are sequentially input, and inspections and tests are sequentially performed.

[0032] First, the serial production line (100) can perform pre-work and chassis installation processes. Specifically, the serial production line (100) is composed of a plurality of cells arranged in series, and each cell can sequentially perform pre-work and chassis installation processes.

[0033] The serial production line (100) is composed of a pre-work cell (110), a chassis alignment work cell (120), a drive module installation cell (130), and a chassis mounting cell (140) arranged in sequence. Vehicles of various vehicle types sequentially pass through each cell for operations.

[0034] For example, in the case of the pre-work cell (110), the vehicle body is input, and pre-work processes are performed before chassis work. This can be a manual cell performed manually, and operations such as sunroof, engine room work, and wire harness input are carried out. It is represented as line trimming in the drawing.

[0035] And in the case of the chassis alignment work cell (120), it is represented as CM manual 1 in the drawing, and operations such as brake tube, EPCU, and pre-alignment work before decking are carried out.

[0036] In the case of the drive module installation cell (130), it is represented as CM automatic in the drawing, and PE module and high-voltage battery mounting are carried out.

[0037] In the case of the chassis-mounted cell (140), it is represented as CM manual 2 in the drawing, and a wheel speed sensor, a wheel guard, a brake hose, etc. are installed.

[0038] After such a series of processes are sequentially performed on all vehicles, they are put into the sub-lines corresponding to each vehicle type respectively. In particular, by arranging the chassis-mounted cell (140) in the serial production line (100), due to the characteristics of similar chassis operations even for different vehicle types, efficiency can be maintained. In the parallel production line (300), the trim lines can be continuously configured for each vehicle type, ensuring production flexibility.

[0039] In the sub-line (300’) of the parallel production line (300), a plurality of cells assigned with specific operations are arranged in series, and in some cases of a plurality of sub-lines, the corresponding cells can be shared.

[0040] That is, the sub-line (300’) of the parallel production line (300) is composed of sequentially arranged indoor and outdoor trim work cells, option part mounting cells, bumper mounting cells, wheel mounting cells, and door mounting cells. Vehicles of the vehicle type corresponding to the sub-line pass through each cell in sequence for operations to be performed.

[0041] And the option part mounting cells, wheel mounting cells, and door mounting cells of the sub-line are provided in a number less than the total number of the sub-line, and each sub-line can share the option part mounting cells, wheel mounting cells, and door mounting cells with each other.

[0042] Also, the indoor and outdoor trim work cell is composed of sequentially arranged first cell (310), second cell (320), and third cell (330). The first cell (310) is represented as T manual in the drawing and can perform one or more of wire harness installation, seat belt installation, and roof rack installation of the vehicle.

[0043] The indoor and outdoor trim work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The second cell (320) is represented as TA in the drawing and can perform one or more of the following operations: installing a crash pad, installing a headlining, and installing a washer fluid reservoir.

[0044] The indoor and outdoor trim work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The third cell (330) is represented as F1 manual in the drawing and can perform one or more of the following operations: installing indoor trim, installing an indoor console, installing an air conditioning duct, and installing a floor carpet.

[0045] Also, the optional equipment installation cell (340) is represented as FA1 in the drawing and can perform one or more of the following operations: installing seats, installing glass, and installing FEM.

[0046] The bumper installation cell (350) is represented as F2 manual in the drawing and can perform one or more of the following operations: installing a bumper, installing pedals, installing wipers, and installing wire harnesses.

[0047] The wheel installation cell (360) is represented as FA2 in the drawing and can perform one or more of the following operations: installing wheels, installing tires, and installing undercovers.

[0048] The door installation cell (370) is represented as F3 manual in the drawing, and doors and weather strips are installed.

[0049] Each vehicle has a sub-line arranged according to the corresponding vehicle type, moves along the sub-line, and various parts are installed. Then, the vehicles exiting the sub-line are sequentially fed into the inspection line (500) to undergo various inspections and tests.

[0050] On one hand, as shown in the figure, the serial production line and the inspection line are respectively provided on both sides, and the parallel production line can be provided between the serial production line and the inspection line. And a plurality of sub-lines of the parallel production line are continuously arranged in the up-down direction on the drawing, and the sub-line located at the upper part can be passed through by the vehicle models with a larger production quantity.

[0051] Figures 4 to 5 are drawings showing an operation method of a parallel cell-based mobility production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the case of Figure 4, it shows that in the case of a vehicle with the largest production quantity, for example, a small car, production can be carried out through the sub-line (300) located at the uppermost part. Thereby, the vehicle with the largest production quantity can form a movement locus that is as close to a straight line as possible and can be produced most quickly.

[0052] In the case of Figure 5, it shows sharing the FA1 cell, and shows the process of making production efficient by sharing the option part mounting cell located in the middle by different sub-lines (300, 300'). For example, in the case of a cell such as an option part mounting cell that is not diverse for each vehicle model or is responsible for a process with relatively fast work, sharing the cell by a plurality of sub-lines can reduce production costs and improve space utilization.

[0053] In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the option part mounting cell, wheel mounting cell, and door mounting cell of the sub-line are provided in a number (2 to 3) less than the total number of the sub-line (4), and each sub-line can mutually share the option part mounting cell, wheel mounting cell, and door mounting cell.

[0054] Also, in this case, for vehicle models with a relatively fast production flow such as small cars, the sub-line (300) with the shortest movement distance is utilized. In the case of large cars, etc., since the production quantity is small, by utilizing the lower sub-line (300'), mixed-flow production of various vehicle models is possible, and the production route during mixed-flow production can be dualized to improve efficiency.

[0055] On the one hand, these cells are divided into manual cells where manual work is performed and automatic cells where robots perform automatic assembly. In the case of Fig. 2, an example of a manual cell is shown, and in the case of Fig. 3, an example of an automatic cell is shown.

[0056] And each cell can be easily moved within the factory, and the production efficiency can be improved through efficient cell rearrangement. When maintenance or replacement of a specific sub-line is required, additional sub-lines can be added for maintenance, so that production can be carried out continuously without interruption.

[0057] According to the parallel cell-based mobility production system of the present invention, during vehicle production, the diversity of customer needs can be absorbed through the production of multiple vehicle models. Even when an abnormality occurs during the process, production can continue, and the production volume can be increased without shutdown and separate construction. Since the operation of each cell can be set individually, flexibility is ensured, and rapid changes in production facilities due to early product cycle changes are possible. It can be installed and operated not only in a factory located in the suburbs but also in a factory inside a building in the city center.

[0058] Although illustrated and described in connection with specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those having ordinary knowledge in the art that the present invention can be variously modified and changed within the scope not departing from the technical idea of the present invention provided by the following claims.

Explanation of Signs

[0059] 100 Serial production line 110 Pre-operation cell 120 Chassis alignment work cell 130 Drive module installation cell 140 Chassis mounting cell 300 Parallel production line 300’ Sub-line 310 First cell 320 Second cell 330 Third cell 340 Option part mounting cell 350 Bumper mounting cell 360 Wheel-mounted cell 370 Door-mounted cell 500 Inspection line

Claims

1. A parallel cell-based mobility production system that enables the production of various vehicle models through a single production system, comprising: A serial production line composed of one or more cells arranged in series, through which vehicles of the various vehicle models sequentially pass for production operations; A parallel production line composed of a plurality of sub-lines arranged in parallel, each sub-line being provided with a plurality of cells arranged in series, and by matching the sub-lines according to vehicle models, the vehicles passing through the serial production line are fed into the corresponding sub-lines according to vehicle models; and An inspection line into which the vehicles of the various vehicle models passing through the parallel production line are sequentially fed. The parallel cell-based mobility production system is characterized in that different sub-lines share an optional part mounting cell located in the middle.

2. The serial production line performs pre-work and chassis installation processes. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to Claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The serial production line is composed of the plurality of cells arranged in series, and each cell sequentially performs pre-work and chassis installation processes. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to Claim 1, characterized in that.

4. The serial production line is composed of a pre-work cell, a chassis alignment work cell, a drive module installation cell, and a chassis mounting cell arranged in sequence, and vehicles of the various vehicle models sequentially pass through each cell for operations. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to Claim 1, characterized in that.

5. In the sub-lines of the parallel production line, the plurality of cells assigned with specific operations are arranged in series, and the plurality of sub-lines share the corresponding cells in some operations. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to Claim 1, characterized in that.

6. The sub-lines of the parallel production line are composed of an indoor and outdoor trimming work cell, the optional part mounting cell, a bumper mounting cell, a wheel mounting cell, and a door mounting cell arranged in sequence, and vehicles of the vehicle models corresponding to the sub-lines sequentially pass through each cell for operations. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to Claim 1, characterized in that.

7. The option part mounting cell, the wheel mounting cell, and the door mounting cell of the sub-line are provided in a number less than the number of the entire sub-line, and each sub-line mutually shares the option part mounting cell, the wheel mounting cell, and the door mounting cell. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. The indoor and outdoor trim work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The first cell performs one or more of wire harness installation, seat belt installation, and roof rack installation of the vehicle. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

9. The indoor and outdoor trim work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The second cell performs one or more of crash pad installation, headlining installation, and washer fluid reservoir installation. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

10. The indoor and outdoor trim work cell is composed of a first cell, a second cell, and a third cell arranged in sequence. The third cell performs one or more of indoor trim installation, indoor console installation, air conditioning duct installation, and floor carpet installation. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

11. The option part mounting cell performs one or more of seat installation, glass installation, and FEM installation. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

12. The bumper mounting cell performs one or more of bumper installation, pedal installation, wiper installation, and wire harness installation. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

13. The wheel mounting cell performs one or more of wheel installation, tire installation, and under cover installation. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

14. The in-line production line and the inspection line are provided on both sides respectively, and the parallel production line is provided between the in-line production line and the inspection line. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

15. The plurality of sub-lines of the parallel production line are arranged continuously in the vertical direction, and the sub-line through which the vehicle type with a larger production quantity passes is arranged higher. The parallel cell-based mobility production system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

Citation Information

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