Modular Production Cells for Flexible Vehicle Body Part Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current production systems in the automotive industry lack flexibility to produce vehicle body parts with increasing individualization and varying lot sizes, particularly failing to accommodate 'lot size of one' without significant adaptations.
Innovation Solution
A modular production station design with coupled production cells via a connecting axle and robots, featuring automated guided vehicle transport systems, multiple robots for handling and joining processes, and a common receiving arrangement store, enabling flexible processing of various workpieces and components across cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If production systems are designed for standard lot sizes with fixed geometries, then manufacturing efficiency is maintained, but flexibility to accommodate individualized workpieces and varying lot sizes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The production system is divided into multiple independent production cells (first production cell, second production cell) that can be individually configured and operated. Each cell contains its own receiving arrangement store and can process workpieces independently, allowing the system to adapt to different lot sizes and individualization requirements without requiring complete system reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The production cells are designed with universal capabilities to handle various workpiece types and geometries. The receiving arrangement stores can accommodate different receiving arrangements for different workpiece geometries, and the cells can perform multiple functions (processing, joining, forming) making the system versatile for individualized production without requiring separate dedicated lines for each workpiece type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If production cells are coupled via connecting axle with robots, then versatility for different workpiece processing is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting axle with integrated robots serves as an intermediary element that bridges the first and second production cells. This mediator enables workpiece transfer and additional processing operations between cells, providing versatility for different workpiece workflows while encapsulating the complexity within a standardized interface component rather than requiring complex direct coupling between all system elements.
3Productivity
If receiving arrangement stores are assigned to multiple production cells, then resource utilization improves, but access and transport complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first receiving arrangement store and second receiving arrangement store are merged into a common receiving arrangement store that serves both production cells. This consolidation improves resource utilization by sharing storage capacity and receiving arrangements across cells, while the automated guided vehicle transport system provides standardized access mechanisms that manage the complexity of serving multiple cells from a single shared resource.
Data Source
AI summary
A production station for vehicle body parts is configured in a modular manner and has at least two production cells (8, 10; 12, 14), each of which has a separate work area (16, 18; 20, 22). The work areas have uniformly disposed robots (64, 66, 68, 70) and receiving arrangements (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) that interact with the robots. At least one transport arrangement (56) for required components (58, 60, 62) and workpieces (44, 46) is provided for both production cells (8, 10; 12, 14). A receiving arrangement store (24, 26; 28, 30; 110) with all of the receiving arrangements is assigned to each production cell (8, 10; 12, 14), and a transport arrangement (48, 50; 52, 54; 111) is provided for at least one production cell. The production cells are coupled to one another via a connecting axle (102) having at least one connecting robot (104).