Motor Vehicle Rear Wing Lining Assembly Method

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for assembling rear side wing liners in motor vehicles are costly and inefficient, requiring multiple welding stations and tools, while also compromising on the robustness and safety of the assembly process due to the complexity of welding multiple components together.

Innovation Solution

A method that reduces the number of welding stations and tools by assembling all profiles together in one station, all form plates in another, and then combining the reinforcement of profiles with the structure of form plates in a third station, optimizing the production rate and maintaining the robustness and safety of the wing liner by limiting the number of components assembled via spot welds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple welding stations are used to assemble components of the wing liner according to a predefined procedure, then the assembly can be completed, but the production cost increases and the production rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction rateVSAvoidnumber of welding stations
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wing liner assembly is segmented into two main groups: profile components and form plate components. This segmentation allows each group to be assembled separately in dedicated welding stations, simplifying the overall process. The profile assembly and form plate assembly are then joined together in a final welding operation, reducing the total number of welding stations needed while maintaining assembly quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Profile components are pre-assembled into a profile assembly before the final assembly step. Similarly, form plate components are pre-assembled into a form plate assembly. These preliminary assemblies are then joined together in the final welding operation, streamlining the production process and reducing the number of welding stations required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple components are assembled together via spot welds, then the assembly is completed, but the robustness and safety of the wing liner are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverobustness and safetyVSAvoidassembly efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The assembly process is segmented into separate profile assembly and form plate assembly stages, with each stage using spot welds only where necessary. This segmentation limits the cumulative number of spot welds applied to any single component, maintaining structural robustness while improving overall assembly efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Spot welding is applied selectively at specific locations where profile components intersect with form plate components, rather than uniformly across all components. This localized approach ensures structural integrity at critical joints while reducing the total number of spot welds, thereby maintaining safety and robustness without compromising assembly efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach simplifies the assembly process, reduces production costs, and enhances the production rate while ensuring the robustness and safety of the wing liner by limiting the number of components assembled via spot welds, thus improving the overall efficiency and quality of the assembly.

Implementation Method 1

The components of a liner are variously arranged together and individually shaped according to the specific destination of the liner. The liner is thus configured to provide its resistance to forces and/or to locally match the general conformation of the body frame according to the location on the body assigned to the liner.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentEP3755606B1Method for assembling together bodywork elements making up a motor vehicle rear side wing lining
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 PSA AUTOMOBILES SA
  • EP3755606B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3755606B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~4(d)
  • EP3755606B1 patent drawingFigure 5(e)~5(f)

AI summary

The invention concerns a method for assembling together sheet metal components (10a, 10b, 11a-11e) of a motor vehicle rear, side wing lining (7). Said components comprise at least stiffening profile members (11a-11e) and form plates (10a, 10b). A first operation (13a), performed at a first welding station (14a), is an operation for assembling together all of the profile members (11a-11b) included in the wing lining (7), forming a framework (11) of profile members. A second operation (13b), performed at a second welding station (14b), is an operation for assembling together all of the form plates (10a, 10b) included in the wing lining (7), forming a structure (10) of form plates. Next, a third operation (13c), performed at a third welding station (14c), is an operation for assembling together the framework (11) of profile members and the structure (10) of form plates.