Robot Applicator With Flexible Joint for Flanged Seam Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing applicators are not suitable for automatically applying a sealing compound to the flanged seams of motor vehicle body components, requiring high personnel effort and positioning accuracy, which is economically inefficient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A multi-axis robot-guided applicator with a flexible joint that allows evasive movement of the nozzle, reducing the need for precise positioning accuracy and enabling efficient application of sealing compounds to flanged seams, even when the component is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a coating robot is used to automatically apply sealing compound to flanged seams, then personnel expenditure is reduced, but positioning accuracy requirements become extremely high, increasing equipment complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The applicator incorporates a flexible joint that allows dynamic adjustment of the nozzle position relative to the base body. This flexibility enables the system to adapt to positioning deviations automatically, reducing the stringency of fixed positioning accuracy requirements while maintaining automated application capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible joint changes the geometric parameters between the base body and nozzle, allowing evasive movements in multiple directions. This parameter flexibility compensates for robot positioning errors without requiring the robot to maintain extremely high positioning accuracy throughout the entire operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual application of sealing compound is used, then positioning accuracy requirements are low, but personnel expenditure and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible joint acts as an intermediary element between the robot and the nozzle. It absorbs positioning errors and provides evasive movement capability, enabling automated application with lower positioning accuracy requirements than would otherwise be needed, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automation benefits.
3Device complexity
If the nozzle is rigidly fixed to the base body, then device complexity is low, but the applicator cannot compensate for positioning errors, reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible joint introduces dynamic movement capability to the applicator, allowing the nozzle to move evasively relative to the base body. This dynamic adjustment compensates for robot positioning errors and ensures reliable sealing compound application even when positioning accuracy is not extremely high.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an applicator for the application of a coating agent, in particular a sealant, to a component, in particular to a flanged seam (1) of part of a motor vehicle body, comprising a nozzle for delivering the coating agent onto the part and a basic body (14), which is guided during operation by a multiaxial robot, and comprising a compliant linkage (17), which is kinematically arranged between the basic body (14) and the nozzle and allows an evasive movement of the nozzle in relation to the basic body (14). The invention also comprises a corresponding application method.