Roof Panel Assembly Station with Shaping and Welding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for assembling a roof on a motor vehicle body do not ensure a high-quality installation and welding process, particularly in terms of positioning and conforming the roof to the body's crossmembers and side rails, which affects the overall quality and reliability of the assembly.
Innovation Solution
An assembly station comprising a roof positioning table, a handling robot, a spot welding robot, and a laser welding cabin, where the roof is positioned relative to the side rails and crossmembers, and then welded using electric spot welding and laser welding techniques, with a device for shaping the roof to ensure proper alignment and contact with the crossmembers, allowing for efficient and precise assembly of both sheet metal and glazed roofs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a roof positioning table with shaping device is used to ensure precise positioning and conformation of the roof, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shaping device is activated before welding to pre-conform the roof rear to the crossmember, ensuring proper alignment and contact. This preliminary action prevents positioning errors that would require complex adjustments during welding, thereby improving precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaping device acts as an intermediary between the roof and the welding station, preparing the roof geometry to match the crossmember interface. This intermediary function simplifies the overall system by handling conformation separately, allowing the welding station to focus on joining operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple specialized robots (handling robot, spot welding robot, laser welding robot) are used to perform different operations, then manufacturing precision and quality are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The welding process is segmented into distinct operations: spot welding for the roof rear to crossmember and laser welding for side edges. Each operation has a specialized robot, allowing optimization of each welding type without requiring one complex robot to perform all functions. This segmentation improves quality while managing complexity through functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
The handling robot performs multiple functions: positioning the roof on the table, activating the shaping device, and transferring the roof to the welding station. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate robots needed, balancing specialization with complexity reduction.
3Productivity
If the assembly station integrates positioning, shaping, and welding operations in one location, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning table, shaping device, and welding stations are merged into a single integrated assembly station. This allows sequential operations (positioning → shaping → spot welding → laser welding) to be performed without moving the roof between separate stations, improving productivity by eliminating transfer time and maintaining precise positioning throughout the process.
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
The assembly station ensures high-quality installation and welding of the roof by providing precise positioning, automatic centering, and efficient welding processes, reducing cycle time and costs while maintaining control over assembly geometry, thus enhancing the reliability and compactness of the assembly station.
Implementation Method 1
a robot of loading being located between these containers and this table
Implementation Method 2
which on the one hand, is provided with a spot welding robot dedicated at least to welding the rear of the roof on the rear cross member
Implementation Method 3
which, on the other hand, on a case transport line is upstream of an edge welding cabin sides of the pavilion to the stretchers
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly station (10) intended for mounting a roof (13) on top of a motor vehicle body shell (11) comprising two body shell sides provided with upper side rails connected by a rear crossmember. Said station comprises a roof positioning table (29) so as to make same available for handling via a system (23) for placing the roof, positioning same on the body shell and shaping the rear thereof. The table (29) is close to an electric spot-welding station. Said system is associated with a handling robot (53) for carrying the roof from the table to said welding station which is provided with a spot-welding robot (25) for welding the rear of the roof onto the crossmember. On a body shell transport line (21), the welding station is upstream from a cabin (33) for laser welding of the side edges of the roof to the side rails.