초록 ▼

The present invention generally relates to a method and programmable apparatus for the assembly of body components to an automotive body that has undergone a progressive series of framing and welding steps so as to produce a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white. More specifically, t

The present invention generally relates to a method and programmable apparatus for the assembly of body components to an automotive body that has undergone a progressive series of framing and welding steps so as to produce a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white. More specifically, this invention relates to creating a new net locating scheme (X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinate system) for a body-in-white to direct associated tooling to create net attachment features on a rigid body frame with respect to a new net locating scheme so that components may be attached to a automotive body at a net location eliminating the need for any slip plane attachment techniques.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for creating a master net attachment feature for attaching at least one outer body panel to a complimentary inner body panel of an automobile vehicle body previously welded in a framing station, said automobile vehicle body defined by X, Y and Z Cartesian Coordina

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for creating a master net attachment feature for attaching at least one outer body panel to a complimentary inner body panel of an automobile vehicle body previously welded in a framing station, said automobile vehicle body defined by X, Y and Z Cartesian Coordinates, said apparatus comprising:means for creating an adjusted net feature location of at least one primary location point in each of said X, Y and Z directions of said automobile vehicle body previously welded in a framing station by determining an imprecise distance difference in each of said X, Y and Z directions between an actual as-built location of said at least one primary locating point and a design-intent location of said at least one primary locating point and creating a median point of said imprecise distance in each of said X, Y and Z directions to define said adjusted net feature location;at least one programmable robot located net relative to said adjusted net feature location;at least one work performing device attached to said at least one programmable robot; andprogrammable means for directing said at least one programmable robot to perform work in the form of creating at least one master net attachment feature at a preselected location on said automotive vehicle body previously welded in said framing station, said at least one master net attachment feature providing a net attachment reference in at least two dimensional planes of said three dimensional body structure defined by said X, Y and Z Cartesian Coordinates, at which at least one setting fixture holding said at least one outer body panel net locates to attach said at least one outer body panel to said complimentary inner body panel of said automobile vehicle body, said programmable means further directing said at least one programmable robot to create an additional attachment feature at a second pre-selected location on said automotive vehicle body previously welded in said framing station, said additional attachment feature providing an axial alignment feature for one of said at least two dimensional planes of said three dimensional automotive vehicle body structure defined by said X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinates, said additional alignment feature providing axial alignment for said at least one setting fixture whereby as said at least one setting fixture having said at least one outer body panel attached thereto is located in said at least one master net attachment feature and said additional attachment feature, said at least one outer body panel thereby net locates to said complimentary inner body panel of said automotive vehicle body whereby said at least one outer body panel is attached, without the use of slip planes, to said complimentary inner body panel.