Abstract: Seals in an automotive body are inspected for leaks by sensing ultrasonic energy passing through a seal. Either of an ultrasonic emitter or detector is scanned along a seal outside the body by a robot and the other is inside the body. The emitter operates at frequencies of 65 to 80 kHz and repetitively sweeps through a range of 6 kHz. The body may be either open or closed.

Abstract: A method of using a robot to apply a weatherstrip to a flange extending about an opening in a vehicle body wherein the weatherstrip is coiled on an end effector which in turn unwinds and rolls the weatherstrip onto the flange starting from a predetermined starting position on the flange to a stop position a predetermined distance short of the starting position.The unwound weatherstrip is lifted away from the flange at the stop position and then held and cut-off at a point determined by the above-mentioned predetermined distance so that the weatherstrip being applied to the flange will then abut end-to-end whereafter the cut end of the weatherstrip is retrieved and applied to the flange.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of using a robot with a single fixture to install a headliner in a vehicle body on an assembly line wherein both the configuration of the vehicle body and the material and/or color as well as the configuration of the headliner vary and are combined at an assembly station.