Abstract: A vehicle body assembly line locator assembly (16) includes locators (18) having locator pins (82) received by vehicle body positioning holes (84) upon upward movement to provide accurate positioning. As the locator pins (82) are moved upwardly and initially move into the vehicle body positioning holes (84), horizontal power actuators (50,58) are deactuated to permit back driving of the locator pins to permit full insertion. The upward movement is continued so that vertical rest surfaces (80) of locator heads (78) contact the vehicle body (20) and provide lifting thereof upwardly off a system conveyor, and the power actuators then move the vehicle body to the proper positioning for further assembly.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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 an automotive body at a net location eliminating the need for any slip plane attachment techniques.

Abstract: A system (20) and method for hemming a vehicle body closure (32) includes a corner joining station (24) where formed sheet metal outer and inner members (36, 38) are initially joined to each other at their corners, a hemming station (26) where roll prehemming and roll final hemming of the peripheries of the outer and inner members is performed by roll robot hemming apparatus (68), and a delivery station (28) to which the hemmed closure (32) is delivered. At the hemming station (26), a plurality of fixtures (82) of different constructions selectively receive the particular closure member being processed during each cycle so as to have manufacturing flexibility. The fixtures (82) are located between a floor mounted conveyor (74) of robot transfer apparatus (30) and a floor mounted conveyor (84) of roll hemming robot apparatus (68) so that there is no interference between the transfer and hemming manipulations.

Abstract: A vehicle sheet metal hemming system (20) and method for hemming vehicle sheet metal outer and inner members (24 and 26) to each other is performed by prehemming and final hemming operations at a single station in cooperation with robot apparatus (42). A drive mechanism (98) has a rotary actuator (100) that moves a tool table (78) vertically to move tool heads (80) between outer idle positions and inner use positions as well as moving prehem tools (82) and final hem tools (84) of the tool heads so as to perform both the prehemming and the final hemming operations.

Abstract: 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-Z coordinate system) for a body-in-white to direct associated tooling to create net attachment features on said rigid body frame with respect to said new net locating scheme so that components may be attached to said automotive body at a net location eliminating the need for any slip plane attachment techniques.