Abstract: In a flexible manufacturing system for assembling various types of vehicle bodies, there is employed a work piece carrier on which a work piece positioning device is mounted. The work piece positioning device has a plurality of position changeable work piece holders which are grouped into a plurality of groups each having its own power input device. When the carrier comes to a type switching stage together with the work piece positioning device, a power source installed in the type switching stage is brought into connection with the power input device of one of the groups thereby to changing the positions of the corresponding work piece holders. Then, the power source is brought into connection with the other power input device of the other group to change the positions of the corresponding work piece holders.

Abstract: For holding a plurality of different, in shape, workpieces, a holding unit comprises a laminated body with a number of thin identical shaped elongate plates which have one ends forming a workpiece supporting surface, a vibrator unit for moving the elongate plates so as to vary the shape of the workpiece supporting surface to create a new one, and a bias mechanism for clamping the laminated body, so the newly created shape of the workpiece supporting surface is maintained.

Abstract: In a flexible manufacturing system for assembling various types of vehicle bodies, there is employed a work piece carrier on which a work piece positioning device is mounted. The work piece positioning device has a plurality of position changeable work piece holders which are grouped into a plurality of groups each having its own power input device. When the carrier comes to a type switching state together with the work piece positioning device, a power source installed in the type switching stage is brought into connection with the power input device of one of the groups thereby to change the positions of the corresponding work piece holders. Then, the power source is brought into connection with the other power input device of the other group to change the positions of the corresponding work piece holders.

Abstract: In order to facilitate rapid automatic set up and adjustment of a robotic assembly arrangement in a manner which produces the required precision, pre-recorded data and expert system software are teamed together and used to set robotic support jigs and move panels into position against the body they are to be attached to. The position of the panels is determined using a laser scanning technique and feedback control used to adjust the robots and associated hardware and move the panel or panels in the case there is a deviation beyond acceptable tolerances in a manner which either reduces or eliminates the deviation.

Abstract: A vehicle body is assembled in a number of stages each including robots which are automatically adjusted to move and secure work pieces such as panels to a basic body member or chasis. One of the stages includes a measuring arrangement which scans the assembled unit with laser beams to determine if the required tolerance have been set. In the event of deviations beyond permissible limits the appropriate correction is derived and fed back to the stage wherein the securing operation in question occured.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for assembling a vehicle body is disclosed, which uses a laser welding equipment to join panels of a vehicle body main part. The panels are located and held by a gauge portion of a workpiece supporting jig and are welded at a held portion by means of a laser beam conducted through the workpiece supporting jig.

Abstract: For holding a plurality of different, in shape, workpiece, a holding unit comprises a laminated body with a number of thin identical shaped elongate plates which have one ends forming a workpiece supporting surface, a vibrator unit for moving the elongate plates so as to vary the shape of the workpiece supporting surface to create a new one, and a bias mechanism for clamping the laminated body, so the newly created shape of the workpiece supporting surface is maintained.

Abstract: For holding a plurality of different, in shape, workpieces, a holding unit comprises a laminated body with a number of thin identical shaped elongate plates which have one ends forming a workpiece supporting surface, a vibrator unit for moving the elongate plates so as to vary the shape of the workpiece supporting surface to create a new one, and a bias mechanism for clamping the laminated body, so the newly created shape of the workpiece supporting surface is maintained.

Abstract: A method for detecting flaws in a surface of an inspected object can moderate the requirements for inspection condition accuracy, particular for adjustment of spatial relationships among a laser unit, the surface and an laser detector unit. The method includes the step of transmitting a laser beam in a known configurationonto a specular surface of the inspected object, projecting the laser beam reflected by the surface onto a light-scattering screen and forming an image of the surface on the screen, and detecting the image of the surface in the known configuration in relation to a predetermined portion of the screen.

Abstract: For holding a plurality of different, in shape, workpieces, a holding unit comprises a laminated body with a number of thin identical shaped elongate plates which have one ends forming a workpiece supporting surface, a vibrator unit for moving the elongate plates so as to vary the shape of the workpiece supporting surface to create a new one, and a bias mechanism for clamping the laminated body, so the newly created shape of the workpiece supporting surface is maintained.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically attaching works to respective vehicle bodies carried on a slat conveyor using a robot. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a base on which the robot is mounted and which is movable within a movement range, at least one part of which is alongside of the conveyor; (b) providing work feeders for sequentially feeding plural kinds of the works which are different according to vehicle types (sedan, hardtop, etc.

Abstract: A bar-code control for a manufacturing process employs a bar-code label with a combination of narrow and wide slots constituting a bar code in combination. The bar-code label is attached to a base component to which various other components are to be assembled in an assembly process and a painting process. In the assembly process, information and instructions represented by the bar code are optically read to identify the components to be assembled to the base component and to control the assembly operations. In the painting process, the bar code is read to identify the required color to be painted and to control the painting operation.

Abstract: A method and a device for inputting the coordinates of a robot acts so that the coordinates are input accurately by scanning the working area of the robot and inputting, as coordinates of the working position, positional data when a sensor has detected the working position. A movement data calculator (138) receives target position data from a preteaching data area (146), operates a pulse register (130) and drive circuits (152), (154), (156), and makes the sensor positional data in a position register (130) coincide with the target positional data. It then receives positional vector data from a plane scanning data area (148) and a vertical scanning data area (150) and scans the sensor over the working area.

Abstract: Control of an automotive vehicle component assembling system having one or more series of assembly lines used in common for assembling various models, standards and/or specifications of vehicle component is provided by converting information and instructions relating to various models, standards and/or specifications of vehicle component into a sign. The sign is fitted onto one of the part of the component. Information and instructions from the sign are detected automatically to control picking up of parts and assembling operations in each assembly line.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of automatically assembling a body structure of an automobile body, in which side panels are downwardly conveyed into first temporary positions over a floor panel and adjacent jig means, adjusted for proper positions relative to the jig means, moved into second temporary positions, clamped by the jig means, moved from the second temporary positions into final working positions ready to be welded to the floor panel which has been conveyed into a working position thereof, and welded to the floor panel into a unitary structure. The side panels are initially held in positions horizontally close to each other and are gradually moved toward positions horizontally spaced wider from each other as the side panels are conveyed downwardly. The apparatus and method may be modified so that not only the floor panel and the side panels by a cowl-and-dash-panel subassembly and/or a parcel shelf member are assembled together.