Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention concerns a process for forming an elongated strip for use in making two tone muntin bars. An elongated strip of muntin bar material is provided that has been treated on at least a portion of one side to define an exposed surface of a completed muntin bar fabricated from the muntin bar material. An elongated strip of covering material is also provided for controlled application onto a specified portion of a surface of the muntin bar material. The elongated strip of covering material includes an adhesive for adhering the covering material to the muntin bar material. The muntin bar material and the covering material are brought into contact with each other thereby causing the covering material to overlie and adhere to the muntin bar material.

Abstract: A compact vehicle production line is disclosed. The production line comprises a floor process of assembling floor constituent parts. Each is an aluminum alloy extrusion die cast product, which has been made, in an extrusion die casting process, by forcing molten aluminum alloy through a mold cavity in a predetermined direction. The assembled floor constituent parts are welded to make a floor structure. In an interior parts mount process, interior parts are to the floor structure to make a floor unit. In a body main process, each of two body side structures are trimmed to make a body side unit. A roof structure is trimmed to make a roof unit. The floor unit, the body side units, and the roof unit are assembled. The assembly is welded to make a body unit. In a running parts mount process, an under running unit is mounted to the body unit. In an exterior parts attachment process, color body panels are attached to the body unit.

Abstract: A workstation having multiple robots and multiple fixtures for processing multiple workpieces along two processing paths. A first fixture can be positioned on the first processing path and a second fixture can be positioned on the second processing path. The multiple robots are positioned between the two paths and are moveable to process workpieces moving along both the first and second paths. The robots can be welding robots. The robots can be independently moveable with respect to each other to enhance the efficiency of the workstation. The robots can have overlapping ranges of movement so that every portion of the workpiece can be processed by at least two of the robots.

Abstract: This patent relates to a machine that automatically assembles, inspects, and packages disposable prophylaxis angles. The machine includes a movable table including a plurality of fixtures on which angle components are assembled and the assembled angles are inspected. The movable table is surrounded by a number of stations, each of which performs a different operation of the assembly and inspection procedure. Feeders automatically supply the angle components to their respective stations for assembly. Angles that are incorrectly assembled are automatically rejected. Properly assembled angles are automatically sealed in individual bags. Individually bagged angles are counted into batches by the machine and automatically sealed into cartons.

Abstract: A lot management production method in which the lot size is reduced in order to respond to an order for small volume of large variety, without increasing the intermediate inventory and reducing lead-time, however without reducing the productivity of a production of large volume of small variety. Part of the processes in a production line are performed for pieces, or products to be manufactured, in a single lot, while other processes are done for pieces in a group or aggregate of single lots.

Abstract: A manufacturing system for assembly of component parts to produce an article includes a plurality of separate process modules for executing the various process steps, and a plurality of magazine units, which can be coupled to the process modules, for storage and transport of article components produced in the process steps. The process modules have a substantially identical base structure which can be suited to the respective process steps.

Abstract: A production system for manufacturing a workpiece comprises an index system including a plurality of index devices removably mounted on the workpiece at known longitudinally spaced locations therealong, and a longitudinally extending index member releasably engaged with at least two of the index devices such that a position and orientation of the index member are fixed relative to the workpiece by the index devices, the index member having position-indicating features distributed therealong. The production system further comprises a machine module mounted for longitudinal movement along the index member and operable to perform an operation, the machine module being operable to detect the position-indicating features on the index member and thereby determine a position of the machine module relative to the workpiece.

Abstract: Automobile assembly line comprising a plurality of transferring carriages 4 to place and support the automobiles during a transferring operation, a first transferring circuit including a first closed loop line 5 to carry each transferring carriage, the first transferring line being comprised of many stations where automobile parts are assembled to the automobile body at each station, a plurality of transferring suspension frames 6 under which the automobiles are suspended and supported during transferring operation, a second transferring circuit including a second closed loop line to carry each unit of suspension frames, the second transferring line being comprised of many stations where automobile parts are assembled to the automobile body at each station, and a transferring mechanism to transfer the automobile body from the transferring carriage 4 of the first transferring line to the suspension frames 6 of the second transferring line at one location where the first transferring line and the second transfe

Abstract: An automatic piston installation apparatus according to the present invention includes a block positioning mechanism for positioning a cylinder block in a working area separated from a conveying line by moving the cylinder block in vertical and horizontal directions and by rotating the cylinder block around the crankshaft, a piston positioning mechanism for positioning the piston at an insertion position by moving the piston to the working area, a piston inserting mechanism for inserting the piston into a cylinder bore from above in the vertical direction, a cap positioning mechanism for positioning the connecting-rod cap by moving the connecting-rod cap to a fastened position in the working area, and a fastening mechanism for fastening the connecting-rod cap from below in the vertical direction. Thereby, the piston can be installed in various engines, such as inline-type and V-type engines, automatically, with a high degree of accuracy, and reliably, and productivity can also be improved.

Abstract: A method and device for joining assembled hollow shafts which consist of a tube and several attachable parts such as cams, flanges, bearing sleeves, pulse generating devices, toothed gears and chain gears slid on to the tube, wherein the tube, inside the attachable parts, is radially plastically expanded in individual portions by applying internal pressure in such a way that the attachable parts are secured to the tube by a permanent press fit, wherein the attachable parts and the tube are individually positioned and fixed relative to one another and wherein the tube is sequentially plastically expanded in individual portions associated with the individual attachable parts.

Abstract: A production system includes a shuttle (2) for moving a work (W) on a predetermined track (1), a storeroom (3) for storing components of a plurality of types to be assembled to the work, and a plurality of assembly stations (4) arranged along the track between the track and the storeroom (3), each assembly station (4) including an assembler (41) for selecting and attaching one of tools of a plurality of types corresponding to the types of components and assembling the components to the work (W) using the applied tool, and a conveyor unit (42) arranged between the assembler (41) and the storeroom (3) to convey the components stored in the storeroom (3) to the assembler (41).

Abstract: This invention provides an arrangement for moving an item from a first station to a transfer tube comprising a transfer tube, a transfer arm for placement of the item on the transfer tube, and alignment means for aligning the item with the transfer tube.

Abstract: In a soft contact lens manufacturing process, an injection molding machine (IMM) produces many thermoplastic injection molded front curve (FC) and back curve (BC) mold parts, each of which mold parts is subsequently used only once to mold a single soft contact lens. An inlay station with alignment assemblies and transfer tubes provide for the precise transfer to and alignment of the FC and BC molds in pallets during their transfer from the IMM to pallets on an assembly line in a high speed automated commercial production operation. A rotatable FC transfer arm and a rotatable BC transfer arm transfer the FC and BC molds from the IMM machine to the pallets in an inlay station. The precisely aligned transfer is provided by two alignment rods of an alignment assembly which pass through two alignment apertures in the pallet and then pass through two alignment apertures in one of the FC or BC alignment arms.

Abstract: A method for merging the disc pack, E-block and magnet of a disc drive, the disc pack conveyed to a first selected position in a merge assembly station and moved to a merge slide assembly where calibration measurements of disc pack height and squareness are made at a reference position. The merge slide assembly moves the disc pack from the reference position to a shuttled position, the E-block is moved to an E-block nest assembly where the load arms of the E-block are spread in response to the calibration measurements, and the discs of the disc pack are interweaved between opposing read/write heads of the E-block. A magnet slide assembly positions the magnet to straddle the E-block. The disc pack, E-block and magnet are moved together, maintaining the merged interrelationship, to the basedeck and fastened to the basedeck.

Abstract: A manufacturing plant for manufacturing rigid bodies comprised of a plurality of parts to be assembled by at least two operators having hierarchical skill levels selected from alignment types ranging from Or to P selected from an alignment transformation consisting of Or, Oa, Br, Ba, S, L and P, comprising an alignment unit having at least three work stations, each of said work stations being capable of having associated therewith dynamically occurring manufacturing operations selected from one or more of the dynamically occurring alignment-based transformations of manufacturing operations identified as alignment types Or, Oa, Br, Ba, S, L and P.

Abstract: A line of manufacturing units for carrying out a sequence of machining operations on a set of workpieces, which are fed in, in succession, at one loading end of the line and proceed along the line up to an unloading end of the line, comprises means for transfer of the workpieces along the line, the said means including a fixture made up of a plurality of horizontal supporting and guide beams, which are set in a superelevated position and which extend one on the prolongation of the other in the longitudinal direction of the line. Each superelevated beam carries a first mobile slide on top of it, upon which is in turn mounted a vertical upright (or a second mobile slide, which can move vertically), at the bottom end of which there is mounted a pick-up device, which can be oriented about a vertical axis.

Abstract: A core board forming apparatus includes a feeding apparatus for sensing and dispensing tubular cores at predetermined dispensing positions. A compression apparatus receives and detects the tubular cores and flattens and secure at least two flattened tubular cores together. A controller unit controls the operation of the feeding apparatus and the compression apparatus. The presence of first tubular core is detected after the step of dispensing. In response to detecting the first tubular core is substantially flattened. A core board product includes at least two substantially flattened paper cores fastened together by integral fastening members having two fastening portions extending directly through the flattened cores.

Abstract: A framing station arrangement that includes a bottom plate support device to receive a bottom plate of the car body to be attached thereto. An engaging robot brings separate components of the car body into engagement with the bottom plate. Preassembly devices are used to preassemble the separate components of the car body to the bottom plate and/or to each other in order to obtain the external shape of the car body. A support system having multiple separate framing elements used to support the preassembled car body. At least one other engaging robot is used to bring at least a part of the framing elements into engagement with the support system and/or another framing element. A locking unit that joins at least two separate framing elements together and to the bottom plate support device or at least to three other framing elements to form a support net.

Abstract: An assembly apparatus that may easily conform to increase in production volume and change in specifications of parts, and exhibits high production efficiency is provided. The assembly apparatus 1 includes a part-supplying station 2 in which an operator 8 supplies parts to a conveyor pallet 5, a part-assembling station 3 in which assembly robots R1, R2 assemble the parts in the conveyor pallet 5, and a conveyor means 4 that conveys the conveyor pallet 5 from the part-supplying station 2 to the part-assembling station 3. After the assembly robots R1 have finished assembling the parts on one conveyor pallet 5 in a work area A1, the conveyor means 4 conveys the one conveyor pallet 5 from the work area A1, and concurrently conveys the next conveyor pallet 5 following the one conveyor pallet 5 in the work area A1.

Abstract: An assembly line (14) having particular utility for use in assembling sheet metal parts includes a work station (18) having one or more production part trays (32, 34), a pilot part tray (36) and an indexer (38) that indexes these part trays in a transverse direction to a direction of conveyance (C) of the assembly line to permit one of the two production part trays (32, 34) to be used for production or the pilot part tray (36) to be used for a future pilot test. Detachable couplings (56) allow the production and pilot part trays to be moved to a maintenance station (42, 44) that is outside of the assembly line work area (25).

Abstract: As means for handling elongate and flat workpieces flowing in a manufacturing line, three handling devices are provided. First one is a workpiece transmitting device which functions to push down, one after another, the frontmost one of a mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure. Second one is a parts-mass compressing device which compresses a mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure to a desired smaller size by using moving and fixed plates. Third one is an assembling device which connects a header pipe to each side of a compressed mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure.

Abstract: A robots (210A, 210B), which is fixed onto a base (20, 20B) having a rectangular shape, has a mechanical hand (211A, 211B). A plurality of robot tools, each of which is freely attached to the tip of the mechanical hand (211A, 211B) for pinching a part, and a plurality of trays (6) each containing assembling jigs to be used for assembling parts, are brought in a movable range (RA, RB) of the robot, and the assembling tools are set at a predetermined position within the movable range (RA, RB). Then, an assembling job for the parts is carried out by using the assembling tools thus set. With this arrangement, the exchanging processes of the assembling tools can be carried out without depending on the human hands, even when the type of the assembly product is changed. Consequently, it becomes possible to efficiently carry out the manufacturing process of a small number of many types of products.

Abstract: In assembling a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle by welding front and rear frame subassemblies to each other, the following steps are carried out: a step of positioning left and right rear portions of the front frame subassembly by a pair of front positioning device movable at least in a widthwise direction of the vehicle body frame, a step of clamping a head pipe by a front clamp device which is capable of being moved in vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle body frame and is capable of being tilted longitudinally, a step of positioning left and right rear portions of the rear frame subassembly by a pair of rear positioning device movable in the longitudinal, widthwise and vertical directions of the vehicle body frame, a step of clamping left and right front portions of the rear frame subassembly by a pair of rear clamp means movable in the longitudinal, widthwise and vertical directions of the vehicle body frame, and a step of welding the front and rear frame subassemblies to each other.

Abstract: Automatic assembling method and apparatus using a plurality of pallets on a conveyer belt for assembling photographic film cassettes, or the like. Each pallet has a secondary work holder and a primary work holder. Parts of a secondary assembly are sequentially fed to the secondary work holder and are assembled into the secondary assembly in the secondary work holder. The secondary assembly and other parts of a primary assembly are sequentially fed to the primary work holder and are assembled into the primary in the primary work holder.

Abstract: An apparatus for the maintenance of a needle-bearing plate of a needle-punching machine equipped with an operating head movable in two perpendicular directions in a parallel relation to the plate mounted on the apparatus. The operating head includes a unit for extracting a damaged or worn needle, a unit for positioning a new needle in the respective seat of the plate, a data processing and storage unit for the operating control and for storing the needle map of each plate. The apparatus further has a unit for detecting the position of the needle seats cooperating with the data processing unit for carrying out the mapping of each plate. The apparatus also has a unit for detecting the presence of a needle in the respective position on the plate to indicate whether the needle is damaged or not.

Abstract: A production line of an air conditioner mounted with a work bench for mass-producing indoor units and outdoor units, the work bench including a pallet supply section; an outdoor unit work part mounted at one side of the pallet supply section with a parts assembly section, refrigerant tube vacuum forming and refrigerant infusion section, refrigerant infusion tube removal section, control unit assembly section, refrigerant leakage inspection section, cabinet assembly section, packing section, forwarding and loading section in that order; an indoor unit work part mounted at the other side of the pallet supply section with first pallet feeding section, parts assembly section, noise inspection section, second pallet feeding section, packing section and forwarding and loading section in that order, and integrally installed from parts assembly section of the outdoor unit work part to cabinet assembly section; performance inspection section mounted between the cabinet assembly section and packing section of the outdo

Abstract: An automotive framing apparatus with a support frame having a frame roof supported above a generally horizontal support surface. At least four gate assemblies are carried by a carrousel supported on the frame roof for rotational movement around a common vertical axis and form two gate assembly pairs of diametrically-opposed gate assemblies. The gate assemblies of each gate assembly pair are supported for pivotal movement between generally horizontal stowed and generally vertical working positions. A rotary drive selectively positions one gate assembly pair at a time in a framing position from which the two gate assemblies of the selected gate assembly pair can be pivoted by a drive downward to respective diametrically opposed working positions on opposed sides of a vehicle body to be welded.

Abstract: A system including an apparatus and method for assembling an insert and a cutter bar into a subassembly for use in dental floss dispensers. The insert includes a body portion defining an arbor for rotatably supporting a spool of dental floss and a superstructure contiguous with the body portion. The superstructure includes cutter bar receiving structure adapted to be grippingly engaged by a cutter bar having a cutting blade portion. The apparatus includes a rotatable assembly wheel having multiple pockets for receiving inserts, which wheel is rotatable into a plurality of positions corresponding to a plurality of assembly stations. An insert is inserted into a wheel pocket in a first direction at a first assembly station, a cutter bar is pushed onto the insert's cutter bar receiving structure at a second assembly station and the subassembly is discharged in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion at a third assembly station.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manufacturing armatures according to a first and a second configuration is provided. An information storage device associated with one of the components is provided to store information corresponding to one of the first and second configurations. A processing station is provided which is capable of performing a first processing step corresponding to the first configuration and a second processing step corresponding to the second configuration. The processing station is arranged to perform one of the processing steps according to the information stored in the information storage device. Changeover from a batch of first configuration components to a batch of second configuration components is achieved by delaying departure of processed second batch components from the processing station until all first batch components have been processed and have departed.

Abstract: A bolt retaining device for a nutrunner which includes a socket having a longitudinal axis and being sized to fit the bolt, the device having an electromagnet positioned with respect to the socket to generate a magnetic field directed along the axis of the socket to hold the bolt in the socket when the field is present, and a controller connected to the electromagnet controlling the magnetic field. The bolt retaining device wherein the electromagnet is a coil co-axially mounted with respect to the socket. Each nutrunner can include a motor, a socket, and a shaft connecting the motor to the socket. One or more nutrunners can be provided on a movable frame.

Abstract: As means for handling elongate and flat workpieces flowing in a manufacturing line, three handling devices are provided. First one is a workpiece transmitting device which functions to push down, one after another, the front most one of a mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure. Second one is a parts-mass compressing device which compresses a mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure to a desired smaller size by using moving and fixed plates. Third one is an assembling device which connects a header pipe to each side of a compressed mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure.

Abstract: Indoor air conditioner units are manufactured by pre-assembling evaporators and supplying the evaporators to a plurality of unit assembling stations, whereby at each unit assembling station, the evaporators are assembled with other air conditioner elements to form finished indoor air conditioner units. The evaporators can be assembled at an evaporator assembling station which supplies all of the unit assembling stations with evaporators. Alternatively, the evaporators can be assembled at each of the unit assembling stations.

Abstract: An assembling apparatus assembling a body side of an automotive vehicle includes: a moving body provided in a transfer line; a clamp device mounted to the moving body fixing and positioning a body side outer in an upright position in which the body side outer is fixed in such a manner that a roof rail end of the body side outer is positioned substantially above the side sill end of the body side outer; and a welding robot disposed in a side of the transfer line. The welding robot assembles the body side by welding the body side outer positioned by the clamp device.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembling apparatus includes a main conveyer for transferring a tray, at least one fin transfer conveyer and one molding plate transfer conveyer, installed at one side of the main conveyer to be parallel thereto and having a predetermined length, a plurality of fin plate assembling devices, installed between the fin transfer conveyer and the molding plate transfer conveyer in a lengthwise direction of the main conveyer, a fin molding device, connected to the fin transfer conveyer, for molding a fin, a plate molding device, installed at one side of the main conveyer, for manufacturing a plate and supplying the manufactured plate to the molding plate transfer conveyer, a fin molding plate supply device for supplying the fin molding plate assembly assembled by the fin plate assembling devices to the tray intermittently transferred by the main conveyer, an end plate assembly supply device, a special plate assembly supply device and a manifold plate assembly supply device, sequentially installed

Abstract: As means for handling elongate and flat workpieces flowing in a manufacturing line, three handling devices are provided. First one is a workpiece transmitting device which functions to push down, one after another, the frontmost one of a mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure. Second one is a parts-mass compressing device which compresses a mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure to a desired smaller size by using moving and fixed plates. Third one is an assembling device which connects a header pipe to each side of a compressed mass of raised workpieces horizontally put on a table structure.

Abstract: A pair of axles are mechanically lifted onto the underside of a vehicle chassis to facilitate an axle-mounting process. The lifting action is achieved with a scissors jack that is powered by a hydraulic cylinder supplied with hydraulic fluid from an accumulator. The accumulator is initially charged by a hydraulic pump that is driven by an air motor.

Abstract: The computer manufacturing system includes an assembly unit wherein various assembly parts are assembled into a main chassis according to a process order to complete the assembly of a computer body, an aging and test unit for testing and checking the performance of the computer body transferred from the assembly unit, and a package unit for packaging the computer body transferred from the aging and test unit. The assembly unit, the aging and test unit, and the package unit are sequentially aligned in accordance with process sequences. The assembly unit and the package unit are aligned to the opposite facing each other while the aging and test unit is located between the assembly unit and the package unit.

Abstract: An apparatus having at least two separate workstations to which workpieces are alternately advanced to provide at substantially all times, in at least one workstation, a workpiece ready to be worked on by a tool carried by a shuttle which transfers the tool between the workstations. Desirably, after working on a workpiece in a first workstation, the shuttle carries the tool to a second workstation to work on a workpiece waiting in the second workstation. Simultaneously, the workpiece in the first workstation, that was just worked on by the tool, is moved downstream away from the tool and a subsequent workpiece is advanced into the first workstation so that it is ready to be worked on by the tool when the tool returns to the first workstation. Thus, the tool does not have to wait for a new workpiece to be advanced into position after performing work on a workpiece.

Abstract: A system for mounting circuit components on a circuit substrate, including a circuit-substrate supporting device which supports the circuit substrate, a circuit-component mounting device which mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuit components on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substrate supporting device, and a circuit-substrate carry-out device which carries out the circuit substrate on which the circuit components have been mounted, the circuit-substrate carry-out device comprising a removing device which removes the circuit substrate from the circuit-substrate supporting device, and a parallel-direction carry-out device which receives the circuit substrate from the removing device and carries out the circuit substrate in a parallel direction substantially parallel to a plane of the circuit substrate, the circuit substrate being transferred from the circuit-substrate supporting device to the removing device in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the plane o

Abstract: An automatic assembling method and apparatus for a differential gear, for simplifying the structure of the apparatus and achieving positive assembling without damage to gear teeth of gears, wherein while positioning a pair of side gears R, R at predetermined positions in a differential case C, a pinion gear P and a spherical washer Q are fitted to coincide with each other at shaft insertion bores thereof so as to be inserted with an internal chuck 14 from inside of the pinion gear P (i.e., center side of the differential case), thereby the pinion gear P and the spherical washer Q are held together at respective internal surfaces. Thereafter, the pinion gear P is meshed with the side gear R at gear teeth portions thereof at an opening H of the differential case C, and the pinion gear P is moved to an assembling position while holding the side gear rotatable. A shaft S is then inserted from a shaft hole e of the differential case C, thereby assembling the differential gear.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a prefabricated motor vehicle door module and is directed to improving the manufacturing efficiency of complex technical systems with extensive cabling. The method for manufacturing the prefabricated motor vehicle door module with an electronics unit and several electrical components, such as a window regulator motor, central locking, mirror adjustment and heating, switches, lights, speakers, and a side bag, comprises fitting out of a support plate with the electrical components provided for a specific vehicle door and the cabling of the door by means of electrical leads; wherein the fitting out step is carried out in a main assembly line; wherein at least a part of the electrical leads is prefabricated as individual lead connections in a secondary cable production line in accurate sequence for the door module production in a production device and are mounted independently of each other directly on the door module in a main assembly line.

Abstract: A fuselage is substantially simultaneously fabricated, equipped and outfitted in an assembly area including adjacent riveting, equipping and outfitting zones. The riveting zone includes an external riveting apparatus working from the outside of the aircraft fuselage, and an internal riveting apparatus working from the inside of the fuselage to fabricate and join a first fuselage section to an initial structure. The first fuselage section is moved from the riveting zone into an equipping zone, wherein equipment, such as pipes, ducts, hoses, pumps, blowers and structural components and fittings of the aircraft, is installed in the first fuselage section, while simultaneously a second fuselage section is being rivet-joined onto the first fuselage section in the riveting zone. The second fuselage section is moved from the riveting zone into the equipping zone, and the first fuselage section is moved from the equipping zone into the outfitting zone.

Abstract: An automobile door assembly line is provided which comprises a conveyor arranged in substantially a straight line with a plurality of right door pallets and a plurality of left door pallets for carrying right and left doors respectively, alternatingly positioned on the conveyor. The right door pallets and the left door pallets face in opposite directions such that right and left doors therein face in opposite directions. Right door associate work positions are located on one side of the conveyor, and left door associate work positions are located on the other side of the conveyor. The right door associate work positions and left door associate work positions are located relative to one another such that the work positions correspond to alternatingly positioned right door pallets and left door pallets.

Abstract: A line controller (115) for controlling a manufacturing process comprises a data entry device (225) for receiving product identification information and determining circuitry (310, 315) coupled to the data entry device (225) for receiving the product identification information and determining whether the product identification information is indicative of a first product or a second product. A control unit (320) coupled to the determining circuitry (310, 315) automatically generates, in response to the determining circuitry (310, 315) determining that the product identification information is indicative of the second product, a request for information relevant to the processing of the second product. The line controller (115) further comprises a data port (330) coupled to the control unit (320) for transmitting the request and for receiving in response thereto the information.

Abstract: An assembly apparatus has a plurality of stationary work stations spaced apart in a transport direction extending downstream from a holding station, a plurality of holders each adapted to carry a respective workpiece and each formed with at least one downwardly directed entrainment tooth, an upstream conveyor for feeding the holders in a row to the holding station, and a downstream conveyor extending downstream from the holding station past the work stations and including a belt formed with external teeth meshable with the teeth of the holders. A blocking element at the holding station can move between a position preventing downstream movement of the holders past the holding station and a position permitting such downstream movement.

Abstract: A process for assembling an engine from an engine frame includes the steps of defining a plurality of work steps necessary to assemble the engine. Each of the work steps has associated therewith a time period for carrying out that work step. A sequence of work steps is established to effect complete assembly of the engine. A plurality of work stations is defined, including a first work station and a last work station, for carrying out the work steps. Each work station includes at least one of the work steps and defines an assembly sequence. Work steps are allocated within the work stations in the assembly sequence to effect an aggregate of the time periods at each station for carrying out the work steps within that work station. The aggregate is about equal to respective aggregates of time periods at each of the other stations for carrying out the work steps within these other work stations.

Abstract: An automatic assembling system for assembling a product constituted by a plurality of parts, includes a group cell having a plurality of assembling cells and inspecting cells, pallets loaded with the same type of parts or products, at least one buffer for holding a plurality of pallets, and at least one pallet hand-over mechanism for transferring pallets between the buffer and each cell. At least one of the buffers is provided in common for a plurality of cells, and at least one of the pallet hand-over mechanisms is provided to the common buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically correcting the dynamic imbalance of a disc pack of a disc drive, the disc pack conveyed to a first selected position in a balance correction assembly station where a rotary positioner lifts and rotates the disc pack to a reference position for the attachment of weighted shims to the disc pack. A shim selector assembly delivers a selected shim, and an end effector transfers the selected shim to a shim attachment assembly. The shim attachment assembly rotates and spreads open the shim so that the disc pack can be receivingly engaged thereby, and the shim attachment assembly releases the selected shim to lockingly engage the disc pack. A flipping assembly reverses the disc pack for placement of another selected shim to the other end of the disc pack, as required.

Abstract: An assembly plant for the series assembly of vehicles has a main assembly line and associated assembly works for relatively complex vehicle parts to be supplied "just in time". Simpler assembly components and small and standard components are held in readiness in a central component store and supplied from there to the assembly line. Stores for large components are arranged near to the corresponding assembly point. The overall conveying section is divided into a plurality of mutually adjoining U-shaped conveying loops. Provided between each of the assembly shops and the central component store, on the one hand, and the main assembly line, on the other, there are in each case feeder systems.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for merging the disc pack, E-block and magnet of a disc drive, the disc pack conveyed to a first selected position in a merge assembly station and moved to a merge slide assembly where calibration measurements of disc pack height and squareness are made at a reference position. The merge slide assembly moves the disc pack from the reference position to a shuttled position, the E-block is moved to an E-block nest assembly where the load arms of the E-block are spread in response to the calibration measurements, and the discs of the disc pack are interweaved between opposing read/write heads of the E-block. A magnet slide assembly positions the magnet to straddle the E-block. The disc pack, E-block and magnet are moved together, maintaining the merged interrelationship, to the basedeck and fastened to the basedeck.