GB2590698A - Apparatus and method for constructing complex panelized structures - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for constructing complex panelized structures, such as vehicle bodywork, has a build station with a jig defining a datum point for a panel of a structure to be assembled, a stillage containing at least one panel, for example ten panels, a support tool including a support frame with both a connector for releasably connecting the support frame to a robot and also a panel tooling for picking up and releasing a panel, and a multi-axis robot, for example a six-axis robot, having a complimentary connector for connecting the robot to the support tool. The robot carries the panel from the stillage to the build station and locates the support frame in a predetermined position at the build station. The robots may be provided on slide rails. A method of constructing the structure is also provided.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUTING COMPLEX PANELIZED

STRUCTURES

This invention relates to apparatus for constructing complex panelized structures and to a method of constructing a complex panelized structure. It in particular relates to construction of automotive bodywork but may find application in other industries.

A traditional vehicle body in white comprises a monocoque framework of metal parts which form a datum onto which body panels arc secured. Different construction techniques are used depending on the materials, with the most commonly used materials being steel panels, aluminium panels and composite panels.

For steel panels it is known to use a robotic arm to pick up a panel and present it to the structure. A second robotic arm moves a welding device around the panel to spot weld the panel to the structure. For an aluminium panel an adhesive may be used as an alternative to welding, or the panel may be riveted. Much the same applies to composite panels.

The applicant has appreciated that in some instances the provision of a rigid supporting structure onto which panels are fixed is not an optimum solution. The supporting structure adds weight to the finished body and must be very accurately produced if the alignment of the final panels is to be perfect because the structure provides the datum points for the panels.

In particular the applicant has considered producing a body which does not have a supporting framework but instead comprises only rigid self supporting composite panels that are joined together along their edges to form a body. At the time of writing the applicant is not aware of any suitable apparatus for producing complex panelized structures at the sizes of automotive bodies in an effective manner. For mass production the apparatus must be capable of building the bodies quickly and accuratelty and preferably with little human interaction to keep the cost down to a level which would make the process attractive to manufacturers.

The invention therefore provides an apparatus for constructing complex panelized structures that overcomes shortcomings in prior art production apparatus According to a first aspect the invention provides an apparatus for constructing complex panelized structures comprising: A build station having a jig that defines at least one datum point for a panel of a structure to be assembled; A stillage that contains at least one panel; A support tool that comprises a support frame with at least one connector for releasably connecting the support frame to a robot and a panel tooling for picking up and releasing a panel And a multi axis robot that carries a complimentary connecter for connecting the robot to the support tool; Whereby the robot is arranged such that it can carry the panel from the stillage to the build station and locate the support frame in a predetermined position at the build station.

The panel tooling may be configured to release the panel from the panel tool once it is located at the build station.

The support frame may include at least one clamp for fixing the support frame to a jig at the build station.

The support frame may comprise a perimeter frame that can be secured to a jig at the build station or secured to other frames at the build station to form a support for the panels.

The panel tooling may include clamps for releasably securing a panel to the support tool and clamps for releasably securing the support frame to the jig or to other frames at the build station.

The apparatus may include a storage area for storing support tools when they are not in use and the robot may he arranged to pick a panel tool from the storage area and return the panel tool to the storage area.

The stillage may include a storage assembly for storing a support tool associated with the panels located in the stillage. Each panel may require a bespoke support tool and storing the support tools with the stillage is especially convenient.

The storage assembly may be located on the top of the stillage above panels stored in the stillage, or on a side of the stillage or under the stillage.

The apparatus may comprise a plurality of further stillages, each containing at least one panel, and the robot may be arranged such that it can pick up a panel from one of the further stillages using an appropriate support tool.

A support tool may be provided for each panel type and most preferably a support tool is provided for each stillage. This allows for variations in the body that is being built to be accommodated as long as the support frames all connect together to at the jig to support the panels in the correct location relative to other panels that form the panellised body.

The apparatus may include a controller which controls the movement of the robot as a function of the body that is to be built so that the robot places the correct support tools and panels in the correct position on the jig in the correct order and for the correct duration of time.

The controller may cause the robot to carry the panel from the stillage using the correct support tool to the build station and locate a datum on the support frame on a respect datum on the jig The jig may comprise a two dimensional frame, or a three dimensional frame, which carries a plurality of datums enabling a set of panels to be placed in the finished form of a complex panelized structure. The jig may comprise an open box like frame defining a side opening a top opening, a bottom opening, an opposite side opening and two ends openings, each opening sized to receive a corresponding support frame of a support tool that supports a panel in the opening.

The apparatus may include an adhesive dispensing station, and the robot may be configured to carry a panel using a support tool to the dispense station where adhesive is applied to the panel. This adhesive will be applied in regions of a panel which face corresponding regions of other panels in the jig. The adhesive may be an MMA adhesive.

The adhesive when cured will hold the panels together, the jig holding the panels in position as the adhesive cures. Once cured the robot may release the panel and release the support frames from the jig and then move them clear of the build station.

The jig and support tools may be configured to support the panels with a gap between adjacent panels that accommodates the adhesive, or may press the panels together.

Alternatively the jig may define only one opening, such as a base, and the panel tools when placed on the jig form the support frame with the panel tools secured together.

This removes the need for a separate bulky three dimensional jig defining a frame.

The robot may be supported on a track or slide rail which enables the robot to slide between stillages and the build station. The robot may be a six axis robot arm and the slide rail in that case will provide a seventh axis of movement.

The apparatus may include a second robot which is capable of moving independently of the first robot. The second robot may also be a multi axis robot that carries a panel changer for picking up a support tool and carry a panel supported by the panel tooling from a stillage to the build station and locate the datum on the support frame on a datum on the jig.

The second robot may be provided on a track or slide rail which is parallel to the track for the first robot. These tracks may be located on opposite sides of the build station.

Stillages may be arranged in a row along the length of each track. Locating these on the outside of the tracks allows the stillages to be easily removed when the panels are used up in the stillage and for a new stillage to be moved into place that is full of panels.

The apparatus may include a further build station located at spaced location from the first build station and serviceable by one or more of the robots.

The controller for the apparatus may identify when a stillage is to be replaced with a full stillage or when more panels are to be added to a stillage.

The controller may determine the elapsed time between a support tool being placed in the jig and then being removed. This may be set according to an expected time for the adhesive to fully or partially cure. The adhesive needs to be sufficiently cured to independently hold a panel in place.

The final body constructed from the panels may be self supporting by use of rigid panels. Suitable panels comprise a foam core sandwiched between two facings of composite material. The composite material may comprise a resin impregnated glass fibre or carbon fibre matrix.

According to a second aspect the invention provides a method of constructing a complex panelized structure comprising the steps of: Providing at a build station a jig that defines at least one datum point for a panel of a structure to be assembled; Providing a support tool that comprises a support frame with at least one connector for releasably connecting the support frame to a robot and a panel tooling for picking up and releasing a panel; Providing a multi axis robot that carries a panel changer for releasably picking up the support tool; And controlling the robot so that the robot picks up the support tool and moves the associated panel tooling to pick up a panel from a stillage and thereafter carries the panel from the stillage to the build station and locates the support frame on a jig at the build station.

The method may comprise picking up a plurality of panels in a sequence using one or more support tools and carrying them to the jig to build up a complete complex panelized component.

The method may comprise using the support tools to form a support frame for the panels on the jig.

The method may comprise applying adhesive to one or more panels before locating the support tool at the jig.

The method may comprise releasing the panel tools from the respective panels and removing the panel tools from the jig after the adhesive has cured. Removing the support tools allows the built and cured body to be removed from the build station.

The method therefore uses the robot to pick and place the panels using releasable panel tools that are carried by a support frame. Once the adhesive is cured, the panels are then removed to leave the finished complex panellised component.

The production line may comprise two or more build stations. This allows two or more complex panellised components to be built at the same time or in an overlapping sequence to maximize the use of the robot as the adhesive on one build is curing the other can be assembled at the respective build station.

The method may build a complete panellised structure at each build station or may build a subassembly of a complete structure at one station and assemble a further sub assembly to this subassembly at another station. The complete assembly may comprise two subassemblies requiring two build stations or three subassemblies using three build stations.

The apparatus may include a means such as a conveyor for moving sub-assemblies or complete bodies between build stations or away from build stations once complete.

Alternatively each build station may build one complete body.

The bodies constructed at each build station may be same or may be different.

There will now be described by way of example only one apparatus for mass production of a panellised body with reference to the accompanying drawings of which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary panelized body that can be constructed using an apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention Figure 2 is a view of a first sub-assembly of the body that may be constructed at a first build station of the apparatus Figure 3 is a view of a second sub-assembly of the body that may be constructed at a second build station Figure 4 is a view of an embodiment of an assembly apparatus from overhead that falls within the scope of the first aspect of the invention; Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the robots connected to a support tool; Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of the assembly showing a first build station; Figure 7 is a perspective view of part of the assembly showing a second build station; Figure 8 is a perspective view of part of the assembly showing a third build station; and Figure 9 shows the location of the robot on a slide rail with a second robot; The embodiment shown in figures 4 to 9 may be used to construct a complex panelized body. An example of a suitable body is shown in Figure 1. This has a base panel shown in Figure 2, and several side panels, a divider and a front panel a shown in Figure 3, completed with roof panels and a rear panel (not shown). In total there are 15 panels in this example. Each comprises a foam core covered by a skin of rigid fibre composite sheet.

The panels are secured together along the edges with a suitable adhesive and the body as a whole is self supporting without the need for any other supporting framework.

The body as shown has a length of about 4 metres, a height of about 2.3 metres and a width of about 2metres. Bodies that can be built using the apparatus of the invention could be considerably larger or much smaller. As can he seen the body forms a box body for a panel van, but the invention can be applied to other panelized bodies.

Figure 4 is a view from above of a complete apparatus that falls within the scope of the first aspect of the invention. The apparatus forms an assembly line that has three build stations, with one sub-assembly of the overall body being built at each station. The first station builds the panels shown in Figure 2. This subassembly is then moved to the second build station where the panels shown in Figure 3 are added. The part complete body then moves to the third build station where the final panels are added to form the body shown in Figure 1. At each station, there is a dwell time as the adhesive between panels cures before the body is moved.

In other arrangements a complete body may be made at one build station, so that with the three shown three bodies can be under build at the same time.

The three build stations, shown in detail in figures 6 to 8, are arranged in a line along a common axis and a conveyor extends from one end of the line to the other. The function of the conveyor is to move part built bodies from one station to the next and to move completely built bodies off the line to be taken away for storage or further processing. The conveyor in this example has a length of 35m with each build station being placed at approx. 5m centres. A suitable conveyor system is a pallet based flange roller conveyor that may be driven by a motored driven chain, that will transfer into one of three build stations.

On each side of the line of build stations is a pair of six axis robots. Each robot has a park position at a respective end of a slide rail that provides a seventh axis of movement to the robot. This is shown in Figure 6. Each slide rail has a length that is greater than the length of the three build stations allowing the robot to reach to any point on any of the three build stations that can be seen from the slide rail. The two slide rails have a length of approximately 25m and are each offset from a respectice side of the line of build stations by approximately 1 metre. This may be varied according to the range of motion of each robot and the size of each build station. In other arrangements there may be only one robot on each slide rail, or there could be multiple robots.

Located alongside each slide rail, on the opposite side to the build stations, is a set of stillages. As shown there are seven stillages alongside each rail. These hold a total of 14 panel types and with the 15th panel for each build station being carried into the first build station on a pallet by the conveyor and not requiring a stillage. In some arrangements all of the panels may be held in stillages.

Each stillage comprises a cage that supports a set of 10 rigid panels, stacked one above the other in the stillage.

To fix together large panels to form the body shown in Figure 1 it is advantageous that the panels are presented to adjacent panels at a build station but do not contact.

Instead a small gap is kept between facing edges of the panels which contains an adhesive. Pressing them together would squeeze out the adhesive reducing the strength of the body. Of course, by using different edge profiles it may be possible to press panels into contact as the adhesive cures.

Because the panels do not contact in this example, they are not self-aligning and so at each build station a supporting frame must be provided or assembled to locate the panels whilst the adhesive cures.

The supporting frame in this example is assembled from a set of moveable support tools. Each support tool includes a support frame that can be manipulated by a robot.

The frames have clamps that allow them to be secured to an associated jig at each build station. As shown the jig of the first section comprises a simple flat base frame, whereas the jigs of the other two comprise a frame forming goalposts to which the movable support frames are fixed.

The support tools each include a connector part for connecting to the robot and a panel tooling for connecting the frame to a panel. The panel tooling may be fixed to the panel by any known means, such as a vacuum pick up, and the person skilled in the art will be familiar with how to achieve the pick up and release.

The support tools, when not in use, are stored on the roof of a respective stillage which is provided with location features that securely locate the frame. Each panel in the exemplary body excluding front floor & Rear floor will require its own panel tooling, panel frame and stillage. Each support tool may therefore be specific to a panel.

The robot and one of the panel frames is shown in more detail in Figure 5 with a support tool attached. The robot has a releasable tool changer that allows the robot to pick up a support tool by the connector part and holds the frame so that it can be passed into the stillage to present the panel tooling to a panel.

In use, the robot with suitable support tool attached can pick up a composite panel from a stillage. The robot can then move the panel to an adhesive applicator and the robot can then position the frame and panel into position at a build station, once in position the robot will then detach from the support tool to leave the support frame and panel tooling to hold the composite panel accurately in position at the build station whilst the curing process is achieved.

A controller (not shown) controls the movement of the robots to move panels in a correct sequence from the stillages to the adhesive applicator and to the correct position at a build station. The support frames lock in position to hold the panels so that the adhesive cures to bind the panels together to form a sub assembly.

The controller also controls the movement of the robot to pick up each panel tool from the build station and release it from an panel. It may then be moved back to a stillage or to pick up another panel.

The operation of the assembly may be planned so that each robot is working to pick up and move panels as the glue on the panels in the build stations is curing and works to remove the frame and panel tool from the panels after the adhesive has cured.

An exemplary method of operation of the apparatus shown in Figure 4 will now be described.

The operators may initially use an electric pallet truck to load one of 6 pallets onto the start of the line. A part in place sensor will confirm presence of the pallets and confirm that the cycle can begin.

Build station one will automatically load and assemble the Front Floor, the Rear Floor and both the LH & RH Wheel arches. The process will use robot 1 & 2 to collect the relevant tooling fixture. The robot with support tool will then collect the composite panel from the relevant stillage. The robot will then present the part to the adhesive dispenser where a pre-programmed bead will be applied. When complete the robot may take the part to the build fixture where it will be locked in place on the fixture positioning the panel to nominal.

Build station Two will assemble the Front Bulkhead, Centre bulkhead, Partition bulkhead, Front body side (LH & RH) (both loaded at the same time). Applying the same process as build station one, using robots 1 and 2 the robots may assemble the 5 composite panels required in the order stated above.

Build station three will assemble the Rear LH & RH Body side (both loaded at the same time), Front roof, Rear roof, Rear bulkhead, Roof bucket. Applying the same process as build station one, robots 1 and 2 may be used to assemble the 6 composite panels required in the order stated above.

Once the body has cured at the third build station, the body is conveyed to an unload station. Here the body may be manually removal with the work pallet via an electric pallet truck or forklift. The system may be protected using a full guarding system and roller shutter doors to keep line interruptions to a minimum.

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS1. An apparatus for constructing complex panelized structures comprising: A build station having a jig that defines at least one datum point for a panel of a structure to be assembled; A stillage that contains at least one panel; A support tool that comprises a support frame with at least one connector for releasably connecting the support frame to a robot and a panel tooling for picking up and releasing a panel And a multi axis robot that carries a complimentary connecter for connecting the robot to the support tool; Whereby the robot is arranged such that it can carry the panel from the stillage to the build station and locate the support frame in a predetermined position at the build station.
2. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the panel tooling is configured to release the panel from the panel tool once it is located at the build station.
3. 3 An apparatus according to claim claim 1 or claims 2 in which the support frame includes at least one clamp for fixing the support frame to a jig at the build station.
4. 4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim which further includes a stillage for storing support tools when they are not in use and in which the robot mis arranged to pick a panel tool from the storage area and return the panel tool to the storage area
5. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the stillage includes a storage assembly for storing a support tool associated with the panels located in the stillage.
6. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5 in which the storage assembly is located on the top of the stillage above panels stored in the stillage.
7. 7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 6 which further comprises a plurality of further stillages, each containing at least one panel, the robot being arranged such that it can pick up a panel from one of thc further stillages using an appropriate support tool.
8. 8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim which includes an adhesive dispensing station, the robot being configured to carry a panel using a support tool to the dispense station where adhesive is applied to the panel.
9. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the jig and support tools are configured to support the panels with a gap between adjacent panels that accommodates the adhesive.
10. 10. An apparatus according to any preceding claim when dependent from claim 7 in which the robot is supported on a track or slide rail which enables the robot to slide between stillages and the build station.I I. A method of constructing a complex panelized structure comprising the steps of: Providing at a build station a jig that defines at least one datum point for a panel of a structure to be assembled; Providing a support tool that comprises a support frame with at least one connector for releasably connecting the support frame to a robot and a panel tooling for picking up and releasing a panel; Providing a multi axis robot that carries a panel changer for releasably picking up the support tool; And controlling the robot so that the robot picks up the support tool and moves the associated panel tooling to pick up a panel from a stillage and thereafter carries the panel from the stillage to the build station and locates the support frame on a jig at the build station.