CN109016534B

CN109016534B - Method for connecting at least two components with self-adjusting application of a medium

Info

Publication number: CN109016534B
Application number: CN201810600556.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S.霍林; E.魏斯; C.格哈德; A.弗里克
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Volkswagen AG
Priority date: 2017-06-12
Filing date: 2018-06-12
Publication date: 2021-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 2038-06-12
Also published as: DE102017209894A1; CN109016534A

Abstract

In order to improve the method for connecting at least two components in such a way that deviations and tolerances of the components during the connecting method with respect to the individual parts can be taken into account and the required amount of the medium to be applied can be adapted accordingly, it is proposed that after receiving the two components to be connected, the edge section thereof is measured, that at each individual position along the edge section a volume to be filled with the medium and a position for the application of the medium are calculated, that the medium is applied at these positions in accordance with the calculated value and that the two components are subsequently joined to one another.

Description

Method for connecting at least two components with self-adjusting application of a medium

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for connecting a first component to at least one second component along a first edge section of the first component and a second edge section of the second component.

The invention further relates to a body part made up of at least one first component and a second component, and to a device for connecting at least one first component to a second component.

In manufacturing processes in which a defined application of a medium, for example an adhesive or a sealing material, is required, disadvantages in the structure to be produced, for example a vehicle body part, can arise due to fluctuations in the process. For example, in the case of the production of motor vehicle body parts, the imprecise application of adhesive and sealing material during the bead-bonding process can lead to an overflow of the adhesive or sealing material or, however, also to an opposite inadequate connection characteristic due to a depletion of the adhesive or sealing material. Furthermore, an undefined volume to be filled can be produced in the crimped connection on the basis of tolerance-related component trimming.

In the previously known process steps or methods, the application is therefore controlled manually and, if necessary, calibrated, which, however, can lead to disadvantageous component quality and is also associated with high outlay and corresponding costs. The spilled adhesive or sealing material may be, for example, later pumped or wiped off. This cannot however be achieved in the case of every type of adhesive or sealing material.

The trim tolerances of the individual components may not be affected in automated body construction. In mass production, it is only possible to do this within a predetermined tolerance.

Background

DE 102012018003 a1 describes a method for trimming profiled parts by means of energy beams.

Document EP 2223751B 1 relates to a method for identifying a structure to be applied to a substrate with a plurality of cameras and to a device for this method. In this case, it is provided that the applied adhesive trace is monitored in the direction of the trail in-line directly after the application of the adhesive trace (klebstuffspur) to the substrate or after the crimping of the component.

DE 10313888 a1 describes a method and a device for the online determination of the thickness of a material layer during its application in a metrology model onto a technical surface.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to improve a method for connecting or joining at least two components in such a way that deviations and tolerances of the components with respect to the individual components can be taken into account during the connecting method and accordingly the required amount of the medium to be applied can be adapted.

According to the invention, a method for connecting a first component to at least one second component along a first edge section of the first component and a second edge section of the second component is proposed for this purpose. The method has at least the following steps which are important for the invention:

a) receiving a first member and a second member; and is

b) Measuring the first edge section and measuring the second edge section; and is

c) Determining the volume to be filled with the medium at the first location on the first edge section and/or on the second edge section on the basis of the measured values determined in step b); and is

d) Determining the position of an application unit for applying the medium at the first position based on the measurement values determined in step b); and is

e) Repeating steps b) to d) for further positions along the first edge section and/or the second edge section, wherein for each individual position the volume to be filled with the medium and the position for applying the medium are calculated separately on the basis of the measured values determined at the respective position; and is

f) Applying the medium at the first and each further location on the first edge section and/or on the second edge section in the volume determined in step c) for the respective location and in the location determined in step d) for the respective location; and is

g) The first member is connected to the second member.

According to the invention, a method for joining at least two components to one another is thus provided. The medium is an adhesive or a sealing material. The two components are preferably sheet components, CFK components and/or GFK components. For example, the first component can be an outer component and the second component can be an inner component, which are connected to one another for reinforcement and for the production of a body part, such as a front cover, a rear cover or a vehicle door. The outer component can be designed, for example, as a sheet metal component and the inner component as a CFK component or a GFK component.

In step b), the two edge sections, that is to say the edge section of the first component and the edge section of the second component, are measured at least in the first position or in the region of this position, for which the volume and the position of the application of the medium are to be determined. Steps b) to g) are performed according to the invention after step a). The edge sections of the components are thus first measured after receiving the two components, for example after receiving them by a robot.

In step b), the actual cut edges of the two components are measured. In the case of trimming, the joining methods from the prior art work with preset values for the amount of medium to be applied, although preset tolerances are followed, which cannot be taken into account for the determination of the preset. However, the joining methods from the prior art do not take into account the actual deviations within this tolerance. According to the invention, this actual deviation, even if within tolerances, is determined by measurement in step b). Thus, according to the invention, the actual deviation from the preset nominal value is determined at each preset position along the edge sections of the two components.

In steps c) and d), for each position, an optimal volume and ideal position for administration are calculated based on the measured values determined in step b) and subsequently administered in step f). Thus, the method according to the invention provides for self-optimized administration of the medium. Different algorithms may be applied for the respective calculations in steps c) and d). For example, the components can virtually be nested or virtually placed on each other based on the measured values determined in step b).

The application unit can apply the medium, for example, in a track-type (raupenFoermig) or surface-type manner. The medium is thereby applied continuously along a predetermined path on the first edge section and/or on the second edge section. However, the quantities or volumes and positions at the individual positions are adapted accordingly and the values calculated in steps c) and d) are changed if necessary. Between two positions following each other, the amount or volume and the position preferably remain constant.

The position determined in step d) is understood to mean, in particular, the orientation of the application unit and the distance from the outer edge of the component, for example, for applying the medium at the height of the predetermined position.

The individual positions are arranged or arranged at a distance from one another along the edge section of the component.

Step f) is preferably performed after step e). In this way, the edge section can first be completely measured, for each predefined position the respective optimum volume and ideal position can be determined and the medium can then be applied to the position. Alternatively, after each individual determination of the volume and position at a location, adhesive is applied at that location and the volume and position for the next location are calculated immediately.

In a final step, the two components are placed or inserted into each other and mechanically connected or joined to each other after application of the medium.

By the method according to the invention, it is possible to set an optimum filling quantity of the medium at the desired location in each location. In this case, in the case of the receiving component, the actual trimming tolerances and also other process tolerances and tolerances of the receiving device can be taken into account. The method according to the invention thus provides an automated process calibration with respect to the individual components, as a result of which the component quality can be increased, since it can be ensured with respect to the individual components that the medium is sufficiently applied in each region of the edge sections to be connected. In addition, costs and expenditure can be reduced, since it can also be ensured that the medium is not applied too much or too little in the region, which would otherwise necessitate costly reworking or lead to rejects.

Preferably, the individual positions are arranged along the first edge section and/or along the second edge section at a predetermined distance of between 1.0mm and 5.0mm, particularly preferably between 1.2mm and 3.0mm, and very particularly preferably between 1.5mm and 2.0 mm. For this purpose, the edge sections are preferably measured at a distance of between 0.1mm and 0.5mm, particularly preferably between 0.12mm and 0.3mm, and very particularly preferably between 0.15mm and 2.0 mm. Measurements have shown that a spacing of 1.8mm is particularly suitable, in particular between the individual positions. Thereby, it is possible to provide for a quantity and position adjustment of the medium or an application of the medium at a preferred spacing.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the medium is an adhesive or a sealing material.

The method is preferably carried out as a joining method in hybrid technology, in which the two components are bonded to one another by means of a medium and then mechanically connected to one another in a further process step. A hybrid joining method is understood within the meaning of the present invention to be a joining method with at least two different method steps, for example the application of an adhesive and the subsequent mechanical joining.

For example, the method may be configured as a crimp bonding process. For this purpose, the two components can be connected to one another for the purpose of reinforcing and producing a body part, for example a front cover, a rear cover or a vehicle door. One of the two components may be configured as an outer component. The other component may be configured as an inner component. After the outer edge of the outer part has been turned over or after the chamfering of the flange of the outer part, the medium can be applied in the form of an adhesive or sealing material. Subsequently, the two components are mechanically connected to one another by crimping in a nested or form-fitting manner. In addition to the mechanical crimping, the crimping ring is thereby filled with a medium or adhesive.

Preferably, the first and second components are accommodated in step a) by means of one accommodating device or by means of a plurality of accommodating devices and are held in the accommodated state during steps b) to f). This means that the two components are no longer laid down after the accommodation in step a) during the subsequent method steps b) to f). Thus, by accommodating (e.g., RPS accommodating), not only trimming tolerances of the components, but other process tolerances and tolerances may be taken into account. The receiving device may be configured as a robot hand. For example, the first member may be received by a first robot and the second member may be received by a second robot and held during steps b) through f).

The first edge section and/or the second edge section are preferably chamfered, for example, before step a). The first and/or second component can thus already have a chamfered collar for or before the measurement. In step b), the flange formed during chamfering is then measured. In this case, different parameters can be measured.

Preferably, the height of the chamfered flange of the first edge section and/or the second edge section is measured. Furthermore, the angular position of the chamfered collar of the first edge section and/or the second edge section and/or the angular deviation from a predetermined angular position are preferably measured. Likewise, the radius in the curled bottom of the chamfered flange of the first edge section and/or the second edge section may be measured.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the thickness of the first edge section and/or the second edge section is measured.

The parameters to be measured are then used as a basis for calculating the volume and position at the different positions. Preferably, all parameters are measured at each single preset position along the edge section. By comparing the measured values with preset nominal values, the differences can be determined and calibration values for the volume and the position at the respective positions calculated on the basis thereof.

Preferably, the volume to be administered is divided into a plurality of volume segments at each position for the purpose of calculating the volume, wherein the cross section for each volume segment is calculated on the basis of the measured values determined in step b). For the crimp bonding, the volume to be applied can be divided at each location into, for example, four volume sections in order to calculate the volume. For each of the four volume sections, the cross section is then determined on the basis of the measured values determined in step b). The first volume section can be constructed, for example, by a contact region between the first and second component or a region in which two edge sections are placed against one another. The second volume section can be, for example, a section which is formed between the first and second component on the other side of the second component after the flange of the first component has been folded down. The third volume section may be a channel between the end face of the outer edge of the second component and the folded-down flange of the first component. The fourth volume section may be a preset or desired medium overflow. For each individual volume segment, the degree of filling for the medium can be predefined depending on the method.

In step b), the edge section can preferably be measured by means of an optical measuring method. In this case, the edge section is particularly preferably measured by means of a 2D laser triangulation sensor. The edge portion can be measured between 1kHz and 64kHz, particularly preferably at a measuring frequency of about 4 kHz. The measurement frequency in this region is an optimal ratio between the measurement data range and the measurement accuracy. Likewise, larger body parts, for example front covers, rear covers or vehicle doors, can thus be produced in existing production stations, or the required additional measuring and adjusting techniques can be integrated into existing production stations. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that during step b) or after step b) but before step f) it is checked whether the trimming deviation at the first component and/or at the second component is outside a preset tolerance. It is thus possible to check before joining and in particular before applying the medium whether the trimming deviation is outside the tolerance. In this way, defective components can be removed in advance and/or fed back to the trimming station. Errors can be identified in advance and/or calibration measures can be introduced in the case of trimming the next component.

According to the invention, a body part consisting of at least one component and a second component can furthermore be provided, wherein the first component and the second component are produced according to the method described in advance. In particular, the body part is designed as a front cover, a rear cover or a door.

Furthermore, according to the invention, a device for connecting at least one first component to a second component according to the method described in advance is provided.

The device can have one or more robots for accommodating the components. Furthermore, the device preferably has at least one measuring unit for measuring the edge sections of the two components and at least one adjusting unit for calculating and adjusting the respective volumes and positions for the application of the medium. It is also preferably provided that the device has a dynamic application unit for applying the medium. In order to mechanically connect the two components after the self-adjusting application of the medium, the two components can be crimped by means of a crimping unit of the device and thereby connected to one another.

Drawings

The invention is subsequently explained exemplarily according to a preferred embodiment.

Wherein:

fig. 1 schematically shows a flow chart with the main steps of a method for connecting two components;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an apparatus for connecting two members and another flow diagram;

FIGS. 3 and 3a schematically illustrate a hemming-bonding process for self-adjusting application of media;

fig. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a detail through a connecting region between a first component and a second component;

fig. 5 schematically shows the assembly of the two components after the application of the medium for the production of the body part.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

100 vehicle body component

200 device for connecting structural members

10 first member

10a first edge section

11 second member

11a second edge section

12 medium

13 first position

13a,13b,13c in other positions

14 flange

14a flange height

15 angular position

16 radius

17a first cross section

17b second cross section

17c third cross section

17d fourth Cross section

18 tolerance

19 original preset rating

20 robot hand.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows schematically the main steps of the method according to the invention by means of a flow diagram. In step S1, first component 10 and second component 11 are received, for example, by means of robot arm 20. In step S2, the

edge sections

10a,11a of the two

components

10,11 are measured. Next, in step S3, the volume to be filled with the medium 12 at the first position 13 on the first edge section 10a and/or on the second edge section 11a is calculated on the basis of the measured values determined in step S2. In step S4, the position of the application unit for applying the medium 12 at the first position 13 is calculated based on the measurement value determined in step S2. This step is repeated along the

edge sections

10a,11a for

further positions

13a,13b,13c arranged at a distance from one another. Next, in step S5, the medium 12, for example an adhesive, is applied in each case in a measured volume at the

respective position

13,13a,13b,13c and in each position measured for each

position

13,13a,13b,13 c. In step S6, the two

components

10,11 are placed or inserted onto one another and subsequently connected to one another, for example crimped.

Fig. 2 shows a device 200 for connecting at least two

components

10,11 by means of the method described above. The two

components

10,11 may be accommodated by separate robots 20. The two

components

10,11 or the

respective edge sections

10a,11a are measured by means of an optical measuring unit and are followed by a virtual insert. For this purpose, a plurality of optical measuring units can also be provided. In the case of a virtual plug-in, at each

position

13,13a,13b,13c for calculating the volume to be administered, it is divided into a plurality of volume segments and a

cross section

17a,17b,17c,17d for each volume segment is calculated on the basis of the measured values. In a next step, the medium 12 is applied in correspondence with the measured value. Subsequently, the two

components

10,11 are placed or inserted into one another and connected to one another, for example crimped.

Fig. 3 shows an exemplary self-adjusting application of the medium 12 in the predetermined position 13 in the case of a bead bond. For this purpose, the

edge sections

10a,11a of the two

components

10,11 are measured, wherein parameters such as, for example, the thickness of the

components

10,11, the height 14a of the chamfered flange 14, the angular position 15 of the chamfered flange 14 and the radius 16 of the flange base are determined.

The optimum volume or optimum amount of adhesive and the position for application of adhesive in this position 13 are then calculated from this parameter. This procedure is repeated for all

positions

13,13a,13b,13c, so that an optimum amount of adhesive is applied in the desired position along the

edge sections

10a,11a to be connected, respectively.

In fig. 3a perspective view is shown oriented towards the assembly from fig. 3. For a better overview, the second component 11 is not represented in fig. 3 a. Fig. 3a shows how the medium 12 is applied in a crawler-like manner along the first edge section 10 a. At

positions

13,13a,13b,13c spaced apart from one another, the amount or volume to be administered and the position are adjusted and matched, respectively, for the administration of the medium 12. In the example shown in fig. 3a, the chamfered collar 14 tapers in course. Accordingly, the amount is changed and in particular reduced at the

respective position

13,13a,13b,13 c. The

positions

13,13a,13b,13c shown in fig. 3a do not represent all the actual positions along the first edge section 10a (where the amounts and positions are readjusted), but rather only a pair of positions is exemplarily shown.

In addition, fig. 3a shows the difference between the actual application of the medium 12 and the original preset threshold value 19 for volume and position.

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the connection region between the first component 10 and the second component 11 in a cross-sectional view. In this case, the respective volume section or the

cross section

17a,17b,17c,17d of the respective volume section is shown, for example, for a crimped adhesive connection. The first volume section or its first cross section 17a is formed by a region which, in the case of a mutual arrangement of the two

components

10,11, results between the two. The second region or second cross section 17b is defined by the region between the first component 10 and the second component 11, which results on the other side of the second component 11 after the flange 14 of the first component 10 has been folded down. The third volume section or third cross section 17c is formed by a channel between the end face of the second component 11 and the bent collar 14 of the first component 10. The fourth volume section or fourth cross section 17d presents a predetermined desired adhesive overflow.

Fig. 5 shows the assembly of the two

components

10,11 to the body part 100 at an example of a front cover for a vehicle. Before the assembly or connection of the two

components

10,11, the

respective edge sections

10a,11a of the two

components

10,11 are measured. Subsequently, for each

position

13,13a,13b,13c, an optimum amount for the adhesive application and an ideal position for the adhesive application are determined along the

edge sections

10a,11a, and the adhesive is then applied accordingly. After the adhesive has been applied, the

components

10,11 are placed on each other or inserted and joined to each other by crimping.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a first component (10) with at least one second component (11) along a first edge section (10a) of the first component (10) and a second edge section (11a) of the second component (11), wherein the method has at least the following steps:

a) -housing said first member (10) and said second member (11);

b) measuring the first edge section (10a) and measuring the second edge section (11 a); and is

c) Determining the volume to be filled with the medium (12) at a first location (13) on the first edge section (10a) and/or on the second edge section (11a), wherein the volume to be filled with the medium (12) at the first location (13) is calculated on the basis of the measured values determined in step b); and is

d) Determining the location of an application unit for applying the medium (12) at the first location (13), wherein the location for applying the medium (12) at the first location (13) is calculated based on the measured values determined in step b); and is

e) Repeating the steps b) to d) for further locations (13a,13b,13c) along the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a), wherein, for each individual location (13,13a,13b,13c), the volume to be filled with the medium (12) and the location for applying the medium (12) are calculated separately on the basis of the measured values determined at the respective location (13,13a,13b,13 c); and is

f) Applying the medium on the first edge section and/or on the second edge section at the first and each further location in the volume determined in step c) for the respective location and in the site determined in step d) for the respective location; and is

g) Connecting the first member (10) with the second member (11).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual positions (13,13a,13b,13c) are arranged along the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a) with a preset pitch between 1.0mm and 5.0 mm.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual positions (13,13a,13b,13c) are arranged along the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a) with a preset pitch between 1.2mm and 3.0 mm.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual positions (13,13a,13b,13c) are arranged along the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a) with a preset pitch between 1.5mm and 2.0 mm.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first component (10) and the second component (11) are accommodated in step a) by means of an accommodating device or accommodating devices and are held in the accommodated state during the steps b) to f).

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a) are flanged before step a) and in step b) the flange (14) formed in the flanging is measured, wherein the flange height (14a) and/or the angular position (15) of the flanged flange (14) of the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a) is measured.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the angular deviation of the angular position (15) of the flanging flange (14) of the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11a) is determined.

8. A method according to claim 6, characterized by measuring the radius (16) in the hem bottom of the hemmed flange (14) of the first edge section (10a) and/or the second edge section (11 a).

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the thickness of the first edge section (10a) and/or the thickness of the second edge section (11a) is measured in step b).

10. The method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at each location (13,13a,13b,13c) for calculating the volume to be administered it is divided into a plurality of volume segments and the cross section (17a,17b,17c,17d) for each volume segment is calculated based on the measured values determined in step b).

11. Method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in step b) the edge sections (10a,11a) are measured by means of an optical measuring method and/or by means of tactile determination of deviations.

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is checked during or after step b) whether the trimming deviation at the first component (10) and/or at the second component (11) is outside a preset tolerance.

13. A body part (100) consisting of at least a first component (10) and a second component (11), characterized in that the first component (10) is connected with the second component (11) according to the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. Device (200) for connecting at least one first component (10) to a second component (11) according to the method according to one of claims 1 to 12.

15. The device (200) according to claim 14, characterized in that the device (200) has one or more robots (20), at least one measuring unit, at least one adjusting unit and at least one dynamic application unit for applying the medium (12).