An automated system and process for manufacturing a mattress generally includes an automated foam layer placement apparatus for accurately securing one or more foam layers onto an innercore unit and bucket assembly.

A gateway segment assembly line that allows for the construction of space stations while in orbit by fabricating individual segments in space. An assembly housing provides an open ended structure through which materials are processed in order to construct a segment for a space station. The materials are loaded into a plurality of workstations positioned along the assembly housing through the use of a plurality of external manipulators adjacently connected to the assembly housing. Each of the plurality of workstations provides the equipment for sequentially loading materials into the assembly housing. An assembly line conveyor, positioned throughout the plurality of workstations, guides materials through the assembly housing as the materials are mated to form the segment. Upon completion of the segment, a plurality of segment transport units transports the segment to an orbital construction site, wherein the segment is mated with subsequent segments to form the space station.

A production line including a chain conveyor for moving part transporting pallets through an electronically controlled workstation. The workstation includes an implement for use by a workstation user which is freely movable along the transport direction of the pallets within the workstation. The workstation may further include a plurality of automated drawers containing components for manual assembly operations in the workstation. The chain conveyor includes front hook and rear hook units to engage the pallet for movement along the production line. When the pallet is prevented from further movement by an obstacle, the chain rear hook moves from a pallet engaged position to a position whereby an optical beam is interrupted. On interruption of the optical beam, a command signal is generated which causes the conveyor to stop.

A transport apparatus is for conveying a shoe sole, and includes a rail unit divided into process and bridge regions, a delivery device and a transfer device. The delivery device is movable in the process and the bridge regions, and includes a conveyor belt for carrying the shoe sole and to move the shoe sole on the rail unit. The transfer device is located adjacent to the bridge region, and includes a transfer roller assembly and a transfer belt, which surrounds the transfer roller assembly and is drivable by the same for carrying the shoe sole. When the delivery device is in the bridge region, the conveyor belt is adjacent to the transfer belt, and is operable to convey the shoe sole onto the transfer belt.

Systems and methods are provided for assembling a structure. The systems and method including micro pulsing a structure along a track in a process direction by less than a length of the structure. The structure is indexed to one or more work stations by mating indexing features in a manufacturing excess of the structure to complementary features at the work stations. The work stations would the perform work on the structure at the work stations while the structure is indexed to the work stations. Iteratively repeating the micro pulsing and indexing and working upon the structure until it is ready to advance to the next assembly process.

An assembly system is provided for automotive lamps and an operation method thereof. The assembly system includes two kinds of functional robots and many functional stations, and it uses the functional robots to transfer workpieces between the various functional stations to realize automatic gluing, fastening and whole lamp performance testing, etc., thereby reducing the amount of manual intervention and improving process integration. Further, the assembly system may provide an assembly system with a two-sided assembly line operating simultaneously, which greatly improves the working efficiency of thereof.

A fastening component supplying apparatus is disclosed. The disclosed fastening component supplying apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention for supplying a plurality of bolts aligned by a bolt aligning device to a fastening portion of a fastening target part includes: a bolt picking unit rotatably installed to an arm front end of a handling robot and picking a plurality of bolts aligned in the bolt aligning device; and a bolt drop unit installed to an arm front end side of the handling robot and dropping the bolts picked by the bolt picking unit to the fastening portion.

Systems and methods for automated extrusion of main elements for building construction are disclosed wherein sub-components of sub-elements are extruded by automated means, and sub-elements are assembled by automated means, and the sub-elements are incorporated into main elements by automated means.

Equipment for fitting panels for insulating covers, such as standing seam panels for insulating housing roofs, includes an upper sheet, a lower sheet and an expanded polymer intermediate layer. A working unit extends along a longitudinal axis, which corresponds to the working line of the panels. A supply unit is coupled to the working unit, by a transfer unit extending along a horizontal longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working unit, for supplying reinforcement plates having a thrust portion and a flat portion. The working unit includes a carriage movable along the longitudinal axis. The carriage includes dies configured to cut and deform one end of the upper sheet of the panels and a thrust member for introducing reinforcement plates into a tail end of the expanded polymer intermediate layer. The thrust member is placed downstream of the dies along the working direction of the panels.

Systems and methods are provided for assembling a wing. Methods include suspending an upper wing panel of an aircraft beneath a shuttle, translating a rib to a position it, and placing the rib into contact with, then affixing the rib to, the upper wing panel, while suspended. Some methods include installing ribs and spars to the upper wing panel, and joining a lower wing panel to the ribs and spars, while the upper wing panel is suspended. Some methods involve joining ribs to spars (e.g., all, or some) to produce a support structure that is then affixed to the upper wing panel. Systems include a shuttle that suspends an upper wing panel, and a cart that includes supports to hold a rib, a chassis to translate the rib to a position beneath the upper wing panel, and a lifting apparatus to lift the rib into contact with the upper wing panel.