A method of interconnecting a vehicle chassis and body includes supporting the chassis on a first carrier and supporting the body on a second carrier suspended in a positive z-direction with respect to the first carrier; translating the first carrier in the positive z-direction; interconnecting the chassis and the body; and shifting supports coupled to the second carrier and spaced apart from the body from a first position in a path of travel of the chassis to a second position outside of the path by pivoting each support about a pivot axis. The method also includes shifting the supports from the second to the first position by pivoting each support about the pivot axis; translating the first carrier in a negative z-direction toward the supports; and supporting the interconnected chassis and body on the second carrier by engaging the chassis with the plurality of supports in the first position.

A method of manufacturing self-pierce rivets from a length of wire comprises separating the length of wire to form a plurality of slugs, each slug defining a head end and a tail end. The method further comprises forging a plurality of rivets from the slugs, each rivet having a head formed from the head end of a slug and a tip formed from the tail end of that slug, the head and the tip of the rivet being separated by a shank which defines a longitudinal axis, the rivet having a bore which runs substantially longitudinally through the tip and at least part way along the shank. For each of the plurality of rivets, the method comprises performing a machining operation on the tip the rivet or on the tail end of the slug from which the rivet was forged.

A manufacturing station and a manufacturing process for workpieces, in particular car body parts. The manufacturing station includes a processing area having a working point and a processing apparatus. A security partition surrounds the processing area and has a secure access point for workpiece transport. The manufacturing station further includes an automatic loading apparatus with loading robots. The loading apparatus loads and unloads workpieces onto and off a conveyor and transports the workpieces into and out of the processing area. The automatic and multifunctional loading apparatus is arranged, together with a workpiece support, inside the security partition, wherein the workpiece support is arranged within the working area of the loading robots. A loading robot provides workpieces and carries out a setting-up procedure.

A vehicle assembly tool includes a tooling framework, vehicle control arm caster and camber setting tool, nut runners, and half shaft pressing tool. The vehicle control arm caster and camber setting tool is secured to the framework. The nut runners are secured to the framework and are configured to engage fasteners to rotatably fix a vehicle control arm to a vehicle frame. The half shaft pressing tool is secured to the framework and is configured to press a half shaft into a vehicle axle.

Tooling systems and methods may be employed for installing a plurality of visually similar threaded fasteners to a plurality of assemblies. Each of the assemblies may have one or more threaded mating surfaces configured to receive different types of threaded fasteners, e.g., formed of different materials. The tooling system may include a tool(s) having a drive surface configured to install a threaded fastener by relative rotation of a gripping feature of the fastener with respect to a corresponding mating thread, each tool having a sensor disposed adjacent the drive surface and configured to detect a presence of the first material when a gripping feature of the one of the threaded fasteners of the first fastener type is positioned on the drive surface. The tooling system may also include a controller configured to determine the type of the selected threaded fastener based upon the sensor.

With a parts supply system in which a plurality of parts boxes is transported by a trolley while the parts boxes are unloaded from the trolley at respectively corresponding part-supply places provided on a parts transport route, progress status of supply of the parts boxes to respective unloading places is grasped. Information of RFID tags T1 to T10 respectively applied to a plurality of parts boxes B1 to B10 is read by ID tag reading devices 4A, 4B and 4C respectively mounted on trolleys 21, 22 and 23. Thus, the respective parts boxes B1 to B10 that exist on the trolleys 21, 22 and 23 are identified, and information is generated on the progress status of supply of the respective parts boxes B1 to B10 to the part-supply places. Thus, the progress status of the supply of the parts boxes B1 to B10 to the part-supply places is recognized.

A method and an assembly installation for implementing the method automatically joining components, in particular of a motor vehicle-side radiator grill with a chrome frame, and/or a radiator grill of this type with a chrome strip, in an assembly installation. In a first step, a second component is positioned on a first component or a third component is positioned on the second component thus forming a complete component. In a second step, the complete component is placed in a horizontally-oriented component receiving device of the assembly installation and in a third step an installation-side stamping device is guided in the direction of the complete component in such a manner, in particular lowered vertically, that the complete component is influenced in an end position of the stamping device with a pressing force that provides a latching arrangement or pressing arrangement of the components.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.

Methods for restoring at least one portion of a body of a valuable historic vehicle generally includes stripping the body portion to clean and roughen a metal surface thereof, wherein the boxy portion is formed of a metal and has a thickness of less than 4 tenths of a millimeter. Stripping includes solvent removal of a paint layer on the metal surface of the body portion followed by corundum blasting to roughen the metal surface. A metal layer is deposited onto the roughened surface by hurling metal particles against the body portion so that they remain embedded therein. Depositing the metal includes hurling metal particles including an anchoring agent to the cleaned and roughened metal surface followed by hurling metal particles including a metal that is similar in composition to the metal body portion. The anchoring agent can be an aluminum alloy.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.