A transport system for transporting a vehicle body at a manufacturing plant is provided. The transport system includes a guide rail attached to a floor of a trailer of a truck and includes a pair of elongated channels defining an elongated passage therebetween. The transport system further includes a carriage adapted to support the vehicle body and configured to facilitate a transfer of the vehicle body to the trailer. The carriage includes at least one guide pin configured to engage with the guide rail and adapted to be arranged inside the elongated passage. The at least one guide pin guides a movement of the carriage along the guide rail.

An assembled body of a vehicle may include a plurality of body parts, each of which forms a portion of the vehicle body, and forming the vehicle by being assembled during combination thereof; a magnetic module provided in each of the body portions and combining the plurality of body portions with each other by use of magnetic flow of the magnetic module; and a controller engaged to the magnetic module and configured for controlling a closed circulating magnetic path produced in the magnetic module such that the plurality of body portions is combined with each other to form the assembled body or to be separated from each other according to a control signal of the controller.

An assembled body of a vehicle may include a plurality of body parts, each of which forms a portion of the vehicle body, and forming the vehicle by being assembled during combination thereof; a magnetic module provided in each of the body portions and combining the plurality of body portions with each other by use of magnetic flow of the magnetic module; and a controller engaged to the magnetic module and configured for controlling a closed circulating magnetic path produced in the magnetic module such that the plurality of body portions is combined with each other to form the assembled body or to be separated from each other according to a control signal of the controller.

The present invention relates to a chassis (10) for a vehicle comprising a plurality of sandwich plate elements (100) and a plurality of connection elements (200, 200′, 200a-c) for connecting said plurality of sandwich plate elements (100). Each connection element (200, 200′, 200a-c) comprises two or more recesses (210, 220) configured to receive an edge portion (160) of one of the plurality of sandwich plate elements (100). The plurality of connection elements (200, 200′, 200a-c) comprises at least one connection element (200′, 200a-c) which has at least one external surface (202a-e) provided with a connection configuration (250a-e) for a mortise and tenon type joint. A method (20) for forming a chassis (10) for a vehicle is also provided.

A system for assembling a vehicle platform includes a robotic assembly system having at least two robotic arms, a vision system capturing images of an assembly frame, and a control system configured to control the robotic assembly system to assemble the vehicle platform based on images from the vision system, force feedback from the at least two robotic arms, and a component location model. The control system is further configured to identify assembly features of a first component and a second component of the vehicle platform from the images, operate the robotic arms to orient the first component and the second component to respective nominal positions based on the images and the component location model, and operate the robotic arms to assemble the first component to the second component based on the force feedback.

One aspect is an apparatus including a plurality of additively manufactured components each having an adhesive injection channel. The components are connected together such that adhesive injection channels are aligned to form an adhesive path that allows adhesive flow between the components. Another aspect is an apparatus, including an additively manufactured component having an adhesive injection channel and an adhesive flow mechanism comprising at least one of an adhesive side end effector or a vacuum side end effector, the adhesive flow mechanism configured to provide adhesive to the adhesive injection channels.

One aspect is an apparatus including a plurality of additively manufactured components each having an adhesive injection channel. The components are connected together such that adhesive injection channels are aligned to form an adhesive path that allows adhesive flow between the components. Another aspect is an apparatus, including an additively manufactured component having an adhesive injection channel and an adhesive flow mechanism comprising at least one of an adhesive side end effector or a vacuum side end effector, the adhesive flow mechanism configured to provide adhesive to the adhesive injection channels.

Aspects are provided for retaining components of an assembly to a support, including additively manufactured (AM) parts of a vehicle chassis to an assembly table. A cartridge for securing the component to the assembly table is provided which includes a housing including at least one compartment, an adhesive disposed within the at least one compartment, a fastener removably attached to the assembly table, and a membrane lid enclosing an opening of the housing. The membrane lid is configured to receive a protruding member from the component such that the protruding member becomes adhered to the adhesive upon penetrating the membrane lid. The cartridge thus allows the component to be quickly retained in any selected position while constraining movement of the component along six degrees of freedom, thereby allowing AM and non-AM parts to be securely retained to accommodate strict tolerance and precise fit between the components of the assembly.

An automotive vehicle has a skateboard platform and a vehicle body that is attached to the skateboard platform or chassis. The sides of the vehicle body are formed using a structural frame, made up of multiple structural sub-frames that give structural integrity to the sides of the vehicle body and to which body panels are attached. Each structural sub-frame is directly attached to the skateboard platform or chassis.

An automotive vehicle has a skateboard platform and a vehicle body that is attached to the skateboard platform or chassis. The sides of the vehicle body are formed using a structural frame, made up of multiple structural sub-frames that give structural integrity to the sides of the vehicle body and to which body panels are attached. Each structural sub-frame is directly attached to the skateboard platform or chassis.