An autonomous vehicle, for example, an automated guided vehicle or an autonomous mobile robot, has a support structure having a general double-hull configuration, with two separate longitudinal hulls, parallel to each other and transversely spaced apart, and at least two bridge structures that connect the hulls to each other. The aforesaid bridge structures have ends connected to the two hulls by interposition of elastic joints, in such a way that the two hulls are free to perform differentiated oscillating movements so as to allow the front wheels and the rear wheels of the vehicle to remain in contact with the surface on which the vehicle is moving, even when this surface has irregularities and/or slope variations.

A system and process for gluing two components together includes measuring the temperature of one or both panels to be glued together prior to application of the glue to the panels. If the measured temperature of the panel(s) is outside a predetermined range, the system and process thermally conditions the panel(s) to bring them into the predetermined temperature range for proper adhesion. A control unit with predetermined reference values is in communication with the system temperature sensors and thermal conditioning devices to provide uniform gluing quality irrespective of the environmental conditions of the assembly line.

An automatic manufacturing station (3) and a manufacturing process for workpieces (2), in particular for vehicle body parts, has a manufacturing area (4) with a plurality of program-controlled manufacturing robots (9). The workpieces (2) are externally fed to the manufacturing station (3) on production load carriers (8). The manufacturing station (3) also has a plurality of work stations (10, 11, 12, 13). A station-bound transport device (15) transports the production load carriers (8) within the manufacturing station (3).

An apparatus for lifting and rotating a frame of a motor vehicle includes a rotisserie and a rotatably connected fixture that holds the motor vehicle frame during production. The fixture includes clamps extending from arms of the fixture and clamps extending from the front support for affixing the frame of the motor vehicle to the fixture. The fixture may further include a passive lock mechanism for engaging a side sill of the frame that includes a latch, a locking extension, a latch spring that holds the latch in engagement with the frame, and a pendulum that rotates relative to the fixture but remains oriented in a fixed location relative to horizontal. The latch may only be disengaged from the frame when the locking extension is aligned to be received by a slot in the pendulum when the fixture is rotated to the home location.

A method for manufacturing an automobile includes placing a body on a pre-assembled underside part set, and then assembling the underside part set onto the body. The underside part set includes a rear suspension in which a spring and a shock absorber are arranged side by side, and the spring is brought into a compressed state in the underside part set before the body is placed on the underside part set.

An autonomous traveling unit is provided with a pair of toggle mechanisms. The toggle mechanisms respectively have displaceable bodies provided with cam followers. A workpiece loading unit is provided with a member in an X shape to be clamped. The cam followers are respectively advanced to a pair of opposing corners (a first crossing portion and a second crossing portion) of the member to be clamped. When advancing to the pair of opposing corners, the cam followers are respectively brought into abutment on the member to be clamped, whereby the workpiece loading unit is restrained on the autonomous traveling unit.

A device designed for the removal, storage, and installation of removable hardtops from convertible sport utility vehicles, comprising a wheeled base unit, a vertical support structure and a platform assembly, wherein the base unit is aligned directly below the platform unit and the vertical support structure connects them together, wherein the device can be disassembled for simple shipping, is adjustable for height and depth to accommodate different SUV models, and includes markers for easy assembly.

A method of properly aligning a sliding side door on a vehicle includes first preparing a prototype vehicle and determining how far out of alignment the door is to the body of the prototype vehicle. This amount of misalignment is then used to adjust the attachment position of an anchor plate to a sliding side door of the vehicle, so that the anchor plate is attached at a desired position to the production vehicle, which causes there to be no misalignment between the sliding side door and the body of the production vehicle. A jig is used to hold the anchor plate at the desired location while welding the anchor plate to the door. A roller assembly is then attached to the anchor plate and to a rail on a body of the vehicle.

A system for mounting insulating elements on structural elements in motor vehicles includes a plurality of insulating elements that are provided in at least one stack. The system further includes at least one structural element of a motor vehicle and a robot. Said robot is designed to be able to take each individual insulating element from the stack and arrange it on the structural element.

A device designed for the removal, storage, and installation of removable hardtops from convertible sport utility vehicles, comprising a wheeled base unit, a vertical support structure and a platform assembly, wherein the base unit is aligned directly below the platform unit and the vertical support structure connects them together, wherein the device can be disassembled for simple shipping, is adjustable for height and depth to accommodate different SUV models, and includes markers for easy assembly.